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How to Disable Kaspersky Temporarily on Windows or Mac

Pause Kaspersky from its notification-area menu on Windows, or turn protection off and back on manually on the cited Mac versions.

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On Windows, open the Kaspersky notification-area icon’s menu, select Pause protection, choose how long to pause it, and confirm. On the cited Mac versions, use Turn Protection Off and turn it back on manually when finished. The exact controls depend on your operating system, Kaspersky product, and version.

Before you pause protection

Kaspersky warns that disabling protection may lead to infection and data loss. Pause it only for as long as the task requires; avoid untrusted sites and downloads while protection is off, then restore it promptly.

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Pausing is not the same as uninstalling Kaspersky. In its Windows 21.5 help, Kaspersky describes a pause as temporarily disabling protection components. The guide also says activity is monitored while protection is paused or the application is not running, with saved monitoring information used when the application starts or protection resumes. That monitoring does not mean the protection components remain active during the pause. Kaspersky Windows 21.5: pause and resume computer protection.

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Pause Kaspersky on Windows

These steps follow Kaspersky’s consumer help for Windows version 21.5. Other releases may use different labels or offer different choices.

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  1. Find the Kaspersky icon in the taskbar notification area (system tray). Open its context menu and select Pause protection.
  2. In the dialog, select one of the available options: Pause for a specified interval, Pause until application restart, or Pause to leave protection off until you resume it manually.
  3. Click Pause protection and confirm if prompted.

Resume protection early

Open the Kaspersky notification-area icon’s context menu and choose Resume protection. Check that protection is active before continuing to browse or download files.

Turn Kaspersky protection off on a Mac

Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac 20.0

  1. Click the Kaspersky icon in the menu bar and select Turn Protection Off.
  2. If prompted, enter an administrator name and password, then confirm.
  3. When finished, open the menu-bar icon’s menu and select Turn Protection On. Alternatively, open Preferences > Protection > General and select Enable protection.
  4. Verify that protection is on. The cited guide says it is not automatically re-enabled when the application starts again.

See Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac 20.0: disable and resume protection for the product-specific instructions.

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Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Mac 12.2.1

The Endpoint Security manual also describes menu-bar and settings controls for disabling and resuming protection. It may request administrator credentials when you turn protection off, and says protection must be enabled manually after the application starts again. Endpoint Security is a business product; its interface and any administrator policies may differ from the consumer Mac application. Consult the Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Mac 12.2.1 manual.

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If you cannot find the pause or off control

  • Confirm whether you are using Windows or macOS, then check the instructions for your exact Kaspersky product and version.
  • On Windows, look for the Kaspersky icon in the notification area; it may be in the overflow area beside the taskbar icons.
  • On a managed business device, an administrator policy may affect which controls are available. Contact your organization’s IT administrator if the option is missing or unavailable.
  • Do not assume that a different product’s steps apply: the cited Windows guide documents pause durations, while the cited Mac guides describe turning protection off and on.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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