best antivirus for old MacAir

I have an old MacAir, purchased in 2011. It uses macOS Sierra Version 10.12.6. I used to use TrendMicro but they told me the other day they not longer can support this old computer. So, I have no anti-virus right now. Can any suggest the best way to get the right security / anti-virus program. What can I do?

Posted on Jun 11, 2023 5:37 PM

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Posted on Jun 11, 2023 5:39 PM

Charles6634 wrote:

I have an old MacAir, purchased in 2011. It uses macOS Sierra Version 10.12.6. I used to use TrendMicro but they told me the other day they not longer can support this old computer. So, I have no anti-virus right now. Can any suggest the best way to get the right security / anti-virus program. What can I do?

Do not install any third party app that claims to protect, manage, clean, boost performance, etc. Such apps, including antivirus apps are not needed. They use system resources while providing no benefit. And they may cause problems. The Mac operating system manages system security very well.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 11, 2023 5:39 PM in response to Charles6634

Charles6634 wrote:

I have an old MacAir, purchased in 2011. It uses macOS Sierra Version 10.12.6. I used to use TrendMicro but they told me the other day they not longer can support this old computer. So, I have no anti-virus right now. Can any suggest the best way to get the right security / anti-virus program. What can I do?

Do not install any third party app that claims to protect, manage, clean, boost performance, etc. Such apps, including antivirus apps are not needed. They use system resources while providing no benefit. And they may cause problems. The Mac operating system manages system security very well.

Jun 11, 2023 5:53 PM in response to Charles6634

The best protection for MacBooks is an updated MacOS. But since you are unable to perform a software update due to unsupported hardware, the best I can recommend is Malwarebytes.


I personally tried it before (albeit on a Windows device) and had a very good experience. Their toolkit remover also helped me remove viruses that are deeply embedded into the operating system.

Jun 11, 2023 6:18 PM in response to anonymous-imac-user

anonymous-imac-user wrote:

What about Malwarebytes? I'm running the free version, now (Catalina OS). There's an option to upgrade (subscription, I guess) that I haven't tried.

Mawarebytes is the software that Apple seems to recommend.

MalwareBytes is often recommended in these communities. It is a good tool for identifying malware. It is not an antivirus app. Only run MalwareBytes if malware is suspected. Do not run it continuously in the background.

See this user tip for additional information about running third party apps: Effective defenses against malware and ot… - Apple Community


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best antivirus for old MacAir

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