Short answer: yes, Macs can get malware — but the classic self-spreading “computer virus” is genuinely rare on a Mac, and most people do not need to buy antivirus software. Here is the honest version of that answer, including the parts security companies do not usually lead with.
What macOS already blocks on its own
Every modern Mac ships with several layers of security that run silently in the background, at no cost:
- XProtect — Apple’s built-in malware scanner. It checks apps against a list of known malware that Apple updates in the background, without you doing anything.
- Gatekeeper — blocks apps from unidentified developers from launching. If software has not been signed and checked, macOS warns you before it runs.
- Notarization — apps distributed outside the App Store have to be submitted to Apple for an automated malware scan before Macs will open them normally.
- App sandboxing and the signed system volume — apps are walled off from each other, and the core operating system itself is read-only and cryptographically verified on every boot. Malware cannot quietly rewrite macOS.
This is why the “Macs don’t get viruses” myth exists. It is not that Macs are magic — it is that Apple already bundled the protection most paid antivirus products sell.
What actually infects Macs in 2026
Mac malware today almost never installs itself. It talks you into installing it. The real-world threats look like this:
- Fake update pop-ups — a website claims your browser or a plugin is “out of date” and offers a download. Real macOS updates only come from System Settings.
- Adware and browser hijackers — bundled with free download-site software. Suddenly your searches go through a strange engine and every page has extra ads.
- Cracked or pirated apps — the single most reliable way to infect a Mac. The “free” version of a paid app is the payload.
- Phishing — fake Apple ID, bank, or delivery emails. This is not a Mac problem at all; no antivirus stops you from typing your password into a convincing fake page.
Notice the pattern: every one of these requires a person to click, download, and approve. Keep that in mind for the next section.
So do you need to buy antivirus for a Mac?
For most home users: no. If you install apps from the App Store or from developers you actually know, keep macOS updated, and do not run cracked software, the built-in protections cover you. Paid Mac antivirus mostly re-sells what XProtect already does, while eating battery and adding pop-ups of its own.
Two honest exceptions:
- If you (or the person you are buying for) routinely download free utilities, games, and “cleaners” from random sites, a free on-demand scanner like Malwarebytes for Mac is a reasonable safety net. Run it when things feel off; skip the paid subscription.
- If the Mac is for work with sensitive data — say a career in security or IT — that is a different conversation. We wrote a separate guide on the best Mac for cybersecurity work.
Free habits that protect you more than any antivirus
- Install macOS updates when they appear — most patch real security holes.
- Download apps from the App Store or the developer’s own site, never from download aggregators.
- Never install anything a website pop-up tells you to install.
- Use Safari or Chrome’s built-in pop-up and fraud warnings — leave them on.
- Turn on FileVault (Settings → Privacy & Security) so a stolen Mac is just a brick to a thief.
- Use a password manager and turn on two-factor for your Apple ID.
- If it is free, cracked, or too good to be true — it is the malware.
The one real security risk: a Mac that stopped getting updates
Here is the risk that actually matters and gets the least attention. Apple only patches macOS on Macs that can run a recent version of it. A 2013–2015 Intel Mac that is stuck on an old macOS has known, published security holes that will never be fixed. That machine is a bigger risk than any virus scare — no antivirus subscription can patch an abandoned operating system.
If you are on one of those older machines, the security upgrade is the hardware itself. Every Apple silicon Mac still receives current macOS updates, and used prices make the jump smaller than most people expect: a MacBook Air M1 runs $450 and a MacBook Air M2 runs $549 — both fully supported, both faster than any Intel MacBook. You can also put your old machine toward it: we buy aging and even broken Macs through our trade-in program.
Is a used or refurbished Mac safe to buy?
Yes — with one setup step. Whenever you buy any used computer, from anyone, erase it and start fresh: on a Mac that is Settings → General → Transfer or Reset → Erase All Content and Settings. Apple’s signed system volume means a clean install is genuinely clean — there is no place for leftover malware to hide once the previous owner’s data is wiped and macOS reinstalls itself.
Every Mac we sell is covered by our warranty, and all orders ship free. If a machine has a problem, that is on us, not you.
Bottom line
Macs can get malware, but it almost always needs your help to get in. Skip the antivirus subscription, keep your Mac updated, be stingy about what you install — and if your Mac is too old to receive updates, fix that first. Browse our current refurbished Mac lineup, or call us at (740) 223-5530 with questions — we are a small shop in Marion, Ohio, and a real person answers.