Viruses, malware and other types of malicious software are always around the corner when browsing online: that’s why it’s so important to use a good antivirusable to effectively protect their devices from all known threats and, if possible, also prevent those still unknown. In this regard, it must be said that there are many solutions dedicated to computer security available on the market, but not all of them are effective or valid in the same way: just think of all those free antiviruses that, perhaps despite having a good malware recognition rate, lack advanced security features; or to all those security suites that are very rich in functions but which, precisely for this reason, seriously weigh down the CPU and RAM, ending up slowing down the entire operating system.
In short, finding a solution that is effective and at the same time light in terms of employed resources is not easy; and that is precisely why today I want to talk to you about Surfshark Antivirus . As easily understood by the name, Surfshark Antivirus is an antivirus made by the same company that offers the well-known VPN service Surfshark and borrows from the latter the high reliability, combined with a truly indisputable ease of use: it automatically installs and protects the system from viruses, malware and other computer threats, managing to recognize and thwart even the dangers not yet classified by the antimalware databases (thanks to the Surfshark Cloud Protect system that analyzes unknown files to prevent zero-day attacks).
Equipped with an interface completely translated into Italian, Surfshark Antivirus is approved by Virus Bulletin (a very famous independent body that tests and certifies software dedicated to computer security) and is part of the Microsoft Virus Initiative (MVI) , created to allow organizations to develop efficient and reliable solutions for information security aligned with Microsoft technologies and strategies. Equally important is the fact that we are talking about software that does not slow down the PC and takes up very few resources both in terms of RAM and CPU. It is also compatible with all the latest versions of Windows , but not only; it is also available for Mac and forAndroid without having to purchase separate licenses: you subscribe to a two-year, annual or monthly plan (very cheap and with a 30-day money back guarantee) and you can use the software on all your devices. To learn more and find out more about how Surfshark Antivirus works , read on: everything is explained below.
Index
- Compatible devices and prices of Surfshark Antivirus
- How to use Surfshark Antivirus
- How to use Surfshark Antivirus on PC and Mac
- How to use Surfshark Antivirus on smartphones and tablets
- For more information
Compatible devices and prices of Surfshark Antivirus
Surfshark Antivirus is compatible with Windows PC , Mac and Android devices . Well yes! Even Macs and smartphones / tablets animated by the Google home operating system need to be protected, as the risk of running into malware – especially if you install apps from unofficial sources – is unfortunately high. Different speech concerns iPhone and iPad, which have a much more “closed” operating system and technical restrictions in the execution of apps that prevent the proliferation of malware (I told you more about it here ).
Being a very light and fast program, the requirements to use Surfshark Antivirus are more than affordable: you just need a computer with Windows 10 or later (with 2 GB of free disk space), a Mac with macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later (with 500 MB of free disk space) or an Android device running Android 5 or later.
Regarding the prices of Surfshark Antivirus , it should be emphasized that the program is part of the Surfshark One suite which also includes other tools for computer security, including a VPN (which I told you about in detail in a dedicated review ), the Alert service to be notified in real time about violations of your personal information and Search , which instead allows you to search online safely without being spied on or seeing invasive advertisements.
That said, you can choose between a 2-year plan (cheaper) that costs less than 3 euros / month (with two-year billing), a 1-year plan that costs less than 4 euros / month (with annual billing) and a monthly plan from less than 15 euros / month . All plans come with a 30-day money back guarantee and 24/7 support . More info here .
How to use Surfshark Antivirus
At this point I would say that we can move on to the practical side of the matter and see in more detail how to use Surfshark Antivirus on all compatible devices.
How to use Surfshark Antivirus on PC and Mac
To download Surfshark Antivirus on your PC or your Mac , connected to the official website of the program and, if you do not have an account yet , create it: to do so, click on the button to obtain Surfshark Antivirus , choose the plan you prefer between the two-year, annual or monthly, enter your email address , choose a secure payment method from those supported ( credit card , PayPal , Apple Pay , Google Pay , Amazon Pay or Cryptocurrency ) and complete the transaction by following the easy on-screen instructions.
Once you have created your account, go back to the Surfshark Antivirus website and click on the button for the operating system you use on your computer: Windows or macOS .
When the download is complete, if you use Windows , start the executable obtained and answer Yes to the warning that appears on the screen. Then, click on the Install button , wait for the automatic procedure to finish and click Finish to close the setup window.
If, on the other hand, you are using macOS , open the dmg package you obtained and drag the Surfshark icon into the Applications folder on your computer. At the first start, remember to confirm the execution of the software by clicking on the appropriate button.
When you start Surfshark Antivirus for the first time, all you have to do is log in with your account: if you don’t have one yet, click on Create account to fix it.
Once this is done, you are ready to take advantage of all the features of the software. After following the initial presentation, select the antivirus icon from the left sidebar (represented by an insect) and, first of all, click on the Start configuration button , in order to start the download and installation of all the components necessary for the proper functioning of Surfshark Antivirus. If Windows asks for confirmation, always answer Yes .
At this point your PC is already protected against viruses, malware and other computer threats, but I recommend that you run a system scan (as I always suggest to do when installing a new antivirus): to do this, click on the Quick Scan button and wait for the procedure to finish.
It will only take a few seconds (only the most sensitive areas of the system will be checked), after which you will be shown a report with the status of the computer and any threats removed.
For the rest, there are no complicated configurations to do and everything is extremely intuitive: in the main screen of Surfshark Antivirus you will find all the functions you might need. Going into more detail, on the right are the buttons to perform a quick scan or a full system scan (longer but more accurate) and a box where you can drag / select files and folders to examine them individually.
On the left, however, there are the items to set a scheduled scan in the days and times you choose, create a list of items to exclude from the scan, start the antivirus database update and activate or deactivate real-time protection (which obviously I advise you to always leave it active!). Easier than that ?!
How to use Surfshark Antivirus on smartphones and tablets
Surfshark Antivirus is also available for Android smartphones and tablets . To download it on these devices, just open the relevant page of the Play Store and press the Install button .
At the first start it is therefore necessary to access your account (or create a new one, by pressing on the appropriate item) and your device will be immediately protected.
If you need more precise information, to start a first system scan with Surfshark Antivirus, all you have to do is select the One tab of the app and press the Surfshark Antivirus item . From here, press the button to start the scan and wait a few seconds for the procedure to be completed.
At the end of the procedure you will see a summary with scan time , number of files and apps scanned and, of course, you will be notified if any threats have been detected .
After the first scan, you can also adjust all Surfshark Antivirus settings using the appropriate levers on the screen. You can then decide whether to activate or deactivate the scheduled scan of the device, the real-time protection , the scan of the storage space and you can set an eventual exclusion list for the items you deem safe.
Obviously I advise you to leave all settings active, in order to ensure constant and effective protection of your smartphone / tablet.
For more information
For more information on Surfshark Antivirus , I invite you to visit the official website of the program , where you can find all the details of the case; I also invite you to “drop in” on the Surfshark Help Center , where by clicking on the Surfshark One tab you can access a series of very interesting informative articles on Surfshark Antivirus and the other security products included in the Surfshark One package.