Hi,
Any idea how and why McAfee is suddenly scanning my downloaded files when I don’t have it installed? It’s not on my software list on the start menu and not listed where I would uninstall a program.
I hate McAfee and want them off of my computer!
Any ideas?
Thanks, Rick
Maybe McAfee WebAdvisor was installed as part of something else you installed.
This tool from McAfee will supposedly remove every trace:
https://www.mcafee.com/support/s/article/000001616?language=en_US
Hmm, I actually have that running myself though I never noticed:
And there’s an uninstall.exe you can run to remove it (McAfee WebAdvisor). Haven’t done it yet…Still investigating whether it’s harmful or not. So far, I have never noticed any bad effects or even any sign that it was doing anything at all.
And what the heck! It seems to have been installed (or updated) only yesterday! I did have my PC restart after an automatic install of a cumulative update:
2025-08 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 24H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5063878) (26100.4946)
I see you have it under “processes” in your screenshot, so I checked there and there it is. So why is it there but not in the list of software where I could uninstall it?
The instructions at the link you gave me does not work because McAfee is NOT listed on my start menu.
Well, did you run the removal tool? But before doing that, I’d just try running the uninstaller in the WebAdvisor folder.
IMPORTANT:
Always download the latest version of MCPR before each use to ensure that new McAfee products can be successfully recognized.
Trying to uninstall PC Optimizer? MCPR doesn’t remove McAfee PC Optimizer. If you want to remove PC Optimizer, use the standard Windows method above.
Download the MCPR tool.
Double-click MCPR.exe.
I can’t uninstall it since my computer doesn’t have it on a list of programs! Weird?
OK, wait. Weird. I don’t see it on the list of programs to uninstall when I scroll down to look for it, but I found it via the search box.
Now I can uninstall it.
But like you, maybe I’ll wait to decide.
Usually I just like using the anti-virus that comes with Windows. Historically, McAfee has been a beast that slowed down my computer. But I’m not noticing ill effects currently.
Thanks for your help.
No, I didn’t do anything yet. See my previous post about that. I’m holding off for now.
Ok. I’m now not sure how long I’ve had it installed totally unaware that it was. Better to leave sleeping dogs lie is what I’m thinking.
There must be a way to look up how long a file has been on our computers, no? A when installed date?
Could it have come with Windows, and thus on the computers all along?
I sure didn’t give permission to have it downloaded or installed.
It’s on my laptop also.
You can display other date fields (right click on a column header) and there is a Date Created, but I’m not positive that reflects when the file was put on the PC. That is, it might still have that date even if newly extracted, though see below.
Well, if Windows documentation can be believed, Date Created might actually be what you want, and if true, these files have been on the PC for quite a while!
According to the date created on my computer for McAfee Webadvisor, it has been on my computer since I bought it.
Same here. Or at least since the first major update.
It doesn’t look too hard to remove. I found this. I wouldn’t leave it on my computer if I wasn’t using it and didn’t need it. Your other antivirus if you have one will also scan all your downloads and protect your computer. HTH…doc
I’m assuming Windows comes with anti-virus. So I may remove McAfee. It’s in the list of programs one can uninstall under Webadvisor, so I assume that will easily do the trick without a need for a special way to do so.
Except the link you gave says: “Look no further if you are like me and have been stuck with leftover McAfee processes after running the uninstallers.”
So if it looks easy, maybe I’ll do both.
Having it on there hasn’t bothered me yet the way McAfee used to. So I’m not as definite as I used to be about removing it. I used to remove it the first thing when setting up a new computer.
The funny thing is, I didn’t even know I had it until the other day when I was downloading a file and a McAfee scan popped up. Why did that not happen all these months since I bought the computer until now I wonder?
A lot of times McAffee will install with some free app like CCleaner or Chrome. They give it away for free and then at some time in the future it will start asking you to buy the paid for version and hit you with McAfee ads on your browser. Windows should have Defender which is antivirus malware protection. It is constantly updated along with your OS…doc
