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Which is the best FREE antivirus..? The one with best protection.. !

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This thread dates back to 2009. asked for the "best" free antivirus and and suggested particular products. The market and technology have changed a lot since then, so instead of naming a single winner, use a short, practical checklist and a clean-install workflow to pick the right free AV for today.

  • Check independent lab results first. Look at recent real-world protection, false positives, and performance scores from labs like AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives.
  • Prioritize what matters: top malware detection, low system impact, or stronger privacy controls. Different products trade off these things.
  • Read the privacy policy and installer options. Free products sometimes bundle extras or collect telemetry; opt out when possible.
  • Make sure the product provides real-time protection, frequent signature/engine updates, and phishing/web filtering if you browse a lot.
  • Avoid running two real-time AV engines at the same time — they can conflict and slow the system. If you want a second opinion, use an on-demand scanner only.
  • For modern Windows systems, the built-in antivirus is a solid baseline; many users are well-protected by it when combined with safe habits (keep OS and apps patched, use limited accounts, and maintain backups). See Microsoft Defender documentation for the built-in option.

Quick, reliable install/migrate workflow:

  • Uninstall any existing AV using its official removal tool or support instructions, then reboot.
  • Install the chosen AV, enable automatic updates and cloud protection, and run a full scan.
  • Monitor system performance for a few days; if the machine slows dramatically, consider another product.

For a final decision, pick the product that scores well in current lab reports and matches your privacy and performance priorities.

Recommended Answers

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Member Avatar for cohen

Avast, never had a problem and has always stopped viruses.

Cohen

Member Avatar for smith_

I recommended AVG Free, is the best

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