download a free app to for virus and Is free antivirus safe? Can you really trust an antivirus app which comes at no cost? Is free antivirus safe to use? It’s a simple enough question, but there’s no simple and short answer as such. The good news is that the slightly more in-depth answer isn’t all that long, and is easy enough to understand. You may be worried about free antivirus apps because you’ve heard they could be unreliable, or perhaps even carriers for malware themselves. And that’s true – there are tons of freebie antivirus programs out there, and some of them are dubious, or even downright dangerous. However, there are also high-quality and perfectly safe freebie antivirus apps, and the trick is to be armed with the knowledge that helps you to pick the right free antivirus. With that said, follow us into the armory… Today's best free security download is Avira Free Antivirus Avira takes the title of our favorite freebie right now - beating out all the competition including Defender. In addition to scoring brilliantly for pure protection from independent test labs, it also comes with a whole host of features like scam protection, password manager and even a free VPN. View Deal. Dodgy antivirus apps. As mentioned, there’s a bewildering array of antivirus apps out there, and some of them are proverbial bad eggs. That means they could just be poorly programmed, and not work properly to give you protection, or be easily evaded and/or messed with. When we test antivirus products, we always try some methods of manually stopping the app’s processes and services, and otherwise attempting to disable its protection. That’s because more sophisticated malware may try these sort of tricks in order to stealthily infiltrate a system, and a good antivirus will have self-defense routines to stop any such subterfuge. Sadly, as we sometimes find in our reviews, some antivirus products aren’t very secure in this respect, or indeed have little in the way of self- defense routines at all – and obviously that’s seriously bad news. In all these cases of poorly implemented antivirus apps, the user who installed the program might think they are protected, but they’re actually not – a dangerous situation to be in (worse, in fact, than having no protection at all, because you have a false sense of security, as well as a lack of any real defenses). A worst-case scenario is that an antivirus program might be completely fake – and actually do nothing, except perhaps steal your personal data, or get up to other malicious activities. Some malware will pretend to be an antivirus, too. You’ve likely heard of this kind of thing: a message pops up on your PC telling you that hundreds of viruses have been found on your drive, and you must ‘install’ a program immediately to get rid of them – or you’ll lose all your data, or some such threat. Needless to say, never, ever act on any random prompts like this, especially if they claim ‘disaster is about to happen if you don’t do this right now ’. Read more: How to choose the best antivirus for you. The good guys. So, with the kind of apps we’ve discussed above, you’re not safe, and indeed you’re quite possibly even in danger. The simple answer, as you might guess, is to steer clear of such software. How? Just use a good quality antivirus. That’s where we come in. We regularly review a wide range of , from big names and lesser-known firms, across free and paid offerings, and our roundup of the best free antivirus is compiled using the knowledge gleaned from thorough evaluations of these various products. If you stick to our recommended antivirus apps – fully vetted by us, and other experts for that matter, including the independent test labs, which place the same providers high up their rankings time and time again – you won’t go wrong with a free antivirus. A good free antivirus app (like Avira Free Antivirus, which is our top choice right now) will have the same core engine as the paid version of the software, giving you the exact same level of fundamental protection. What you don’t want to do is download any old antivirus app, no matter what promises it might make, or how good it may sound; because that’s when things could go badly awry. Another thought that might have occurred to you is that if a free app offers you the same core protection as the premium version, then why pay for the latter? Simply because you get all manner of extra security features with a paid-for package, and these could be well worth having, depending on your exact use case. For example, a premium version might have dedicated anti-ransomware protection, to keep you even safer from this truly nasty variant of malware, or a secure browser for your financial transactions online, and maybe an in-depth system of parental controls – the latter could be useful for those with a family, of course. The point, then, is that there are some very neat extras with paid products, and you might be a little safer with a premium antivirus, in some ways – but with a good free app, you are still safe enough, and benefiting from the main thing an antivirus delivers: strong core protection from malware. Is free antivirus safe? As you might expect, then, paying money for an antivirus does get you extra protection which can be worthwhile, depending on your exact use case. But if your budget is tight, and you don’t really want to be forking out for malware protection, it’s a perfectly sound option to use a free antivirus application. Any old freebie program won’t do, though. As we’ve discussed, be sure to pick one of the reputable antivirus firms to go with, and you’ll be safe enough online. Darren is a freelancer writing news and features for TechRadar (and occasionally T3) across a broad range of computing topics including CPUs, GPUs, various other hardware, VPNs, antivirus and more. He has written about tech for the best part of three decades, and writes books in his spare time (his debut novel - 'I Know What You Did Last Supper' - was published by Hachette UK in 2013). How