Antivirus/Antispyware Software Exclusion Instructions

For proper antivirus/antispyware exclusions, please refer to the file exclusions lists and instructions listed for the product you are using here, then use the following instructions for your specific antivirus solution below to perform the exclusions.

Avast Antivirus 2018 and Earlier
1. Open Avast's main control panel
2. Click on 'Settings' and then 'Active Protection'.Turn off the 'File System Shield' and 'Web Shield'
3. Download and install our software
4. Repeat step 1
5. Click on 'Settings', then 'General', and scroll down to the Exclusions section and then add our software's files to the exclusions list and save
6. Click on 'Settings', then 'Active Protection', then click 'Customize' next to 'File System Shield' and then 'Exclusions', and then add our software's files to the exclusions list and save
7. Click on 'Settings', then 'Active Protection', then click 'Customize' next to 'Behavior Shield' and then 'Exclusions', and then add our software's files to the exclusions list and save
8. Click on 'Settings', then 'Active Protection', then click 'Customize' next to 'Web Shield' and then 'Exclusions', and then add our software's files to the exclusions list and save. You will only need to add the executable (.exe) files from our software's installation folder to this list.
9. Re-enable Avast by undoing step 2.
Avast Antivirus 2019
1. Right-click on Avast's system tray icon and disable shields/protection
2. Download and install our software
3. Open Avast's main control panel
4. Click on 'Menu' (top right of the Avast window) and then 'Settings'
5. Click on 'General' then 'Exceptions'
6. Click 'Add Exception' and type our software's installation folder into the exception field, then click 'Add Exception'
7. Close the Settings window
8. Re-enable Avast by undoing step 1.
Avira AntiVir
1. Open Avira Antivir's main control panel
2. Disable Avira by clicking on 'Deactivate' next to 'Antivir Guard'
3. Download and install our software
4. Repeat step 1
5. Click on the 'Extra's menu and then choose 'Configuration'
6. Check 'Expert Mode'
7. Expand the options tree by clicking 'Scanner' - 'Scan' - 'Exception' and add our software's files to the exceptions list
8. Expand the options tree by clicking 'Guard' - 'Scan' - 'Exception' and add our software's files to the exceptions list
9. Click 'OK' to save all settings, then undo step 2 to re-enable Avira AntiVir
AVG Antivirus
1. Open AVG's main control panel
2. Click on 'Overview' then 'Resident Shield'
3. Uncheck 'Resident Shield active' and then 'Save Changes'
4. Download and install our software
5. Repeat step 1
6. Click on the 'Settings' menu and then choose 'Settings'
7. Click on 'General' in the Settings window pane, scroll down to the 'Exceptions' section and add our software's files to the exceptions list
8. Click on 'Components' in the Settings window pane, then 'Settings' next to 'Resident Shield' and add our software's files to the exceptions list
9. Click 'OK' to save settings, then re-enable AVG by undoing step 3
BitDefender Antivirus
1. Open BitDefender's main control panel
2. Click on 'Switch to Advanced View'
3. Uncheck 'Real-time protection is enabled' in the 'Antivirus' pane's 'Shields' tab
4. Download and install our software
5. Repeat steps 1 and 2
6. Click on the 'Exclusions' tab in the 'Antivirus' pane
7. Ensure that 'Exclusions are enabled' is checked
8. Add our software's files to the exceptions list by clicking the '+' button
9. Follow the exclusions wizard to add all of our software's files
10. Leave the 'Select if you want...' option unchecked on the last step of the exclusion wizard
11. Click 'Apply' to save all settings - then re-enable BitDefender by undoing step 3
Kaspersky Antivirus
1. Right-click on Kaspersky's system tray icon and disable antivirus protection
2. Download and install our software
3. Open Kaspersky's main control panel
4. Click 'Settings' at the top-right corner of the control panel
5. Click 'Threats and Exclusions' in the 'Options' tree
6. Click 'Settings' in the 'Exclusions' section to add our software's files to the exclusions list
7. Save all settings by clicking 'OK' - then re-enable Kaspersky by undoing step 1
Malwarebytes Antivirus
1. Open Malwarebytes and uncheck/turn off 'Malware Protection' in the 'Real-time Protection' section of the Malwarebytes window
2. Download and install our software
3. Go back to the Malwarebytes window and click on the gear icon at the top right of the window
4. Click on the 'Allow List' or 'Exclusions' tab
5. Click the 'Add' button, then click 'Allow a file or folder'
6. Click 'Select a folder' and select our software's install folder
7. Ensure 'Exclude from all detections' is selected in the 'Exclusion rules', then click 'Done'
8. Click the 'X' to close and save settings and return to the main Malwarebytes window, then re-enable Malwarebytes by toggling 'Malware Protection' back on
