Almost all anti-virus software is always running in the background unless you manually turn it off. If you have turned it off, try opening the program. If you open the program manually, it ought to automatically turn it on. You might have to select an option to turn it back on from the menu, depending on what brand of anti-virus software you are using. You can change the settings of the antivirus software to be on all of the time. This makes it easier for the software to download the latest updates automatically. It is important that you have the latest updates for your software because new viruses are being invented constantly. You should always have the updates set to run automatically. Most software allows you to schedule automatic scans through their menu options. This is a good idea because you might forget to do manual scans regularly. You should perform a manual scan every few days, especially if you visit suspicious sites. If you are worried about a site you have visited or a file you have downloaded, do a scan immediately.
If you do not have anti-virus software, you will get a message about not being protected. If this is what you are referring to when you say that your protection isn't turned on, you should look for anti-virus software that suits your needs. Avast and AVG are high quality free anti-virus software programs. AVG is one of the free programs, and it can be downloaded at free.avg.com and avast can be downloaded at avast.com/free-antivirus-download. Norton and Kaspersky are name brand antivirus software programs that offer free trials. Once your free trial is over, however, you have to purchase the program or no long have protection. Many people find the free anti-virus software sufficient enough for their needs, but if you are constantly visiting questionable websites or downloading seedy files, you might consider getting a brand-name program.
If you do not have anti-virus software, you will get a message about not being protected. If this is what you are referring to when you say that your protection isn't turned on, you should look for anti-virus software that suits your needs. Avast and AVG are high quality free anti-virus software programs. AVG is one of the free programs, and it can be downloaded at free.avg.com and avast can be downloaded at avast.com/free-antivirus-download. Norton and Kaspersky are name brand antivirus software programs that offer free trials. Once your free trial is over, however, you have to purchase the program or no long have protection. Many people find the free anti-virus software sufficient enough for their needs, but if you are constantly visiting questionable websites or downloading seedy files, you might consider getting a brand-name program.