How to manage the Core Shields and Email Guardian in Avast Security for Mac

Managing the Core Shields and Email Guardian in Avast Security for Mac

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

To access settings for the Core Shields:

Open Avast Security and click ☰ Menu ▸ Preferences (the gear icon).
Click the Core Shields tab, then select the relevant shield.
Tick the box next to a setting to enable it. The following options are available:
- Notify me about potentially unwanted programs: When potentially unwanted programs (PUP) are detected, you are notified with an alert message.
- Scan for Tools (File Shield): Tools are apps that can be used for accessing, controlling, or potentially harming computers.
- Automatically move infected files to Quarantine (File Shield): If malware is detected, the file, program, or application is immediately moved to Quarantine and you are notified with an alert message.
- Verify suspicious URLs (Web Shield): Suspicious URLs are checked against Avast's list of reputable websites.
- Scan secure connections (Web Shield): HTTPS (secured) sites are scanned for malware as well as HTTP sites.
- Force downgrade HTTP3 (Recommended) (Web Shield): Automatically downgrades all web traffic to HTTP2 or HTTP to scan for malicious code.
If prompted, enter the password that you use when you start your Mac, then click OK to authorize the change.

To access settings for Email Guardian:

Open Avast Security and click ☰ Menu ▸ Preferences (the gear icon).
Select the Email Guardian tab.
Tick the box next to a setting to enable it. The following options are available:
- Notify me about potentially unwanted programs: When potentially unwanted programs (PUP) are detected, you are notified with an alert message.
- Scan for Tools: Tools are apps that can be used for accessing, controlling, or potentially harming computers.
- Scan secure connections: HTTPS (secured) sites are scanned for malware as well as HTTP sites.
- Receive weekly summary report: Disables immediate detection reports.
If prompted, enter the password that you use when you start your Mac, then click OK to authorize the change.

Set exclusions

To exclude files, folders, or applications from scanning by File Shield:

Go to ☰ Menu ▸ Preferences, then select the File Shield tab.
Click Add exceptions.
Select the file, folder, or application you want to exclude from scanning, then click Open.
If prompted, enter the password that you use when you start your Mac, then click OK to authorize the change.

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.

To exclude websites or domains from scanning by Web Shield:

Go to ☰ Menu ▸ Preferences, then select the Web Shield tab.
Click Add exceptions.
Enter the URL of the website you want to exclude from scanning and select the Web server services type, then click Add.
If prompted, enter the password that you use when you start your Mac, then click OK to authorize the change.

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.

To exclude mail servers from scanning by Email Guardian:

Go to ☰ Menu ▸ Preferences, then select the Email Guardian tab.
Click Add exceptions.
Enter the URL of the mail server you want to exclude from scanning and select the Email protocol type, then click Add.
If prompted, enter the password that you use when you start your Mac, then click OK to authorize the change.

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.

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: 6/2/22

List of available regions

Main regions

Managing the Core Shields and Email Guardian in Avast Security for Mac

Manage settings

Set exclusions

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