How to Set Up and Use PIA Antivirus

PIA Antivirus helps detect and manage malware and other potential threats on a Windows device. It includes real-time protection, scheduled and manual scans, quarantine controls, and DNS-based blocking for malicious domains.

This guide explains how to install PIA Antivirus, configure its protection settings, run scans, and manage detected files.

How to Set Up PIA Antivirus

Antivirus by PIA is a paid add-on available only with new PIA VPN account bundles. It cannot be added to an existing account later. 

Follow these steps to download and install the app:

1. Choose a subscription plan from the PIA antivirus page. To do this, scroll down the page and click the Select Plan button below your preferred option.
2. From the right side of the checkout page, select Antivirus by PIA as an add-on to your new subscription.
3. Select a billing option and complete the checkout process.
4. Check your email for the PIA onboarding message. You will receive a username and temporary password to set up your PIA account.
5. Download and run the official PIA Antivirus installer, then follow the on-screen instructions.
6. Use your PIA account credentials to log in when prompted.

PIA Antivirus Features

After you install PIA Antivirus and sign in, the app opens to the main dashboard. Use the tabs in the left-side panel to scan your device, review security reports, and adjust your settings. The sections below explain the antivirus features in more detail.

My Dashboard

The dashboard tab shows your current protection status and the number of threats secured since your last scan. It also includes quick access to these features:

• Real-Time Protection: Runs in the background and alerts you when PIA Antivirus detects suspicious activity. This feature is on by default.
• Web Shield: Blocks ad, tracking, and malicious domains before they load in your browser.
• Prevention Engine: Checks your computer for vulnerable settings and helps apply patches against zero-day exploits. This feature is on by default.
• Virus Definitions Updates: Shows when your threat database was last updated. These updates help PIA Antivirus recognize newer malware.

Scans

The Virus Scans tab lets you choose between the following options to check your computer or files:

• Quick Scan: Checks the most common locations where threats are often installed.
• Complete Virus Scan: Checks your entire device for viruses, malware, spyware, and other threats.
• Custom Scan: Lets you drag and drop files to scan them directly or select a specific location to check for malware.
• Scheduled Scan: Shows your next scheduled scan and lets you set automatic scans for a specific time.

Quarantine

This tab shows detected files that PIA Antivirus has isolated. If any files appear here, you can review details such as the threat name, detection date, and file location to get an idea about the threat. You can also delete selected files permanently, restore them, or exclude them if you know they are safe.

Security Reports

Security Reports are records of antivirus activity on your device. This tab includes a list of all your previous reports so you can review past scan results, including the scan type, date, and the detected and resolved issues. You can also select and delete reports you no longer need.

Settings

The Settings below let you change how PIA Antivirus works in the background. Use the tabs across the top to manage app preferences, security and privacy controls, and account information.

1. General

Here, you’ll find the following app preferences:

• Language: Lets you choose a different display language for your PIA antivirus.
• Notifications: If enabled, it notifies you when a background scan finishes. 

2. Security

Use this menu to review and manage the main antivirus protections. You can turn core features on or off, set storage limits for hard drives, and choose how long PIA Antivirus stores security reports.

3. Privacy

The following settings let you manage how PIA Antivirus uses cloud servers, giving you more control over your privacy:

• Cloud Security: Allows PIA Antivirus to compare files with cloud-based virus databases. Turning it off may reduce detection accuracy, especially for newer or zero-day threats.
• Privacy Level: Controls whether PIA Antivirus connects to cloud servers automatically (Basic Privacy) or asks for confirmation first (High Privacy).

4. Account

This tab shows basic subscription details. To manage your subscription or account status, you’ll need to use the PIA Client Control Panel.

5. About

Here, you can see your current app version, virus definition version, and links to our Privacy Policy and End User License Agreement.