Scanning Files in Cloud Locations

Ever run a scan and wonder why it seems to skip right over your Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox files? There's a good, technical reason for that — here's what's actually going on, and what to do about it.

Why Cloud Files Don't Get Scanned

Whether you're using Intego X9 (VirusBarrier, Washing Machine) or Intego ONE, your antivirus software can only scan files that are actually stored on your Mac's hard drive.

Cloud services like Google Drive, iCloud, and Dropbox often use a feature that shows a file "placeholder" on your Mac without actually downloading the full file to your local storage — it only downloads when you open it. Since the file itself isn't sitting on your hard drive yet, there's nothing physically present for your Intego software to scan.

How to Scan These Files Anyway

If you want a cloud-stored file scanned, simply download it to your Mac first:

Open the file, or otherwise trigger it to download fully from your cloud service (this varies slightly depending on the service you use).
Once it's saved locally on your hard drive, run your scan as usual — Intego will now be able to access and scan it normally.

Still Have Questions?

If you're seeing scan failures even for files you're sure are downloaded locally, contact Support and include:

Which Intego product you're using (X9 or ONE)
Which cloud service is involved
Whether the file shows as fully downloaded in Finder (not just a placeholder icon)