Good virus protection program

If you want the best protection for all of your devices, you need to pay for a premium antivirus program like Norton or Bitdefender. While there are literally billions of malware attacks reported annually, trojans and adware are consistently the most common types of malware found on Windows computers.

Trojans look like other files with extensions like. If you decide to uninstall your third-party antivirus, your PC will automatically ask you to reactivate the Windows Defender antivirus. Professional Reviews. Affiliate Commissions. Reviews Guidelines. Katarina Glamoslija Updated on: January 13, This article contains. Short on time? Download Avira Free Security for Windows here. Quick summary of the best free Windows antiviruses for 1. Kaspersky — Free extras like a VPN, dark web monitoring, and a password manager.

Malwarebytes — Minimalistic antivirus with on-demand scanning. Sophos — Good real-time scanning with remote access for 3 PCs. Comparison of the Best Free Antiviruses for Windows in Here are a few of them: Avast.

While Avast — and their subsidiary antivirus company AVG — continue to offer two pieces of widely used free antivirus software Avast Free Antivirus and AVG AntiVirus Free their repeated privacy violations have caused too many concerns. You can read more here.

View Deal. Bitdefender Antivirus. Maximum devices covered: Stand out features: Safepay banking protection, privacy tools, multi-layered anti-ransomware, VPN. Reasons to avoid - Room for improvement on detection. Norton AntiVirus. Stand out features: Intelligent firewall, PC maintenance features, bundled backup tool with online storage. Reasons to avoid - Mixed results from the testing labs. Kaspersky Anti-Virus.

Stand out features: Highly configurable virus scans, anti-ransomware, drive-by cryptomining infection prevention. Reasons to avoid - Not a huge amount of features. Trend Micro Antivirus. Reasons to avoid - Not as many features as key rivals. Avast One. Reasons to avoid - Not a huge upgrade from free version. Microsoft Defender. Specifications Operating system: Windows only. Stand out features: Anti-ransomware, webcam and privacy protection, web filtering.

Reasons to avoid Avira antivirus. Stand out features: Proactive anti-ransomware, software updater, web protection. Reasons to avoid - Ratings from some independent test labs are a concern. McAfee antivirus. Stand out features: VPN, spam filter, intelligent firewall. Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus. Specifications Operating system: Windows, Mac and Android options. Maximum devices covered: 5. Stand out features: Identity theft protection, real-time anti-phishing, firewall monitor.

Reasons to avoid - Below average results in independent tests. Sophos Home. Specifications Operating system: Windows and Mac. Stand out features: Central management console, AI-powered threat detection, advanced ransomware protection.

Reasons to avoid - Lack of options - Clunky interface in some respects. Avira Free Antivirus. Reasons to avoid - Quite a few popups when running. Avast One Essential free. Specifications Operating system: Windows, Mac, Android. Features: Virus detection, Gaming mode, Password manager, Malware scanner.

Reasons to avoid - Irritating privacy settings - Includes links to paid-for components. Reasons to avoid - Still room for better detection - Some features are very basic. Kaspersky Free. Specifications Operating system: Windows.

Features: Real-time scanning, Anti-phishing, Email scanning, Spyware protection. Reasons to avoid - Basics-only feature set - Limited technical support. Specifications Operating system: Windows, Mac. Reasons to avoid - Can't use long term - No scan scheduling.

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And it watches for shady websites and suspicious links to keep you out of trouble. It can also offer ransomware protection and monitor unexpected behavior that may be a sign of new and not-yet-identified viruses and malware.

You want antivirus software that can successfully identify these unknown online threats without flagging too many false positives. Light on system resources. You don't want antivirus software that taxes your PC's resources. If after you install the program, websites open slowly, apps download or open sluggishly or file copies take longer than expected, you may want to try another service.

The good news is, all our picks offer a free trial to let you try out the antivirus program, so if your system feels sluggish after installation, you may want to keep looking.

Cost and discounts. Don't just pay the sticker price for antivirus protection. Before you buy, check for discounts on a company's website. Another way to save: The prices we list above are for 10 devices -- if the company offered that package -- but you can trim your cost with antivirus packages if you need to cover three or five devices.

You may also find discounts on an app's Amazon page. To be effective, antivirus software needs to monitor what's going on with your PC, check in with company servers about unusual behavior and should provide sound banking protection. The companies say they anonymize this technical data as much as possible to protect your privacy. But if you want to know more, the security companies on our list post privacy policies on their websites, so read their privacy statements to learn what the companies do with the information you share.

Protection for other platforms. Microsoft is by far the biggest target for viruses and malware. While the Mac does come under attack via side-loaded apps, it's rare, and if you download apps only from the Mac and iOS app stores and keep your guard up when clicking links and download files, you should be OK without an antivirus app on Apple devices.

CNET editors pick the products and services we write about. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Best free Windows antivirus Microsoft Defender. Jump to details. See at Microsoft. See at NortonLifeLock. See at Bitdefender. Best on-demand Windows malware removal Malwarebytes. See at Malwarebytes. Solid subscription antivirus alternative McAfee Total Protection. See at McAfee. Another good subscription option Trend Micro Maximum Security. See at Trend Micro. And while Kaspersky has been subject to various rumors about their connections, one thing is absolutely clear — this antivirus is still an excellent solution to protect you against all kinds of online threats.

Other package items include a privacy protection guard tool, which notifies you if someone is trying to gather your data. The highest-priced plan includes a password manager. To top it off, if you have children, you can track their device location to ensure their safety. The installation process is short and simple - so is the user interface.

Kaspersky has a knowledge base for the most common issues. If you want to dip your toe in to see whether you like this provider, you can try out their basic free version. If you wish to learn more, read our Kaspersky Anti-Virus review. When you're picking something you know you're going to pay for, you want to make sure you hit the jackpot. You need an antivirus for Windows 11 to protect you from various threats and prying eyes. So, a better question would be Do you tend to visit shady-looking websites or know how to recognize them?

Also, you never know when your computer might get infected. Even your friend might unknowingly send you an attachment with a virus. An antivirus can encrypt your payment data so no third parties could access it. Some antivirus services include parental control features or even location monitoring tools. Certain providers have free versions of their antivirus, or a day money-back guarantee.

Antivirus installation is most often a simple and fast process. Here are a few main steps applicable to most antivirus software:. Yes - you are free to choose any option you think fits your needs.

If basic protection from the most common viruses and malicious websites is enough for you, you can stick with a free antivirus. Yet, a premium antivirus software can provide you with comprehensive real-time protection. Depending on which paid antivirus you choose, you also receive additional features. However, at the end of the day, a free antivirus is not the worst choice. The antivirus provider market is very wide and competitive.

I hope that this article gave you a better view on what the top Windows 11 antiviruses offer and what choice is best for you. If you still have some doubts or want to ask any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.

The best antivirus for Windows 11 is Norton. Our assessment is that Norton has amazing overall protection and includes a variety of essential features. In short, yes , but it also depends on what kind of antivirus you have and whether it does the job well for you. Yes , both Windows 10 and 11 have a built-in anti-malware tool called Windows Defender. Windows Defender is also known for blocking trusted applications. Best antivirus for Windows 10 : secure not only your PC, but your entire home network Free antivirus protection : basic security features to protect against malware and other viruses Best VPNs for Windows 11 : top-notch security for you Windows 11 operating system.