How to Install Free Effective Antivirus Software (for Beginners)
Anyone who runs a Windows computer knows how important it is to have good antivirus software, but you don’t have to pay for good protection! If someone you know still doesn’t have antivirus software running, here’s a quick guide you can send to help them set it up.
This guide was originally published in 2011, but our guidelines have changed since then. Microsoft Security Essentials, our previous favorite, no longer gets adequate marks in most antivirus tests . If you’re a power user, Avast is our favorite antivirus program , but it does take some tweaking . For beginners, I can’t recommend enough the free version of Bitdefender .
Note. This guide is intended for Windows users. If you are using a Mac, we recommend installing Sophos instead .
Here’s how to set up Bitdefender on your Windows PC:
- Go to the Bitdefender Free Edition homepage (not to be confused with their premium offering) and download the software. Double-click the installer to start the installation process.
- Follow the instructions in the wizard to install the software. If it asks you to uninstall your existing antivirus software, go ahead and do it – it’s generally not a good idea to run two antivirus programs at the same time. When prompted, accept the terms and conditions. All other default settings will do.
- During the installation process, Bitdefender will perform an initial scan to make sure your system is clean.
- After the scan and installation is complete, you will have the option to create a Bitdefender account. Most antivirus programs require you to register (free of charge) within 30 days to continue using the program, so you can do so now. Click on the Create New Account link, set it up and sign in when you’re done.
From now on, you should see a small Bitdefender “B” icon in the system tray – this means that Bitdefender is running in the background, monitoring your computer for any viruses that might come across you. Bitdefender doesn’t have a lot of options, which makes it incredibly simple: just leave the “Virus Shield” and “Auto Scan” options enabled and you’ll be well protected.
In many cases, Bitdefender will prevent you from visiting a website if it detects malware on the page. If you ever get an infected file on your system, Bitdefender will automatically quarantine it. You can view quarantined items by clicking the Bitdefender icon in the taskbar and clicking the Show Files button in the Quarantine section. From there, you can use the buttons on the right to delete the file or, if you know it is not a malicious file, restore it.
Remember that good antivirus software is essential, but it is even more important to browse the web safely. The best way to avoid viruses is to make sure you don’t download them. Don’t click anything that claims you have a virus unless it comes from Bitdefender itself. Don’t click on suspicious Facebook posts or follow suspicious links in your email. If you receive an email from ebay.com, hover your mouse over the link and look at the bottom of the screen to make sure it does lead to www.ebay.com if it is sent elsewhere it will likely harm your computer. …
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