The Core Shields (File Shield and Web Shield) and Email Guardian in Avast Security and Avast Premium Security for Mac provide real-time protection against malware.
Although it is generally not recommended, you can exclude certain files, applications, mail servers, or websites from scanning. Exclusions can be useful to speed up scans or to prevent false positive detections.
This article contains instructions to manage settings and set exclusions for File Shield, Web Shield, and Email Guardian.
Manage settings
Set exclusions
To exclude files, folders, or applications from scanning by File Shield:
- Go to
☰
Menu ▸ Preferences, then select the File Shield tab. ![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
- Click Add exceptions.
![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
- Select the file, folder, or application you want to exclude from scanning, then click Open.
![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
- If prompted, enter the password that you use when you start your Mac, then click OK to authorize the change.
![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
The file path is added to the exceptions list.
To remove an excluded item, hover your cursor over the file path panel in the exceptions list, then click the
Trash icon.
![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
To exclude websites or domains from scanning by Web Shield:
- Go to
☰
Menu ▸ Preferences, then select the Web Shield tab. ![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
- Click Add exceptions.
![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
- Enter the URL of the website you want to exclude from scanning and select the Web server services type, then click Add.
![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
- If prompted, enter the password that you use when you start your Mac, then click OK to authorize the change.
![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
The website is added to the exceptions list.
To remove an excluded item, hover your cursor over the server panel in the exceptions list, then click the
Trash icon.
![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
To exclude mail servers from scanning by Email Guardian:
- Go to
☰
Menu ▸ Preferences, then select the Email Guardian tab. ![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
- Click Add exceptions.
![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
- Enter the URL of the mail server you want to exclude from scanning and select the Email protocol type, then click Add.
![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
- If prompted, enter the password that you use when you start your Mac, then click OK to authorize the change.
![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
The mail server is added to the exceptions list.
To remove an excluded item, hover your cursor over the server panel in the exceptions list, then click the
Trash icon.
![](/resource/1724238204000/avast_resources/img/article/lazyload_skeleton.webp?articleName=mac-security-shield-settings&l=en-au)
- Avast Security 15.x for Mac
- Avast Premium Security 15.x for Mac
- Apple macOS 12.x (Monterey)
- Apple macOS 11.x (Big Sur)
- Apple macOS 10.15.x (Catalina)
- Apple macOS 10.14.x (Mojave)
- Apple macOS 10.13.x (High Sierra)
- Apple macOS 10.12.x (Sierra)
- Apple Mac OS X 10.11.x (El Capitan)
Updated on: 02/06/2022