Updated on: August 26, 2024
Here’s the best way to protect yourself against a macro virus:
- Install trusted antivirus software. My top pick is Norton, which offers excellent protection against malware, including macro viruses. In addition to perfect malware detection, Norton has great real-time protection and web protection so that you can stay safe against all cybersecurity threats.
A macro virus is a type of virus that can hide in Word documents, workbooks, PowerPoint presentations, and more. This is due to the fact that a macro virus is written in the same programming language that these applications use. It can impact your device’s performance by causing slowdowns, crashing programs, creating new files, and sending infected emails to your contacts without you knowing.
The best way to prevent or remove a macro virus is by downloading a top antivirus program like Norton. Once installed, the program will protect your device from macro viruses, and if your device falls victim to a macro virus, the antivirus will remove any traces of the virus and other malware files. All of Norton’s plans offer excellent value, but you can try it out risk-free using its 60-day money-back guarantee.
What Is a Macro Virus & How Can It Affect Your System?
A macro virus is a type of virus written in macro, which is a programming language that’s used for common software applications like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. This virus adds its code to the macros rooted in word processing programs, spreadsheets, and other data files before causing damage to a device.
Macro viruses mostly target Windows and macOS. After infecting a device, a macro virus can impact your device’s performance by causing slowdowns, crashing programs, and creating new files. More advanced symptoms include missing or corrupted data and having infected emails unknowingly sent to your contacts.
How Do Macro Viruses Get Onto Your Device?
Macro viruses most commonly get onto your device when you open an infected Word document or PowerPoint presentation. Macro viruses spread via file attachments in phishing emails, download links in banner ads and URLs, file-sharing networks, and removable disk drives. Once you open a file containing a macro virus, it can infect other programs that use the same programming language — including shared Word documents.
Many phishing emails look like they come from a credible source, so you might open them without suspicion. In fact, macro viruses often spread by accessing the original recipient’s contact list, so the infected email could also come from someone you know. After you download and open the infected attachment on your computer, the virus will embed itself into every other document on your device and use your address book to send an infected email to your contacts.
How Do You Know if You Have a Macro Virus on Your Computer or Smartphone?
Macro viruses can be very difficult to detect. They don’t start working until after you open an infected document, and they use automated sequences to work silently in the background of your software applications and files. Similar to a Trojan virus, a macro virus may not appear harmful, which means you might not notice any impact on your devices at first. However, unlike Trojans, macro viruses can replicate themselves and also infect other computers.
That said, there are still some signs you can look for which indicate that your phone or computer may be infected by a macro virus. These signs include:
- Your device is running slower than normal.
- Your device is asking you for a password on a file that normally doesn’t need one.
- Your device is saving documents as “template” files.
- Your device is displaying strange error messages.
The best way to check for a macro virus on your device is by downloading antivirus software. Antiviruses use heuristic scanning and analysis to find and alert you to any malware on your phone or computer before removing it. Along with virus scanning, many antiviruses come with extra internet security features like a firewall, phishing protections, real-time protection, and more to keep you protected from future infections.
Quick summary of the best antiviruses for removing macro viruses in 2024
- 🥇 1. Norton 360 — Best overall antivirus for removing macro viruses in 2024.
- 🥈 2. Bitdefender Total Security — Lightweight antivirus with great anti-phishing protection.
- 🥉 3. McAfee Total Protection — Best antivirus for mobile web protections.
How to Remove a Macro Virus From Your Device (& How to Prevent Them)
The easiest way to remove a macro virus is by downloading a top antivirus program. A premium antivirus can run a full system scan and detect and remove all instances of the macro virus and any other malicious files from your device.
In addition to virus scanning, a top antivirus program can prevent future attacks. Premium antiviruses offer malware prevention through features like real-time protections and malicious site protection — they block you from accessing malicious websites and prevent you from downloading infected files or attachments on your computer.
How to Remove a Macro Virus From a Windows Computer
- Download a top antivirus for Windows. I recommend Norton because it offers perfect malware detection and a wide variety of extra internet security features.
- Sign into the desktop app. After following the installation wizard’s instructions, sign into the desktop app using your account credentials.
- Scan the device. Click Scan Device to run a full system scan of your Windows computer.
- Remove the virus. After completing the security scan, allow the antivirus to remove all traces of the macro virus and any other malware from your device.
