McAfee Reviews

I no longer have a PC, for which I subscribed to Mcafee protection, but Mcafee won't refund me the Total Protection ($114.47) or the PC Optimizer ($68.89) for a non-existing computer. I have used them for about 15 years, but that means nothing to them. It is a scam, that I will have to dispute through my bank and they eventually will have to refund me my money (or at least the difference for the unused [90%?] portion). It does not make sense: They get the bad publicity, have to deal with my bank, and eventually will have to pay. Stupid?

It never really did much for me besides delete safe files I had and stop me from running them, as well as constantly giving me pop-ups saying to renew my plan in like half a year. These pop-ups were every single time I opened my computer.

I purchased a two-year McAfee subscription for $87.07 to cover five devices. Unfortunately, the product failed to protect my computer, which was less than a year old, and we were infected with a Trojan Horse that caused serious damage. When I contacted McAfee for a refund, they refused, citing their 60-day return policy. To make matters worse, they also canceled my subscription and removed my access to the service I had already paid for. I purchased the subscription in September 2024, and McAfee canceled it in January 2025 — less than five months of service out of the two years I paid for. In short, they kept my money and took away the product. This is an unethical and unacceptable business practice that borders on theft. Horrible company — DO NOT buy McAfee!

With pop-ups with red letters and exclamation points, McAfee appears to be trying to frighten me into renewing my subscription well in advance. If I have 18 days to go before it expires, as I have been warned, it's hardly an emergency for me. I could renew online in ten minutes or less if I wanted to. And I'm a grownup who keeps a calendar, so yes, somehow I manage to pay my other bills on time so the McAfee renewal charge would be no different for me.

In 2024 McAfee process an auto renewal, upon downloading I immediately began to have re-occurring, constant pop-ups. McAfee Customer service referred me to a technician who walked me though removing their program from my computer. At that time, I requested a refund and to discontinue of the service (no refund). 2025 they sent a confirmation of auto renewal at $288, I responded that I did want the service, and if they processed the charge, I would ask credit card to deny. Following customer service guidelines, I logged into my account (that I thought I didn't have). Turned OFF auto renewal within the 30-day window. Filed a dispute with my credit card. Credit Card removed the charge but has now been added back. McAfee should have refunded since I followed their instructions to cancel. I now have a new program protecting my computer(s) but am out $288.

Absolute garbage. I couldn't get rid of it and in one hour I received over 200 pop ups that continued to spam my Google Chrome for over an hour. One of the choices was renew or scan now, even after I removed all traces of their product. I eventually had to install a special removal tool from their website, which to me proves they are a complete scam. Why would they need a special remove tool if when you deleted their product and deleted the Chrome extension, it was truly gone.

I am extremely disappointed with McAfee corporate’s tactics—automatically charging my credit card for $178.49 (CAD) and auto-renewing my account without my consent. This is unethical, and it should be illegal with serious penalties. It is unacceptable that I had to phone in, request a credit, rebook at the correct price of $29.99 + GST (CAD), and ask them to manually turn off the auto-renew feature because I cannot find this option anywhere on my account page.

Overall, I feel like this product is a scam because when I use it my internet became slow and then the WHOLE entire time I keep getting popping ad to scan my computer and then when I scan it, I'm expected to pay for another tool which I thought that I spent so much money on this that I should already have everything but NOPE. I keep getting these pop up telling me to buy the extra stuff. So I am so glad that my subscription is over and that I finally able to undownload this out of my computer.

Very annoying popups. Beware of the renewal date changing. They moved my renewal date to one month earlier on renewal, so it was only an 11-month subscription, not one year. Their main focus is on refining their predatory practices.

This is the most corrupt business I have ever dealt with. They sneak their product onto your computer then bombard you with pop ups trying to get you to purchase their program and make it impossible to get rid of these popups. I even contacted them and still couldn't get rid of them. I don't think a company could be more shady than this!

Not sure how many of you have tried uninstalling McAfee products. It's a pain in the butt. Not sure what McAfee gets by annoying users and ruining their time on the screen. It's so shameless and sticky that, it would get removed using the Window 'uninstall' prompts and even when you use McAfee's own software removal utility, it come back and haunts you taking over the entire screen. Would be interesting to know how much revenue it makes by fleecing people to sign up this way. Hoping this reaches consumers and their senior management so that they stop piling on!

I was overcharged last your for my renewal. I noticed the overcharge and reached out to them and told them I only have 2 devices. They gave me a partial refund. This year on my auto renewal, they overcharged me again, $150. This is for 50 devices!! I called them and they won't refund because I noticed it after 3 months. I never authorized this amount and they didn't bother to revise last year's mistake. They overcharge and customer service is terrible.

I was sneaky charged for 6 years by MCafee for the service that never received. Never used their services. It’s scam to steal your money. I purchased their service in 2020 and as a result my HP laptop is gone… they didn’t protect my laptop… never gained access to it again. But each year once a year they just charged me for 96.00+ dollars annually once a year, easy to not notice! Just shameful!!!!

McAfee relies on the ignorance of the user to continue to charge people for their unnecessary service. We purchased a laptop last year with a one year trial for their Antivirus and in that year I have received countless pop-ups claiming that my computer was at risk of viruses and malware. Even though they are the service that is supposed to protect your PC from these issues. They use “scareware” (like the pop ups) to constantly remind you that unless you have their service (which we did) your computer will be infected. They also make you jump through hoops to get a refund for their unauthorized subscription. My advice is stay far away from this company. Even if you have auto renewal set to “OFF” they will charge you because just having their program installed on your PC (with over a month to go on the trial) is apparently all they need to claim that you authorize auto renewal. Uninstall immediately!!!!

