Plan your security checks with scheduled Surfshark Antivirus scans

To schedule a full scan with Surfshark Antivirus on Windows and macOS, follow these steps:

1. Open the Surfshark app.
2. Select the Antivirus tab.
3. In the Scheduled scans section, toggle on the Full scan option.
4. To edit the scheduled time and frequency, click the pencil icon.
5. Choose your preferred scan days and scan time, and click Save.

To schedule a full scan on Android:

1. Open the Surfshark app.
2. Tap Products.
3. Click on Antivirus.
4. Toggle on Scheduled scans.
5. Tap on the > symbol to edit scan schedules and times.

Generally, it is recommended to run a full scan once a week. However, the frequency of how often you should run scans on your computer depends on your usage habits.

You may want to run a full scan more frequently if you visit untrusted sites, download files, or use external devices (such as USBs). If you only use your devices for basic activities like emailing and visiting known sites, a full scan once every two weeks or even a month, combined with real-time protection, should be enough.

An on-demand scan is a manual scan you can run whenever you suspect a problem and want to check specific files, folders, or the whole system. It provides detailed scan results, so you can take immediate action if any threats are detected.

A scheduled scan is an automated, pre-set scan. You can configure automated scans to run at your preferred times and frequency (e.g., nightly, weekly, monthly, etc.). The scheduled scan function guarantees that your system is regularly checked for threats, even if you don’t actively use your devices, other people use your device, or you tend to forget to run scans manually.