to prevent and remove viruses and other malware. A is a small software program that spreads from one computer to another and interferes with computer operation. A computer virus might corrupt or delete data on a computer, use an email program to spread the virus to other computers, or even delete everything on the hard disk. Computer viruses are frequently spread by attachments in email messages or by instant messaging messages. Therefore, you must never open an email attachment unless you know who sent the message or you are expecting the email attachment. Viruses can be disguised as attachments of funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files. Computer viruses also spread through downloads on the Internet. They can be hidden in pirated software or in other files or programs that you might download. Symptoms of a computer virus. For information about the symptoms of a computer virus, go to the Microsoft PC Security website. A worm is computer code that spreads without user interaction. Most worms begin as email attachments that infect a computer when they're opened. The worm scans the infected computer for files, such as address books or temporary webpages, that contain email addresses. The worm uses the addresses to send infected email messages, and frequently mimics (or spoofs) the "From" addresses in later email messages so that those infected messages seem to be from someone you know. Worms then spread automatically through email messages, networks, or vulnerabilities, frequently overwhelming those systems before the cause is known. Worms aren't always destructive to computers, but they usually cause computer and network performance and stability problems. What is a trojan horse? A trojan horse is a malicious software program that hides inside other programs. It enters a computer hidden inside a legitimate program, such as a screen saver. Then it puts code into the operating system that enables a hacker to access the infected computer. Trojan horses do not usually spread by themselves. They are spread by viruses, worms, or downloaded software. What is spyware? Spyware can install on your computer without your knowledge. These programs can change your computer’s configuration or collect advertising data and personal information. Spyware can track Internet search habits and can also redirect your web browser to a different website than you intend to go to. What is rogue security software? A rogue security software program tries to make you think that your computer is infected by a virus and usually prompts you to download or buy a product that removes the virus. The names of these products frequently contain words like Antivirus, Shield, Security, Protection, or Fixer. This makes them sound legitimate. They frequently run right after you download them, or the next time that your computer starts. Rogue security software can prevent applications, such as Internet Explorer, from opening. Rogue security software might also display legitimate and important Windows files as infections. Typical error messages or pop-up messages might contain the following phrases: Warning! Your computer is infected! This computer is infected by spyware and adware. Note If you receive a message in a popup dialog box that resembles this warning, press ALT + F4 on your keyboard to close the dialog box. Do not click anything inside the dialog box. If a warning, such as the one here, keeps appearing when you try to close the dialog box, it’s a good indication that the message is malicious. Are you sure you want to navigate from this page? Your computer is infected! They can cause data lost and file corruption and need to be treated as soon as possible. Press CANCEL to prevent it. Return to System Security and download it to secure your PC. Press OK to Continue or Cancel to stay on the current page. If you see this kind of message, then don't download or buy the software. What is malware? Malware is a term that is used for malicious software that is designed to do damage or unwanted actions to a computer system. Examples of malware include the following: Rogue security software. How to remove malware such as a virus, spyware, or rogue security software. Removing a computer virus or spyware can be difficult without the help of malicious software removal tools. Some computer viruses and other unwanted software reinstall themselves after the viruses and spyware are detected and removed. Fortunately, by updating the computer and by using malicious software removal tools, you can help permanently remove unwanted software. For more information about how to remove a computer virus and spyware, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 2671662 - Microsoft resources and guidance for removal of malware and viruses Note If you cannot access the Internet on your computer, use another computer to help you follow the steps in the “How to reset your Internet Explorer proxy settings” section on the computer that may be infected. To remove a computer virus and other malicious software, follow these steps in order. Install the latest updates from Microsoft Update. Note A computer virus may prevent you from accessing the Microsoft Update website to install the latest updates. We recommend that you set the Automatic Updates service to run automatically so that a computer is not missing any important updates. For more information, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Click Start, and then type Windows Update in the search box. In the results area, click Windows Update. Click Check for Updates. Follow the instructions to download and install the latest Windows Updates. Use the free Microsoft Safety Scanner. Microsoft offers a free online tool that scans and helps remove potential threats from your computer. To perform the scan, go to the Microsoft Safety Scanner website. Use the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool. For more information about the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 890830 - Remove specific