McAfee AntiVirus Virus Protection Software 2026 for 1 PC | Auto-Renews

Updated 2024-09-20: I just did another renewal using Amazon, and this one went very smoothly. This time I followed the Amazon instructions and was taken to a screen to select which license to renew. This page allows the renewal to be added to the END of the current license, so you can renew before the expiration date without losing days. If you try to renew using the McAfee utility and enter your Activation Code there (like I mistakenly did last year), it creates a new license starting with the current date, so if you still had a month on your old license, you will lose that month. (Not to mention that the installation won't work and you'll have to follow the Amazon instructions anyway but can't change the expiration date.) After selecting the license you want to renew, McAfee will try to get you to complete your activation by entering your credit card info for auto-renewal the next year. This is optional—even though it looks mandatory! The link to “Continue without additional benefits” on that page is not obvious (see photo), but this is the ONLY thing I selected on this page. After clicking to continue without additional benefits, you should be able to open the McAfee application and check the Subscription tab to see that the expiration has extended a year. I’ve extended the McAfee protection license on my father’s Windows-11 computer twice now. It is the same license that you would pay much more to purchase directly from McAfee, but Amazon uses high volume sales to lower the price significantly. After the purchase, the license activation code is loaded into your Amazon account “Your Games and Software Library”, which also has instructions on how to redeem the item. You will also get an e-mail. If you follow Amazon’s instructions, you should have NO problems with the installation. If you are running on Windows, do **NOT** use McAfee’s utility to activate your code. This will cause problems and result in an error. The utility says the code is “activated” but the download will fail. I believe that many complaints and negative comments on the activation are due to not following Amazon’s instructions to fully activate the McAfee license (which I accidentally did myself the 2nd time around). If you accidentally try to activate using McAfee’s utility, just follow Amazon’s instructions to install and all the problems should clear up. (BTW: McAfee’s solution to the failed installation error is to re-install McAfee, which really isn’t needed.) Hope this clears up some confusion and helps others.

Product is working as per the expectations.

I have used McAfee for more years than I can recall and it has performed exceptionally well with absolutely no complaints. I've had no problems with viruses since I started using this product.

Easy to download and install. Priced right. Purchased because older subscription McAfee version expired - cost to renew was subscription coverage was $111 dollars. (1 year new purchase was under $20. ) Older version states that PC is viruses whenever I open google Nd suggests I renew the contract. And virus warnings pop up in that application. I run a scan in the McAfee application in the version I just purchased and it reports my computer is virus free. Annoying as hell. Very disappointed in this product. What do I need to do. (Tried uninstalling google application and , running virus scan, and reinstalling google, did not fix).

Protection us ok

Excelent

As of this review, you now MUST provide credit card info and sign up for auto-renewal in order to activate this code. You can immediately cancel, but McAfee will likely still retain your information. They email confirmation when canceling auto-renewal to save for your records. McAfee preys on people with scary language and nagware to upgrade and renew their subscription, training people to ignore the warnings. It should just be a silent watchdog that only barks when there's an actual threat.

Code was accessible immediately after purchase. I did not have to uninstall the old version and did not have to give my credit card info for auto renewal but had to check their checkbox to skip that screen. You can always go to the auto renewal part of your account afterward to make sure it is off. You do not have to wait until the last day of your active subscription to avoid losing days. It will just add one year to expiration date. Renewal went very smoothly but you have to assume you are dealing with a crook at every step of the way with lack of transparency and the way they try to trick you to give them more money than you need to. It is a shame we have to pay people we think we know but don't trust to protect us against those we don't know and we don't trust. Edit: Months after uninstall, I was getting popups from McAfee. I had to dig in and find the parts of the program that were still there acting like a virus. It is a little like a roach motel, make sure you need it before you get in.