Bad system, although you already have purchased coverage, they still harass you as if you don't. Interrupt you while you are on your PC, stating that you don't have coverage (protection) and email you frequently. Updating doesn't help, minutes later there is a warning that it didn't update and that you don't have protection. Trying to sell you services you can't use, as if you would buy more from them, considering how bad their current service is. Customer service is of no use.

McAfee auto-renewed my subscription without consent. When I tried to cancel, I found no clear option. Support doesn't reply to emails. Accessing my account or help articles leads to an "Access Denied" error. The system seems designed to make unsubscribing and getting support as difficult as possible. Even basic account access is blocked. This experience shows a lack of transparency and customer care.

My computer cont'd to get pop-up windows that claimed my computer had viruses (did not) and the Trojan virus (did not) just to get me to click on renew. DISGUSTING. I will never use this program EVER.

Do not recommend for iPhones for sure. Had it for 60 days then it went rogue and even though I had great wifi. It froze me out and Vp would not turn off. Was very frustrating so when I got ahold of tech and had them remove McAfee completely from my phone I was fine but they refuse to refund my money and I bought the expensive plan so do yourself a favour and don’t not buy or use McAfee. They suck.

I used McAfee for a few years and continually charged more each year. I found another company for antivirus protection. Tried to cancel and they called and offered a much better deal. After telling them just to return my money which they finally did. After a few days and after I had removed their software from my computer, I started getting popups from McAfee saying I'm not protected. These popups have continued and it is a pain. How do I get rid of McAfee completely?

I pay $149 a year and I'm not sure what it covers because when I run a scan there's register problems and junk that needs to be removed but I need to pay another $40 or $30 to clean it up. Seems like the original Mcafee I purchased covered this cleanup.

Buyer beware. This company operates shadily, they hide behind the internet w/ the promise of integrity and will steal your money. They automatically renewed a software program without letting me know a year ago that the program was automatically renewed, it was not in writing when I thought it was buying something to protect my program (original purchase didn't call it an automatic renewal like this years debit does; indicating to me, that this company continually acts with Dishonesty) instead what I bought was something that kept my computer from running regularly there was no accountability with them. I have requested a refund for this year and got told I couldn't have it. And as a result of them pulling out money without authority to do so this year they have caused me to overdraft my bank account - if this company had integrity they would refund my unauthorized stolen payment for unwanted services and double that refund to cover what they have cost me in excess!! Wouldn't recommend ever not even to my worst enemy. The BBB needs to shut this corporation down!!!

Right upfront I love McAfee, been using it for years and it has done great protection for my PC. But today I got my first bad experience with customer service. I had gotten a pop-up while on my McAfee program to purchase the McAfee Anti-tracker. Thinking this would supplement what I already had on my McAfee Ultimate-Individual, I subscribed to it. I could not log into it because the 6 digit number they sent me kept showing up as wrong number. I wasted an hour trying over and over again, with the same results.

McAfee will not let me cancel my subscription.And keeps charging me a hundred and six dollars every year. I called customer service and they would not let me cancel. And the only option they gave me was was to charge me another hundred dollars to stop auto renew. I cannot cancel my subscription. My credit card company has the website blocked. But I have to do that that every year on January first in dispute charge. The subscriptions are for computer and a tablet that I do not use anymore. They're old and broken. I'm still being charged for virus software computers that are no longer in use. I wish I could give zero stars but it doesn't give that option. They wouldn't even send me a email of subscription cancellation.

I have used McAfee for a while. I use it on my personal laptop and I also have the the McAfee app on my cell phone. I have the McAfee LiveSafe for three devices, and my wife and daughter have the app on their phones. The VPN, when I turn it on for my phone and laptop, a lot of websites will not connect. The websites that I access on a normal basis, usually will not connect. The websites are trusted sites, so I would expect they connect when I have my VPN on. Overall, I am a creature of habit, and I have not had any issues with McAfee, but I would like the ability to connect with websites, with my VPN on.

I had this subscription for several years. I decided to cancel it because the VPN prevented my iPad from accessing the Internet. This week, I canceled my annual subscription, which was up for renewal this April 2025. McAfee decided to proceed with charging me the annual subscription today. My credit card company suspected it was a fraudulent purchase and alerted me to the charge. I told them I did not authorize the purchase. They cancelled the charge. This is a fraudulent practice. I'll never return to McAfee as a customer.

McAfee's aggressive and intrusive nature leads me to uninstall it immediately upon acquiring a new Windows PC. I prefer the reliability and less obtrusive functionality of Windows Defender. I find McAfee's behavior suggests an attempt to exert excessive control over the user's system.

They have committed fraud. I have been paying 2 times a year for two services. My McAfee TechMaster service has not been used in the last couple of years, but I continued to pay them. They continued to charge me $179.95 every year. When I went to use the service they told me I had no subscription. Then they stated to say they have no record even though I have used the service before. They had no problem continuing to charge my card. I spent several days trying to get this solved. I was pushed from employee to employee. They promised a manager would call me. I even sent them credit card statements proving my payments. They would not call me back. They have committed fraud. They refuse to solve. I have proof from statements and have reported them.

Dealing with this company has been the MOST AGGRAVATING experience I have ever had with any company ever. This includes Sprint Cell Phone Co and that is saying a lot. I started receiving pop up ads only from this company, the pop ups are very time consuming to get rid of as you have to X out or skip many pages to make them go away.

I renewed McAfee and I was good until 2026 but to my surprise I just was charged again 96.00. The frustrating part of it trying to work with customer service and I finally gave up and canceled my renewal subscription. My advice is to steer clear of this company this company and find another company that has great customer service customer.

McAfee took money out of my account without my permission. They said it was on an automatic renewal that I do not recall signing up for. Then they authorized a partial refund that I am struggling to receive. They claim they sent it to my bank, but my bank does not have funds.