NetShield is a DNS filtering feature that blocks ads, malware, and website trackers. Some antivirus programs for Windows offer features that are incompatible with NetShield, which can result in conflicts that prevent NetShield from working properly.
This article aims to document any such issues as they come to our attention and to provide solutions or workarounds.
Antivirus software with compatibility issues
Avast Premium Security
Avast Premium Security offers a feature called “Real Site” that conflicts with NetShield. This prevents hackers (but also NetShield) from modifying your system’s DNS settings.
You can resolve this conflict by disabling the feature in Avast Antivirus. To do this, go to Menu -> Settings -> Protection -> Real Site.
AVG Internet Security
AVG Internet Security offers a “Fake Website Shield” feature that routes encrypted DNS requests directly to its own servers. This prevents NetShield from being able to filter DNS requests.
You can disable the “Fake Website Shield” feature by going to Menu -> Settings -> Full Protection -> Fake Website Shield.
Once the feature is disabled in AVG, you will need to reconnect to a Proton VPN server in the Proton VPN app before NetShield will work properly.
Antivirus software with no known compatibility issues
We have tested the following antivirus products and can confirm that they have no known compatibility issues with our NetShield feature.
- Avast Free Antivirus
- AVG Antivirus Free
- Kaspersky Anti-Virus
- Emsisoft Anti-Malware
- Norton 360
- MalwareBytes
