Q: 👍 Is Windows Defender enough to stay protected?

It depends what you mean by “enough”. Windows Defender offers some decent cybersecurity protection, but it’s nowhere near as good as most premium antivirus software . If you’re just looking for basic cybersecurity protection, then yes, Windows Defender is fine. But if you have a lot of sensitive information on your device which might attract hackers — banking info, login details, private files — then no, it’s not “enough”.

Q: 🛡️ Can Windows Defender protect against phishing scams?

Mostly, yes. The Windows Defender Browser Protection extension is designed to protect you from a wide range of online cybersecurity threats, including phishing emails and malicious sites which attempt to steal your personal information. But the phishing protection offered is basic, and Windows doesn’t update Defender enough to stay on top of this threat . It’s much safer to go with a low-cost premium antivirus like Norton to stay protected from phishing attacks.

Q: 🛡️ Is a free antivirus going to keep me protected from malware?

Yes and no. All the free antivirus software listed here will give you a good basic level of security. But if you’re looking for anything other than simple malware scanning and real-time threat protection, you’re going to need something more advanced, like a low-cost premium antivirus .

Q: 🚫 Are there any free antiviruses without ads?

There are, but companies need to make money somehow. If they aren’t showing you ads, they’re probably limiting features with the hope that you’ll purchase a premium upgrade. And that’s the best case scenario! Many times, antivirus companies sell their free users’ data to large businesses, and that could potentially compromise your security. My favorite ad-free antivirus is Bitdefender . It’s simple, effective, and there aren’t any ads. Avira also doesn’t have ads, but the company is a bit more obvious about trying to get you to upgrade to the paid version. Still, both of these apps are two of the best free antiviruses on the market.

Question 1

🤔 Do online virus scanners really work?

Accepted Answer

Honestly, the answer is yes and no. While there are a couple of decent antivirus scanners hosted online, they don’t have the same functionality as a downloadable antivirus program. They can’t scan your whole system for antiviruses and remove them from your computer like an antivirus software. It’s just not possible for a website to enter your computer in that way.

But there are some online resources — like VirusTotal — which can scan individual files that you upload to them, and they can also assess the safety of different websites you may browse to.

Question 2

😈 Are there websites that can remove viruses from my computer?

Accepted Answer

No. Antivirus software needs to be downloaded and given permission to erase files from your computer. Any website that is claiming to remove viruses from your computer is being dishonest. That’s why I recommended Norton’s Power Eraser — it’s a free, simple download that can detect and destroy malware and adware on your computer.

Question 3

🛡️ How do I know I can trust a virus scanner?

Accepted Answer

There are a lot of fake cybersecurity companies looking to profit off of your data. I included large, reputable companies like Bitdefender and Norton on this list because they have a long history of respecting data privacy for their millions of worldwide users. VirusTotal discloses their business model on their homepage — they are able to provide free antivirus scanning because they are paid by cybersecurity companies to gather information on global malware trends.

In short, all the products listed here can be trusted 100%.

Question 4

🕵️ What’s the difference between an antivirus scanner and a vulnerability scanner?

Accepted Answer

Antivirus scanners look for known pieces of code in executable files — the “DNA” of a virus. A vulnerability scanner is designed to examine your software — whether it’s your browser, OS, or other program — to ensure that your systems are up-to-date with the latest security protections. The SafetyDetectives Known Vulnerabilities Scanner can let you know if your software is vulnerable and recommend updates and fixes. But it won’t be able to scan your computer for malware. For that, you’ll need a downloadable antivirus.

Question 5

👍 Is Windows Defender enough to stay protected?

Accepted Answer

It depends what you mean by “enough”. Windows Defender offers some decent cybersecurity protection, but it’s nowhere near as good as most premium antivirus software. If you’re just looking for basic cybersecurity protection, then yes, Windows Defender is fine. But if you have a lot of sensitive information on your device which might attract hackers — banking info, login details, private files — then no, it’s not “enough”.

Question 6

😈 Can Windows Defender remove malware?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If Windows Defender detects malware, it will remove it from your PC. However, because Windows doesn’t update Defender’s virus definitions regularly, the newest malware won’t be detected, and as such, relying on Windows Defender as your sole antivirus puts your entire PC at risk of infection.