prevalent malware with Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool Manually remove the rogue security software. If the rogue security software can’t be detected or removed by using Microsoft Safety Scanner or the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, try the following steps: Note the name of the rogue security software. For this example, we'll call it XP Security Agent 2010. Restart your computer. When you see the computer's manufacturer's logo, repeatedly press the F8 key. When you are prompted, use the arrow keys to highlight Safe Mode with Networking, and then press Enter. Click the Start button and check whether the rogue security software appears on the Start menu. If it's not listed there, click All Programs and scroll to find the rogue security software's name. Right-click the name of the rogue security software program, and then click Properties. Click the Shortcut tab. In the Properties dialog box, check the path of the rogue security software program that is listed in Target. For example, C:\Program Files\XP Security Agent 2010. Note The folder name frequently is a random number. Click Open File Location. In the Program Files window, click Program Files in the address bar. Scroll until you find the rogue security software program folder. For example, XP Security Agent 2010. Right-click the folder, and then click Delete. Restart your computer. Click the Download Now button, and then click Run. Follow the instructions to scan your computer and help remove the rogue security software. If you suspect that your computer is infected with rogue security software that was not detected by using Microsoft security solutions, you can submit samples by using the Microsoft Malware Protection Center submission form. For more information about rogue security software, go to the Watch out for fake virus alerts website. Install and run Microsoft Security Essentials or Windows Defender. Microsoft offers a free malicious removal program called Microsoft Security Essentials that helps protect your computer from becoming infected. To install Microsoft Security Essentials, follow these steps: Click Free Download. Click Run, and then follow the instructions to install Microsoft Security Essentials. After installation, restart your computer. Click Start, click All Programs, and then click Microsoft Security Essentials. On the Home tab, select the Full scan option, and then click Scan now. Install Windows Defender Offline. Windows Defender Offline is a malware tool that helps remove difficult to eliminate viruses that start before Windows starts. To use Windows Defender Offline, follow these steps: On an uninfected computer, go to the What is Windows Defender Offline website. Click Download the 32 bit version or Download the 64 bit version, depending on which operating system that you are running. If you're unsure of which operating system that you are running, go to the Is my PC running the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows website. When you are prompted, click Save As, and then save the file to a DVD, CD, or USB flash drive. On the infected computer, insert the DVD, CD, or USB flash drive, and then restart the computer. When you are prompted, press a key to select an option to use to start your computer, such as F12, F5, or F8, depending on the kind of computer that you are using. Use the arrow key to scroll to the drive where you installed Windows Defender Offline file. Windows Defender Offline starts and immediately scans for malware. For more information about how to remove a computer virus, go to the How do I remove a computer virus website. How to protect your computer against malware. There are actions that you can take to help protect your computer against malware. Turn on the firewall. Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel. In the Search box, type firewall, and then click . In the left pane, click Turn Windows Firewall on or off (you may be prompted to enter your administrator password). Under each network location, click On (recommended) () or Turn on Windows Firewall (), and then click OK. For more information about how to turn on your firewall in Windows 7, go to the Turn Windows 7 Firewall on or off website. Keep your computer up to date. For more information about how to set Automatic Updates in Windows, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 306525 - How to configure and use Automatic Updates in Windows Install Microsoft Security Essentials and keep it up to date. For more information about how to install and use Microsoft Security Essentials, go to the Microsoft Security Essentials website. Don’t be tricked into downloading malware. Here are some tips that can help protect you from downloading software that you don't want: Only download programs from websites that you trust. If you're not sure whether to trust a program that you want to download, enter the name of the program into your favorite search engine to see whether anyone else has reported that it contains spyware. Read all security warnings, license agreements, and privacy statements that are associated with any software that you download. Never click "Agree" or "OK" to close a window that you suspect might be spyware. Instead, click the red "x" in the corner of the window or press Alt + F4 on your keyboard to close a window. Be wary of popular "free" music and movie file-sharing programs, and make sure that you understand all the software packaged with those programs. Use a standard user account instead of an administrator account. For more information, go to the Why use a standard account instead of an administrator account website. For more information about how to protect a computer against viruses, go to the How to boost your malware defense and protect your PC website. How to reset your Internet Explorer proxy settings. Malicious software might change Internet Explorer proxy settings, and these changes can prevent you from accessing Windows Update or any Microsoft Security sites. To have us