To check that your device has antivirus installed, and which version it is running:
Windows
- Open the Control Panel and go to Programs > Programs and Features.
- Look through the list of installed programs on your computer. This will show any installed antivirus software.
- Click the small up-arrow on the bottom right of the toolbar to display the system tray. Often an installed antivirus will be shown here.
macOS
- Go to your Applications folder by opening a Finder window and clicking Applications in the left sidebar.
- Use the Search function in the Finder window to look for the names of common antivirus software applications.
Common antivirus software
Some of the most common antivirus software applications are:
- Windows Defender Antivirus (free with Windows 10 and 11)
- Sophos (30-day free trial; Windows and macOS)
- Avast (free and paid subscription; Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS)
- AVG (free and paid subscription; Windows and macOS)
- McAfee (paid subscription; Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS)
- PCProtect (free; Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS)
Some antivirus software requires a paid subscription. If your subscription is out of date, you will need to either renew your subscription or install a free antivirus software application. A computer that has antivirus software with an expired subscription does not meet University of Otago policy for connecting to the University networks.
Refer to the Wikipedia Comparison of Antivirus Software page to consider alternatives and compare different vendors and products.
Two or more antivirus software applications?
If you find you have more than one antivirus software application installed, choose your preferred one and uninstall the other. If you have more than one antivirus software application installed and running at the same time, they will interfere with each other and neither will work effectively, potentially leaving you with no antivirus protection at all.