There are better free Windows antiviruses out there which get updated regularly. But no free antivirus can offer the kind of guaranteed malware protection that the best anti-malware programs can.

Question 7

🛡️ Can Windows Defender protect against phishing scams?

Accepted Answer

Mostly, yes. The Windows Defender Browser Protection extension is designed to protect you from a wide range of online cybersecurity threats, including phishing emails and malicious sites which attempt to steal your personal information.

But the phishing protection offered is basic, and Windows doesn’t update Defender enough to stay on top of this threat. It’s much safer to go with a low-cost premium antivirus like Norton to stay protected from phishing attacks.

Question 8

🆓 Is Windows Defender free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Windows Defender is free for all PCs that have Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 installed. But there are better free Windows antiviruses out there.

Question 9

🤔 Should I replace Windows Defender with another antivirus?

Accepted Answer

While Windows Defender has made a lot of progress over the past couple of years, Windows hasn’t been consistent about updating its software in line with the latest malware trends.

Using Windows Defender as a standalone antivirus, while much better than not using any antivirus at all, still leaves you vulnerable to ransomware, spyware, and advanced forms of malware that can leave you devastated in the event of an attack.

Here at SafetyDetectives, we recommend one of the following options:

Option 1: Combine Windows Defender with Malwarebytes. This will give you both a powerful antivirus (Windows Defender) and a powerful anti-malware program (Malwarebytes) working together to offer you pretty decent protection. If you’re looking for advanced security that will beat any other antivirus out there, combining Windows Defender with the premium version of Malwarebytes is one of the best and smartest cyber defenses.
Option 2: Choose a better free antivirus to replace Windows Defender. All of the above options are specifically designed to offer top-of-the-line virus and malware protection, whereas Windows Defender was only designed to give you the most basic protection. Again, Windows Defender is OK, but there are much better options out there. Check out SafetyDetectives’s latest recommendations of the best free antiviruses for Windows.
Option 3: Guarantee your PC’s protection with a premium antivirus. No free antivirus will offer you 100% protection, and Windows Defender has repeatedly shown to be vulnerable to malware, ransomware, and spyware. It doesn’t cost a lot of money to keep you and your PC safe, so investing a few bucks a month in a premium antivirus is hands-down the best way of protecting yourself and guaranteeing your cybersecurity.

Question 10

🛡️ Is a free antivirus going to keep me protected from malware?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no. All the free antivirus software listed here will give you a good basic level of security. But if you’re looking for anything other than simple malware scanning and real-time threat protection, you’re going to need something more advanced, like a low-cost premium antivirus.

Question 11

🚫 Are there any free antiviruses without ads?

Accepted Answer

There are, but companies need to make money somehow. If they aren’t showing you ads, they’re probably limiting features with the hope that you’ll purchase a premium upgrade. And that’s the best case scenario! Many times, antivirus companies sell their free users’ data to large businesses, and that could potentially compromise your security.

My favorite ad-free antivirus is Bitdefender. It’s simple, effective, and there aren’t any ads. Avira also doesn’t have ads, but the company is a bit more obvious about trying to get you to upgrade to the paid version. Still, both of these apps are two of the best free antiviruses on the market.

Question 12

🤔 Which is the best free antivirus for me?

Accepted Answer

It’s true that there’s a lot of free antivirus software out there. But the majority are ineffective, and some may actually be malware disguised as legitimate antivirus software!

The first thing you need to do is choose an antivirus that has been optimized for your operating system. Next, you need to see if the free antivirus will offer you all of the features you need to stay protected. Some offer a VPN, while others offer phishing protection, while others offer ransomware protection, while others offer optimization tools… There are so many choices out there, but again, it’s crucial that you only download legitimate and trusted software.

Question 13

🤔 Can Macs get viruses?

Accepted Answer

There’s a good reason why the myth that “Macs don’t get infected” continues. By design, the Mac operating system is less vulnerable to viruses than Windows.

Mac is based on the Unix operating system, which is sandboxed. This means that even if malware somehow ends up on your Mac, it won’t be able to spread. Also, the chances of malware infecting your device in the first place are slim. Apple’s built-in Gatekeeper function stops you from downloading apps that haven’t been approved by Apple.

But that doesn’t mean you’re immune from problems just because you’re on a Mac. There are all kinds of other serious threats that you need to be protected from, like malware, ransomware, spyware, adware, and phishing attacks. As more and more people use Mac computers, more and more hackers develop new ways of attacking those Mac computers — leaving you vulnerable to cybercrime.

