That said, every free antivirus is going to include a few frustrating limitations. I was ultimately able to find several free downloads that each offer free virus protection alongside a decent set of free internet security tools. This wasn’t an easy task, and I learned that there are only a few free antiviruses out there that offer decent protection for Windows computers.īut there are also some really good free antivirus programs that offer improvements over Windows’s built-in protections. Running virtual environments for various PC operating systems from Windows 7 – Windows 11, I not only looked at each antivirus’s malware protection capabilities, but also its user interface and its reputation for safeguarding user privacy.

I tested every free antivirus I could find against thousands of old and new Windows malware files.

Download Norton for Windows here (60-days risk-free).

It’s not 100% free, but it has a 60-day money-back guarantee, which gives you 2 full months to see if it’s right for you.

🥇 Norton: Advanced virus and malware protection with extras like webcam protection, a VPN, a password manager, parental controls, dark web monitoring, and more.

Short on time? Here’s the best free Windows antivirus for 2022:

Free budget software for pc