change your Internet Explorer proxy settings for you, click the Fix it button or link. Click Run in the File Download dialog box, and follow the steps in the Fix it wizard: This wizard may be in English only. However, the automatic fix also works for other language versions of Windows. If you are not using the computer that has the problem, save the Fix it solution to a flash drive or a CD and then run it on the computer that has the problem. To change your Internet Explorer proxy settings yourself, follow these steps: Click Start and then click Run . In the Run box, copy and paste the following: reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /v ProxyEnable /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f. Click Start , and then click Run . In the Run box, copy and paste the following: reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /v ProxyServer /f. For more information about how to reset your Internet Explorer proxy settings, visit the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article: 2289942 - How to reset your Internet Explorer proxy settings How to obtain computer virus and security-related support. For United States Want to chat with a live person? Our Answer Tech trained professionals are ready to help: For United States and Canada Help protect your computer from viruses and malware: Get help with installing updates: Security solutions for IT Professionals: Support by country: If you are using a PC running Windows 8, click here for more information about how to help protect your PC from viruses, or click here for more information about how to find and remove viruses. For locations outside North America For computer virus and security-related support for locations outside North America, go to the Microsoft Support website. Protect my PC from viruses. This article is about ways to protect your PC from viruses that can screw up your computer, or allow criminals to steal your data, personal information, or money. Use an antimalware app - Installing an antimalware app and keeping it up to date can help defend your PC against viruses and other malware (malicious software). Antimalware apps scan for viruses, spyware, and other malware trying to get into your email, operating system, or files. New threats can appear daily, so check the antimalware manufacturer's website frequently for updates. is free antimalware software included with Windows, and you can update it automatically through Windows Update. There are also 3rd party antivirus products that you can choose from. More isn't always better. Running multiple antimalware apps at the same time can cause your system to be slow or unstable. If you install a 3rd party antimalware app, Microsoft Defender will automatically turn itself off. If you install two 3rd party antimalware apps, however, they might both try to run at the same time. Don't open email messages from unfamiliar senders, or email attachments that you don't recognize - Many viruses are attached to email messages and will spread as soon as you open the attachment. It's best not to open any attachment unless it's something you're expecting. For more information see: Protect yourself from phishing. Use a pop-up blocker with your Internet browser - Pop-up windows are small browser windows that appear on top of the website you're viewing. Although most are created by advertisers, they can also contain malicious or unsafe code. A pop-up blocker can prevent some or all of these windows from appearing. The pop-up blocker in Microsoft Edge is turned on by default. If you're using Microsoft Edge, make sure SmartScreen is turned on - SmartScreen in Microsoft Edge helps protect you from phishing and malware attacks by warning you if a website or download location has been reported as unsafe. For more info, see What is SmartScreen and how can it help protect me? Pay attention to Windows SmartScreen notifications - Be cautious about running unrecognized apps downloaded from the Internet. Unrecognized apps are more likely to be unsafe. When you download and run an app from the Internet, SmartScreen uses info about the app's reputation to warn you if the app isn't well-known and might be malicious. Keep Windows updated - Periodically, Microsoft releases special security updates that can help protect your PC. These updates can help prevent viruses and other malware attacks by closing possible security holes. You can turn on Windows Update to make sure that Windows receives these updates automatically. Use a firewall - Windows Firewall, or any other firewall app, can help notify you about suspicious activity if a virus or worm tries to connect to your PC. It can also block viruses, worms, and attackers sending potentially harmful apps to your PC. Use your Internet browser's privacy settings - Some websites might try to use your personal info for targeted advertising, fraud, and identity theft. Make sure (UAC) is turned on - When changes are going to be made to your PC that require administrator-level permission, UAC notifies you and gives you the chance to approve the change. UAC can help keep viruses from making unwanted changes. To open UAC, swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search . (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Search .) Enter uac in the search box, and then tap or click Change User Account Control settings . Clear your Internet cache and your browsing history - Most browsers store info about the websites you visit and the info that you provide, like your name and address. While it can be helpful to have these details stored on your PC, there are times when you might want to delete some or all of them—for example, when you're using a public PC and don't want to leave personal info behind. For more info, see Delete your browsing history. How do I uninstall antivirus or antispyware programs? If you use more than one antivirus or antispyware program at the same time, your PC may experience decreased performance, become unstable, or restart unexpectedly. Caution: