11 Free Malware Removal Programs and How to Use them
Malware Removal Programs
Today we are going to propose a list of eleven programs to remove Malware for free. These are first-rate applications with which to search for all kinds of threats on your computer. In addition to the suggestions, we will also teach you how to use two of them to locate any malicious program on your computer.
You must bear in mind that it is not advisable to have two or different antivirus running simultaneously on your computer since they could interfere with each other, exposing you to a threat that goes unnoticed. In any case, most of the list applications are perfectly capable of defending your computer by itself.
Table of Contents
List of Free Programs
We start by showing you a list of eleven free applications with which you can protect your computer from viruses and Malware. We have brought together the list based on the awards for the best security software of 2017 given by the AV-Comparatives institute, one of the most reputable and whose medals are visibly displayed by all security applications.
Bitdefender
Awarded as Product of the Year for 2017 byAV-Comparatives and their paid solutions, we also have the free version of Bitdefender. It offers us lightness to work on less powerful computers, silent scans, and the absence of slowdowns or integrated advertising.
Avira
Although the full version’s price is 10 euros per month, one of the market’s best security programs also has its free Avira Free Antivirus application. You will have two free options, download your antivirus or download a suite with advanced functions such as password manager or VPN.
Avast
Avast has become one of the security giants after buying AVG to make sure it is present in 40% of computers worldwide. Its main feature is clear notifications with all the necessary information.
AVG
Although recently purchased by Avast, AVG continues to stand as a very well-positioned standalone antivirus. You have AVG Free for those looking for a versatile and cost-free solution.
E-Scan
Also highly valued for its security, having false positives and its protection against Malware and its paid offers Free eScan Anti-Virus Toolkit. It allows you to scan and clean your computer from viruses, spyware, adware, and many other types of Malware.
Tencent
The Chinese telecommunications giant also has its free security suite called Tencent PC Manager, which also ranks high on the best antivirus list on the market. Protects against all types of Malware and monitors online payments, links, and searches.
VIPRE
Clean and with an elegant interface, VIPRE is also among the best security solutions. It does not offer a free antivirus, but it does provide a free malware removal tool called VIPRE Rescue.
Panda
The mythical security company remains among the greats thanks to its simple and perfect solution to the real world’s dangers. It offers a comfortable, lightweight Panda Free with an excellent threat detection rate. It includes a USB scanner and a game mode to reduce its consumption when you use video games or play multimedia content.
ESET
It may not have such balanced results, but it has stood awarded for its excellence, not confusing with false positives. It only has paid solutions, but it also has a free online scanner to scan your computer for Malware without having to download anything
BullGuard
Another popular defense program that has been awarded precisely for its ability to defend against Malware. Unfortunately, BullGuard does not have a free version, but we can use the 15 to 30 free trial days that they offer us for specific moments.
Windows Defender
And we end with the native Windows 10 security solution, which Microsoft is making evolve with each update. Using it, you do not need to install any other third-party antivirus. Possibly it is still a bit unknown, but in Genbeta, they tested it thoroughly and got perfect impressions.
How to Remove Malware with them
As it would take time to explain how each one of them works, we will explain how to analyze your computer for Malware with two of them. On the one hand, we will use Bitdefender for being one of the most prominent of the programs awarded by AV-Comparatives. We will also teach you how to do it with Windows Defender because it is a pre-installed application on Windows computers.
Find and Remove Malware with Bitdefender
The first thing to keep in mind, both with Bitdefender and with most free antivirus programs, is that you will have to register for an account with the service. You will do this by clicking on the registration button, whose position will depend on the application, but which will be visible because sometimes you will not be able to use the program until you register.
Bitdefender is a straightforward application to use. When you open it, you will see a green message telling you that your system is protected. On this main screen, click on the System Scan button to scan all the files on your computer. You can also drag folders into the application to analyze them.
At that moment, the application will start scanning your computer. You will see below a message System scan in progress, and next to it a percentage that will indicate the progress of the scan. When it reaches 100%, it remains done. Most free antivirus programs are usually this easy to use, and you will always have to look for a scan button that will usually be perfectly visible.
Once the scan stands ended, a screen will appear with the results. Here, the number of detected malware files will appear in red. If you have noticed any, click on the View files button to see what files they are and decide what to do with them.
Here you will remain shown the threats that have stood detected, and you can ask Bitdefender to do whatever you think is most appropriate with them. To do this, open the drop-down window in the Action column (1) that you have to the right of each threat, and choose whether you want to disinfect, delete the risk, quarantine it or ignore it. Do it with all hazards, and then press Apply Actions (2) to apply the orders you have given.
Many free antiviruses work similarly. The options you have seen in the step-by-step focused on Bitdefender will not vary much in the other alternatives when executing them and performing an analysis.
Find and Remove Malware with Windows Defender
Windows 10’s native security program remains prepared, so you don’t have to complicate your life. When you open its main screen, click on the Virus and threat protection option with a shield icon. The alternative is both on the main screen and in the left column of options.
Once on this screen, you have to click on the Browse now button to start a system scan. It is a quick scan that will not find all threats, but it will detect the most important ones.
If you want to do a more exhaustive analysis, it remains recommended that you click on the option Run a new advanced exam. It will proceed you to a screen where you can choose different types of the most practical exams.
On this display, you will be able to choose three types of analysis. The first is a complete and thorough one that will thoroughly analyze the computer. And take more than a full time. You can also create a custom one of the folders you want. And a quick one without a Windows connection that will take just 15 minutes.
When you’re complete, Windows Defender will tell you if there are any threats. And if so, altogether, you have to do is press the Start Actions button. And let him take care of the rest. Its main difference with most of the other alternatives is that it will not let you choose the actions. But will take the measures that the application considers appropriate when you ask it to do something with the Malware.
