What Is the HIV Window Period?

The window period refers to a time period in which you may test negative for HIV even though you have been exposed. During this time, you may be able to take medication to prevent HIV.

January 17, 2025 · 7 min · 1291 words · Adam Santana

Table of Contents

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is the HIV Window Period?When Should I Have an HIV Test?Precautions During the Window Period

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is the HIV Window Period?

When Should I Have an HIV Test?

Precautions During the Window Period

It takes time after thehuman immunodeficiency virus(HIV) enters your body before a test can detect it, and this period of time is known as the HIV window period. If you take a test during your window period, the HIV test may show up as negative even if you have been infected with HIV.You can still pass the virus on to someone else during this time. It’s important to consider this window so you can get accurate test results and take precautions to protect yourself and others.

What Is HIV?HIV is a virus that attacks certain cells in the immune system, killing them and diminishing the body’s defenses against infections and diseases. HIV is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids like blood, semen, and vaginal fluids. If left untreated, HIV can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The human body cannot get rid of the HIV virus, and a cure currently doesn’t exist. However, most people in the United States who have HIV do not develop AIDS because taking HIV medicine every day as prescribed stops the progression of the disease.

What Is HIV?

HIV is a virus that attacks certain cells in the immune system, killing them and diminishing the body’s defenses against infections and diseases. HIV is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids like blood, semen, and vaginal fluids. If left untreated, HIV can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The human body cannot get rid of the HIV virus, and a cure currently doesn’t exist. However, most people in the United States who have HIV do not develop AIDS because taking HIV medicine every day as prescribed stops the progression of the disease.

Verywell / Jessica Olah

What to Know About the HIV Window Period

The time between when a person gets HIV and when a test can accurately detect it is called the window period.

During the window period, a person infected with HIV can still pass the virus on to others, even though the virus isn’t detected.

The window period varies with different types of HIV tests.

What Tests Can Diagnose HIV?

Testing is highly recommended for anyone who feels like they have been exposed to the virus or is at high risk of being infected. High-risk activities include non-monogamous sex, unprotected sex, and injectable drug use.

If you know the moment you may have come into contact with HIV, get a test three months later after that date. Getting tested three months after exposure gives a 99% accurate test result.

Accuracy for Types of Tests

The window period for each type of HIV test is as follows:

Which HIV Tests Are the Most Accurate?

Window periods vary from person to person, so some clinics may advise you to wait a certain time.One to three weeks before getting a NATOne month before getting a combination HIV Ag/Ab testThree months before getting any other HIV tests

Window periods vary from person to person, so some clinics may advise you to wait a certain time.

It’s important to remember that a person can still pass HIV on to someone else through sex or sharing needles during the window period. Anyone who suspects that they have been exposed to HIV should take precautions and avoid spreading the virus starting right at exposure.

Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)

Post-exposure prophylaxis(PEP) is given to someone if they think they have been exposed to HIV within the past 72 hours. It is a short-course treatment that prevents the virus from taking hold in your body. However, it has to be started within 72 hours of exposure, or it would not work. The duration of PEP treatment is 28 days.

You may be prescribed PEP if you:

While PEP is not 100% effective, it is very effective at preventing an HIV infection if a person begins to take it right after exposure. It may cause minor side effects, or interact with other drugs a person is taking. Be sure to discuss all the potential risks of taking PEP with a doctor. While taking PEP, it’s still important to keep using other HIV prevention methods.

In 2018, the FDA released safety information regarding PEP and serious cases of neural tube birth defects that involve the brain, spine, and spinal cord.

Preventing the Spread of HIV

People who suspect they have been exposed to HIV should still exercise caution to avoid HIV transmission during the window period.

They can do so in several ways:

What Is Considered an Open Wound for HIV Transmission?

A Word From Verywell

Waiting for HIV test results during the window period can be frustrating because you want to know for sure whether you have been exposed. It is, however, important to be patient because waiting till after the window period to get tested will give you the most accurate results. Even if you get a negative result during the window period, you will have to get tested again after the window period is over to confirm the result. During this time, it’s still important to take all necessary precautions to avoid spreading the virus.

How Long Does It Take to Show Symptoms of HIV?

5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hurt CB, Nelson JAE, Hightow-Weidman LB, Miller WC.Selecting an HIV test: A narrative review for clinicians and researchers.Sex Transm Dis. 2017;44(12):739-746. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000719Delaney KP, Hanson DL, Masciotra S, Ethridge SF, Wesolowski L, Owen SM.Time until emergence of HIV test reactivity following infection with hIV-1: implications for interpreting test results and retesting after exposure.Clin Infect Dis. 2017;64(1):53-59. doi:10.1093/cid/ciw666HIV. gov.HIV testing overview.HIV.gov.Post-exposure prophylaxis.HIV.gov.Preventing sexual transmission of HIV.

5 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hurt CB, Nelson JAE, Hightow-Weidman LB, Miller WC.Selecting an HIV test: A narrative review for clinicians and researchers.Sex Transm Dis. 2017;44(12):739-746. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000719Delaney KP, Hanson DL, Masciotra S, Ethridge SF, Wesolowski L, Owen SM.Time until emergence of HIV test reactivity following infection with hIV-1: implications for interpreting test results and retesting after exposure.Clin Infect Dis. 2017;64(1):53-59. doi:10.1093/cid/ciw666HIV. gov.HIV testing overview.HIV.gov.Post-exposure prophylaxis.HIV.gov.Preventing sexual transmission of HIV.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Hurt CB, Nelson JAE, Hightow-Weidman LB, Miller WC.Selecting an HIV test: A narrative review for clinicians and researchers.Sex Transm Dis. 2017;44(12):739-746. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000719Delaney KP, Hanson DL, Masciotra S, Ethridge SF, Wesolowski L, Owen SM.Time until emergence of HIV test reactivity following infection with hIV-1: implications for interpreting test results and retesting after exposure.Clin Infect Dis. 2017;64(1):53-59. doi:10.1093/cid/ciw666HIV. gov.HIV testing overview.HIV.gov.Post-exposure prophylaxis.HIV.gov.Preventing sexual transmission of HIV.

Hurt CB, Nelson JAE, Hightow-Weidman LB, Miller WC.Selecting an HIV test: A narrative review for clinicians and researchers.Sex Transm Dis. 2017;44(12):739-746. doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000719

Delaney KP, Hanson DL, Masciotra S, Ethridge SF, Wesolowski L, Owen SM.Time until emergence of HIV test reactivity following infection with hIV-1: implications for interpreting test results and retesting after exposure.Clin Infect Dis. 2017;64(1):53-59. doi:10.1093/cid/ciw666

HIV. gov.HIV testing overview.

HIV.gov.Post-exposure prophylaxis.

HIV.gov.Preventing sexual transmission of HIV.

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