- Prevent future attacks. Turn on real-time protections and web protection so the antivirus can protect your Windows computer from future cybersecurity threats.
How to Remove a Macro Virus From a Mac Computer
- Download a top antivirus for Mac. Intego, our top-rated antivirus for Mac in 2024, is my favorite because of its flawless malware detection rates and blazing-fast malware scanner.
- Sign into your account. After installing, use your login credentials to sign into the desktop app.
- Scan the device. Click Scan Device to allow the antivirus to run a full system scan of your Mac computer.
- Remove malware. Once the security scan is complete, let the antivirus remove the macro virus infection and any other related files from your device.
- Stay protected. Turn on real-time scanning and web protections in order to keep your Mac device protected from any further infections.
Editors' Note: Intego and this site are in the same ownership group.
What Should You Do Once You’ve Removed a Macro Virus?
After removing a macro virus from your device, it’s important that you take additional action in order to stay protected against future cyberattacks. This includes:
- Installing updates. It’s important to install any available updates to your computer security system in order to stay protected against new cyberthreats. You should also make sure to update your operating system regularly to ensure the best protection. For example, if your computer has Windows 10, you should update to Windows 11 when prompted.
- Using digital signatures. Digital signatures are a type of electronic signature that encrypts documents with digital codes. They’re also good for identifying download sources, which can help ensure the files you’re running on your device aren’t malicious. If a download or website warns you of an outdated signature, it’s best you don’t proceed.
- Choosing high-quality antivirus software. I recommend that you download a premium antivirus in order to give your device a thorough security scan and protect it against cybersecurity threats. Along with malware scanning, a top antivirus will be able to protect your device against future infections through features like real-time protections, including anti-phishing protections, and web protection. I personally recommend Norton due to its perfect malware detection, excellent web protections, wide variety of extra internet security tools, and affordable prices.
- Keeping your email protected. You can eliminate common macro virus vectors (like email attachments) by using antivirus software to scan your email. It’s also recommended to use your email’s spam filter and to never open any unsolicited emails or attachments.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do macro viruses work?
Macro viruses work by inserting malicious code into files like spreadsheets and word documents. They’re written in macro, the same programming language that’s embedded inside software applications like Microsoft Office. Macro viruses can spread via attachments in spam emails, phishing links, file sharing networks, or disk drives.
A macro virus can impact your device’s performance by causing slowdowns, crashing programs, and forcing the blue screen error, and it can even send malicious emails to your contacts without your permission.
The best and easiest way to prevent a macro virus from infecting your PC or to remove a macro virus from your device is by downloading a top antivirus like Norton — it has flawless malware detection, offers real-time web protection for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices, and comes with useful extra internet security features like a firewall, parental controls, ransomware protection, and a password manager.
Can Macs get a macro virus?
Mac devices aren’t immune to macro viruses. These viruses can infect both Windows and Macs using the same code. If a program uses macros, it can get the virus, and every copy of that program will have the virus too.
Intego is my favorite antivirus for Mac in 2024 — it has perfect malware detection, provides fast malware scanning, and offers a wide range of Mac-focused cybersecurity and optimization features including a Mac system optimizer, advanced Mac backup options, and a smart firewall.
What are the risks of macro viruses?
The main risk of macro viruses is how quickly they are able to spread. After opening an infected document, all of the other documents on your device can also become infected. Once on your computer, macro viruses can move text, create new files, send files, format hard drives, and more. Some can even access your email account and send infected files to each of your contacts, while others are designed to erase or compromise data stored on your device.
I personally recommend Norton as my favorite antivirus for removing macro viruses in 2024. It has a perfect malware detection rate, a blazing-fast malware scanner, real-time web protection for all major platforms, and key extras like dark web monitoring, webcam protection, parental controls, and a built-in firewall.
What is the best way to get rid of a macro virus?
The best way to eliminate a macro virus on your device is by downloading premium antivirus software. A top antivirus will be able to scan for a macro virus and remove it and any other malware from your phone or computer. After removing a macro virus, it’s important to ensure that you have real-time protections and web protection switched on to stay protected against future cybersecurity threats.
My personal favorite antivirus for removing a macro virus in 2024 is Norton — it has a 100% malware detection rate, lightning-fast scanning speeds, and a wide range of extra internet security features including anti-phishing protection, dark web monitoring, parental controls, a password manager, and a VPN (with unlimited data).
