McAfee installer doesn't detect all third-party security products on macOS

If you have McAfee Antivirus and another antivirus app on your computer, they will conflict.

When there’s a conflict, the apps might not work correctly. This can cause unexpected behavior or problems.

The McAfee installer for macOS checks for other antivirus apps before installation. If found, it alerts you and stops the installation. Remove the other app and try again.

The McAfee installer detects many third-party antivirus products, but not all of them. So, it is possible to install a McAfee product while you already have a third-party security app installed. 


 

Third-party antivirus products that are detected

Here is a list of apps that are detected by the McAfee installer on macOS.

• Radial Point
• Kaspersky
• Sophos
• Norton AV 8
• Norton AV 9
• Norton AV 11
• Norton AV
• Norton AV 7.6
• Intego AV 6
• Intego AV 5
• Intego AV 4
• Intego AV 9
• Intego AV
• Symantec 10.11
• Sophos 3.86
• Sophos 4.9
• FSecure App

IMPORTANT: Before you install your McAfee app, ensure that you remove any third-party antivirus apps that weren’t detected.

What to do if you have a third-party antivirus app installed

Remove the app. Always follow the steps provided by the manufacturer to ensure that the app is removed correctly.

 

TIP: You might need to use a removal script, or run a removal app. Check the product’s site or support resources for details.

 

General third-party product removal steps

We’ve included the general third-party app removal steps for macOS. These apply to most Mac apps. Before you follow these steps, check if the app you want to remove has any specific removal steps.

1. In the Finder, click Go, Applications.
2. Scroll through the list of apps, looking for the app that you want to remove.
3. If an app is found: 
   1. Find the app's site and, if available, its knowledge base articles.
   2. Look for, and follow, the removal steps.
       
4. Check for any other antivirus apps. If any are found, follow the steps above to remove them.
5. When all other antivirus apps have been removed, install your McAfee app.
    

To learn more about removing apps, see How to remove incompatible third-party applications.