Mcafee Antivirus Plus
1. Open Mcafee by double-clicking it's icon in the system tray
2. Click on'PC Security'
3. Click on the 'gear' icon to access Mcafee's settings
4. Click on 'Realtime Scanning' and turn off scanning
5. Download and install our software
6. Re-enable Realtime Scanning by undoing step 4
7. Click on 'Excluded Files' in the 'Realtime Scanning' Settings and then 'Add File' to add our software's files to the exclusions list
Microsoft Security Essentials
1. Open Microsoft Security Essentials' main control panel
2. Click on 'Tools' at the top of the control panel
3. Click on 'Options'
4. Uncheck 'Use Real-time Protection' in the 'Real-time Protection' options section and click 'Save'
5. Download and install our software
6. Repeat steps 1-3
7. Scroll down to the 'Excluded files and folders'
8. Add our software's files to the exclusions list
9. Re-enable real-time protection by undoing step 4
Panda Antivirus
1. Open Panda's main control panel
2. Click 'Preferences'
3. Uncheck 'Enable protection against known threats' and click 'OK'
4. Download and install our software
5. Repeat steps 1 and 2
6. Click the 'Settings...' button in the 'Threats to detect and execute' section on the 'Known threats" tab
7. Add our software's files and folders to the appropriate exclusions lists
8. Click 'OK' on all remaining windows to save settings - then re-enable Panda by undoing step 3
Spyware Doctor
1. Download and install our software
2. Perform a system scan
3. When the scan completes, select our software's files and right click in the 'Scan Results' pane
4. Select 'Move Checked to Global Action List' in the popup menu
5. Click on 'Settings' on Spyware Doctor's control panel then 'Global Action List'
6. Ensure that 'Allow' is set for all of our software's files
Spybot S&D
1. Download and install our software
2. When Spybot S&D alerts you of system changes, choose 'Allow Change'
3. Open Spybot's main control panel and click on 'Check for Problems' to scan your system
4. Right-click on each found file/folder and select 'Exclude this product from further searches'
Symantec Endpoint Protection
1. Open Symantec Endpoint on your computer and click on the 'Change Settings' button
2. Click on 'Configure Options' for the 'Antivirus and Antispyware Protection' option, and turn off File Protection (uncheck the File Protection option) - Click 'OK' to save
3. Download and install our software
4. Return to the Symantec interface and click on 'Configure Options' for the 'Centralized Exceptions' option
5. Click on 'Add' and choose 'Folder' - Add our software's installation folder to the exclusions list
6. Click on 'Add' and choose 'File' - Add our software's files to the list by repeating this step for each file listed in our exclusions list
7. Click on 'Add' and choose 'Known Risks' - Check the signatures listed in our exclusions list in the list of risks that appear and click 'OK' to save
8. Click 'OK' to save all of the exclusions added
9. Re-enable File Protection by undoing Step 2
Webroot Internet Security
1. Open Webroot's main control panel
2. Uncheck 'Internet communication' under the 'Shields' options pane
3. Click on the 'Options' pane on the left, then choose the 'Shields' tab
4. Uncheck 'Protect against viruses' option
5. Download and install our software
6. Re-enable the options from steps 2-4
7. Run a 'Quick sweep' from the 'Sweep' pane
8. In the list of results, right-click on our software's files and choose 'Always Ignore'
9. Uncheck our software's files and click 'Quarantine Selected' to complete the sweep
Webroot SecureAnywhere
1. Open Webroot SecureAnywhere's main control panel
2. Click on 'PC Security' on the right
3. Turn off the 'Realtime Shields' feature by clicking on the green button
4. Download and install our software
5. Click on the gear next to 'PC Security' in the Webroot interface
6. Click on the 'Block/Allow Files' tab
7. Click on 'Add File' - Add our software's files to the list by repeating this step for each file listed in our exclusions list. Make sure 'allow' is checked for each file.
8. Click 'OK' to save all of the exclusions added
9. Click on the gear next to 'Identity Protection' in the Webroot interface
10. Click on the 'Application Protection' tab
11. Click on 'Add File' - Add our software's files to the list by repeating this step for each file listed in our exclusions list. Make sure 'allow' is checked for each file.
12. Click 'OK' to save all of the exclusions added
13. Re-enable real-time protection by undoing Step 3
Windows Defender
1. Open Windows Defender's main control panel
2. Click on 'Tools' at the top of the control panel
3. Click on 'Options'
4. Uncheck 'Use Real-time Protection' in the 'Real-time Protection' options pane and click 'Save'
5. Download and install our software
6. Repeat steps 1-3
7. Click on 'Excluded files and folders'
8. Add our software's files to the exclusions list
9. Re-enable real-time protection by undoing step 4