Paying special attention to uncommon files is smart. Sure enough, TotalAV gave a quarter of them the rare file treatment before greenlighting them. To further exercise this feature, I tried installing about 20 ancient PCMag utilities, tools that surely aren’t currently in widespread use. Rather than fill the screen with pop-ups, it simply displayed the number of threats in a single pop-up, with a link to view the list by filename and threat name. As soon as the folder opened, it started stacking up notifications. The Pro edition did better, by a long shot. Rather than score it a big fat zero, we gave it credit for removing 85% of the samples during its required install-time scan-quite a bit better than in its last review. Lacking any real-time protection, the free TotalAV antivirus did neither of those. Others wait until just before the sample executes to activate a real-time scan. For many products, the tiny file access that occurs when Windows Explorer gets each file's name and size is enough to trigger a real-time scan. We start the hands-on malware protection test by opening a folder full of malware samples that we’ve curated and analyzed. F-Secure and McAfee managed 100% detection in their latest rounds of testing, while Bitdefender and Norton detected 99%. In the latest test, that score dropped to an unimpressive 73%. As you can see from the review, we’re not impressed with that move.Īt the time of our previous review, TotalAV detected 89% of the verified phishing sites, which is better than many competitors. In a very unusual move, TotalAV not only removes bonus features, it also strips essential real-time protection from TotalAV Free Edition. Many antivirus companies pack full protection into their free product, relying on added features or a personal-use-only clause to drive sales of the paid version. Given this product’s high price, you won’t want to waste any licenses. TotalAV lets you gift unused licenses to others while giving them their own accounts. However, their installations remain part of your subscription, under your control. With any multi-license antivirus subscription, you’re free to use your licenses to protect family members.

The other three invoke Password Vault, Family Account Sharing, and Settings.įamily Account Sharing is interesting. Pointing to three of them pulls out submenus for Malware Protection, Internet Security, and System Tune Up.

How to Set Up Two-Factor AuthenticationĪ left-rail menu contains six icons.

How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac.

How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files.

How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill.

How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad.

How to Block Robotexts and Spam Messages.

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