When you remove your currently installed Internet security programs, your PC is in an unprotected state. If you haven't installed another antimalware program make sure that Microsoft Defender Antivirus is enabled, and that Windows Firewall is turned on. To uninstall unwanted antimalware software: Go to Start > Settings > Apps. Find the unwanted app or apps and select it. Select Uninstall. Your machine will likely need to reboot after each app is uninstalled. Note: Some security software may not uninstall completely. If you're unable to fully uninstall an app, go to the publisher's website or contact their technical support line for help. How to Get Free Virus, Spyware and Malware Protection. Who says you have to pay to get some good computer protection? There are several free programs that can safeguard your computer from viruses, spyware and other types of malware. In this guide, we’ll walk you through some of the best free antivirus programs that are recommended by the experts. Table of Contents. Common Terms for Malicious Software Free Protection and Antivirus Software Free Spyware and Scareware Removal Tools Mobile Security for Your Phone More Resources to Stay Online. Common Terms for Malicious Software. Before we get into the list of free programs, here are some terms for common programs designed to damage your computer. Adware : These files typically don’t harm your computer, but they can cause endless pop-up ads and consume valuable memory. Malware: Malware is short for malicious software. It includes basically anything that can cause damage by infecting your computer. It can take the form of content, executable code, scripts and more. Ransomware : This is malicious software that rapidly encrypts your files and deletes the originals before you can take action. You may then be asked to pay money to have your computer restored to working condition again. Spyware and Trojan horses: Both of these programs clandestinely steal information from the user, like internet usage data, personal info and even financial data. Virus: This is a program that spreads rapidly through a computer or computer network by replicating itself. Not all viruses are destructive and some aren’t designed to infect immediately. Now, here are some FREE TOOLS available to help you avoid and remove malicious programs: Free Protection and Antivirus Software. The following software runs continuously in the background, helping to protect your computer from infection: Windows Defender Antivirus comes pre-installed on all Windows 10 devices. It provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. Here’s how to activate Windows Defender. This is free antivirus software that comes with anti-spyware, anti-rootkit and strong self-protection. Link to free PC download | Link to free Mac download. AVG is antivirus software from AVG Technologies that automatically protects computers from viruses by providing timely database updates. Link to free PC download |Link to free Mac download. Free Spyware and Scareware Removal Tools. If you’re already infected, you can still fix it! The following software scans your system for malware, destroying any infections it may find. Install and run these routinely. A highly regarded and effective program that identifies and removes malware and scareware from your computer. Link to free PC & Mac download. A free malware remover that also works on rootkits, spyware, adware, worms and parasites. Link to free PC download. Adaware scans your RAM, registry, hard drives and external storage devices for known data mining, advertising and tracking components. Adaware can rid your system of these tracking components, allowing you to maintain a higher degree of privacy while you surf the web. Link to free PC download. Mobile Security for Your Phone. Hackers and other cyber crooks are also trying to get into your phone. Here’s how to stay protected: First, always make sure you install the latest software updates from your operating system. These often include security and protection updates to help protect your device. If you’re looking for mobile security software to better protect your devices, try a freemium app called Lookout that offers protections for mobile devices. Link to free PC download | Link to free iOS download. More Resources to Stay Safe Online. Create a secure partition on your computer for safer web browsing with this free program. This is a great tool for more advanced users. Bitdefender Virus Scanner 4+ Bitdefender Virus Scanner finds Mac malware as well as Windows viruses with ease. Virus Scanner will detect any infected files that you downloaded or got in your inbox, so your Mac will be safe and you won’t pass anything bad to your friends’ computer. Grant Bitdefender Virus Scanner access to the locations on your computer that you want to scan against malware. Choose ‘Deep System Scan’ or ‘Scan Critical Locations’ to scan. The award-winning Bitdefender engines will find that piece of malware. For free! Make sure your Mac is free of infected files. Don't put your friends and family at risk by unknowingly passing along malware. Features: - Detects both OS X malware and Windows viruses; - Before a scan, it updates to detect the latest malware; - Searches for malware even in archives and inside various types of files such as pdf, pkg, zip, rar, etc.; - Critical locations scan - rapidly scans system areas that are prone to infections. - Award-winning Bitdefender antivirus engines; Also: - Quarantines dangerous files; - Deep system scan for all the locations the user has granted access to; - Drag-and-drop scan of files or folders; - Option to exclude files and folders from scan (i.e. Time Machine backups, etc.) - Easy-to-use interface. Constraints: - Due to sandboxing in the App Store, the app has access only to the locations that the user has explicitly granted access to. Grant access to the entire disk for increased protection; - Disinfection limited by the privileges of the user running the app; - Doesn’t scan programs stored in memory.