Find yourself a Mac antivirus that fits your specific needs.

Question 14

💪 Are free antiviruses for Mac good enough?

Accepted Answer

It depends what you mean by “enough”. If you want basic protection against the most common threats, then yes. All of the 5 products listed here will protect you from viruses and malware. But they won’t necessarily protect you from other threats like ransomware, spyware, and adware.

If you’re looking for serious protection, you will need to upgrade to a paid product. And this is exactly the trick antivirus companies are using. They offer a very basic free antivirus that’s only giving you simple protection. When you realize you need something more powerful, you already have their product installed on your computer, so you think “I’ll just upgrade to the full version”. By that time, you no longer want to do research and compare brands to find the best product. Instead, you just upgrade whatever free antivirus you already have installed.

I think you shouldn’t make this mistake. If you care about your files, your emails, and your privacy, you should check out the complete list of the best antiviruses for Mac and select the best product for you, even if they don’t offer a free version to upgrade from.

Question 15

🤷 Can I just use a free online virus scanner and not download anything?

Accepted Answer

You can, but you shouldn’t. Most of these online programs which offer free virus scans scare you into thinking your computer has malware — even though it doesn’t — and then force you to download their product to “remove” it.

It’s better to download a reputable antivirus program from the beginning so you don’t accidentally infect your computer with spyware or ransomware from an online virus scanner.

Question 16

🧐 Why do these companies offer free antiviruses?

Accepted Answer

It depends. Many companies like to give you a taste of their premium product so that you’ll realize how valuable their product is and ultimately subscribe to their paid plan. Some companies will even offer free trials of their premium plan so that you can get a sense of what “full protection” looks and feels like, and then they’ll make you pay the upgrade cost to keep your system secure.

There are also companies who realize that cybersecurity is important, and they want to give each person the ability to stay protected in order to guarantee their online safety. All of the companies on our list are committed to protecting each one of its users, regardless of whether or not they’re a paying customer.

Question 17

🛡️ Which Mac operating systems (OS) do these antiviruses protect?

Accepted Answer

In general, most antivirus products will be available for OS X 10.10 and later. There are certain instances where newer Macs and operating systems benefit from better service. For instance, my top free antivirus for Mac, Avira, is only available for OS X 10.13 and later.

As a rule, it’s always a security issue to not have the latest OS running on your computer. One reason Mac offers updates is because there are vulnerabilities that hackers can break into on older, outdated operating systems. Make sure your computer has an updated OS, and make sure your antivirus is compatible with your system.

Always check with the antivirus company before downloading to guarantee that the software will work as intended.

Question 18

🕹️ Will an antivirus affect my gaming?

Accepted Answer

Most of them will, yes. Pop-up notifications will jump on screen at bad moments, and virus scans are notorious for their high CPU load. If your antivirus starts scanning files while you’re gaming, it can cause noticeable lag and other performance glitches.

But the best antiviruses — like BullGuard and Norton — won’t affect gameplay at all.

Question 19

🙅‍♂️ Can I just turn off my antivirus while my games are open?

Accepted Answer

You can, but hackers are expecting you to do this. Malware that can detect when you’re in full screen mode and hacked mods that deploy when you run a game are just a couple of the many dangers of gaming without an antivirus.

The reality is, gamers are a huge target for cyber attacks because of their reputation for connecting to the internet without protection. When you have so many gaming-optimized antivirus options, there’s no reason why you should ever turn off your antivirus, even during intense gameplay.

Question 20

💻 Are all gaming modes in antivirus software the same?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and no. Many of the top tier antivirus programs now include a “game mode” which will suspend notifications and scans while you’re in full screen mode. But then there are some — like BullGuard — which will boost your PC’s performance and your processing power will actually improve.

Furthermore, customization options, ease of use, and the overall drag on performance are all unique to each program.

Question 21

🆓 Is there a free antivirus that offers a Game Mode?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, all the best antiviruses make you pay for their game modes. But if you’re a gamer on a budget and really need a good free antivirus, I would recommend Avira. It offers fast, high-performance anti-malware protection, even though you’d still need to sacrifice a fair amount of convenience to keep yourself protected.

Articles by Sophie Anderson