Temporarily turning off anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall products

This article contains a general explanation on how to temporarily disable anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall programs that can interfere with Yahoo! features. These security programs can block the website scripts that provide enhanced site features. Temporarily turning them off can help determine if they are causing the problem.

One of your security programs, such as an antivirus, anti-spyware, or a firewall product, may be causing a problem with a Yahoo! feature. If you've already verified that your Internet connection is working, then try temporarily disabling your security programs, one at a time, to see if the problem goes away. We have provided some general instructions below for security programs. If a firewall is blocking a website or program from loading (like a game for example), try adding that website or program to your firewall's list of authorized websites and programs.

Notifications:

• In some cases, you might not be able to completely disable the security application.
• Follow the instructions for your computer's operating system and security program.
• The directions for each security program differ from one manufacturer to another. If these instructions don't work for you, see the security program manufacturer's online help site or contact them for further assistance.

General instructions for disabling a security program (such as Norton AntiVirus or McAfee) in Microsoft Windows:

1. Right-click the icon for your security program in the system tray located in the bottom-right corner of your screen, near the system clock.
   - A pop-up menu should display with options for "Preferences" or "Disable."
2. Select one of the options that is available:
   - Preferences
   - Disable
3. Test the feature you are trying to use to see if it now works.