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Your McAfee subscription lets you install McAfee on new devices at any time — there is no need to purchase a new product key or re-activate at mcafee.com/activate. Knowing how to install McAfee after activating your subscription is simple: just sign into My Account on your new computer and add it as a protected device. This applies whether you’re upgrading to a new laptop, switching from Windows to Mac, or setting up an additional machine for a family member. The entire McAfee activate, download & install process takes only a few minutes using the steps below.
1

Open a browser on your new computer

On your new computer, launch any supported browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Edge) and navigate to home.mcafee.com.
2

Log in with the email used at mcafee.com/activate

Sign in using the same email address and password you used when you first activated your subscription at mcafee.com/activate. This connects your new computer to your existing subscription automatically.
3

Go to My Devices and click Add Device

From the My Account dashboard, open the My Devices section in the left-hand menu. Click the Add Device button to begin the setup process for your new computer.
4

Select your operating system and click Download

Choose the operating system installed on your new computer — Windows or macOS. McAfee will prepare the correct installer version for your platform. Click Download to save the file.
5

Run the installer and complete the installation wizard

Open the downloaded installer file. Follow each step of the installation wizard, accepting the license agreement and choosing your preferred installation settings. Installation typically takes 3–7 minutes.
6

Sign in with your McAfee account inside the app

Once installation completes, open the McAfee application and sign in with your McAfee account credentials. This final step activates your protection on the new device and confirms it in your My Account dashboard.
If you are replacing an old computer, remove it from My Account first to free up a device slot. Navigate to My Devices, click the old device, and select Remove Device. This is only necessary on plans with a device limit, such as the McAfee Essential plan (5 devices).
Do not attempt to use your original 25-digit activation code again — it has already been redeemed at mcafee.com/activate and cannot be re-used. You do not need a new code. Simply sign into My Account on your new device and download the software from there.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. With the McAfee Essential plan, you can protect up to 5 devices under a single subscription. With McAfee+ Premium, McAfee+ Advanced, or McAfee+ Ultimate plans, you can install McAfee on an unlimited number of devices. Log into My Account at home.mcafee.com and add each computer individually using the Add Device option.
To deactivate McAfee on an old computer, first uninstall the application using your operating system’s standard uninstall process (Windows: Settings → Apps; macOS: drag to Trash or use the McAfee uninstaller). Then log into My Account at home.mcafee.com, go to My Devices, select the old computer, and click Remove Device to free up the device slot in your subscription.