Enabling Threat Protection on macOS

What is Threat Protection?

Threat Protection is an advanced feature available with selected NordVPN plans. It prevents ads, trackers, and malicious URLs from loading — and blocks malware-infected files during downloads. Threat Protection works even without an active VPN connection.

How to use Threat Protection on macOS?

Threat Protection is only available with selected NordVPN plans. 

To use Threat Protection on your macOS device, follow these steps:

1. Download NordVPN’s macOS version.
2. Log into NordVPN app.
3. Click on the shield icon on the left side menu and activate Threat Protection.

If you already have NordVPN on macOS but cannot find Threat Protection, you are probably using the App Store version. In that case, follow these instructions:

1. Remove the NordVPN app from your device. Here’s how: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mh35835/mac.
2. Download NordVPN’s macOS version from our website.

Setting up Threat Protection on macOS

1. Open the NordVPN application and click on the shield icon in the left bar.
   
   
    
2. Click Turn on in the Overview tab.
   
   
    
3. You’ll see a window with the steps for activating Threat Protection. Click Open System Settings.
   
   
   
   Note: if the Threat Protection extension is not yet enabled, a window will inform you that the extension is blocked:
   
   
   
   Click Open System Settings.
   
   Alternatively, do it manually by clicking on the Apple Menu in the upper left corner and clicking on System Settings… .On macOS Monterey and older versions: Open Privacy Preferences.
   
   
    
4. Once you are in System Settings, head to Privacy & Security and click Allow under System software from application “NordVPN” was blocked from loading:
   
   
    
5. Confirm this action by typing in your computer’s password and clicking Update Settings.
   
   
    
6. Go back to the onboarding page and click Continue.
   
   
    
7. Choose if you want Threat Protection to deep-scan files for malware. You can close this window.
   
   
   You have successfully enabled Threat Protection for NordVPN on macOS. 
   
   
8. To pause or disable Threat Protection, click the Pause button and select the option you prefer.
   
   
    

Enabling deep-scanning for malware in files

We recommend enabling file deep-scanning to protect your devices from malware. There are a couple of ways to do so:

1. In the onboarding widget, mark Deep-scan files for malware and click Open System Settings.
   
   
   
   Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access and click on the toggle icon next to NordVPN Threat Protection.
   
   
   
   If you’re using macOS Monterey version or older — go to Security & Privacy, select Full Disk Access in the left panel, and click on the lock icon at the bottom.
   
   
   
   

You’ve successfully set up the deep-scanning function. 

To turn on deep-scan for malware, go to the NordVPN app > Threat Protection > Settings and click the toggle next to Cloud-based threat detection.



You’ve successfully enabled deep file scanning for malware detection.