Best free antivirus / firewall software

[Deleted User]

Hi,

debitcardmayhem said:

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

it should kick in when you remove McAfee, if not then,

Turn Microsoft Defender Antivirus real-time protection on or off

1. Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security and then Virus & threat protection > Manage settings. ...
2. Switch the Real-time protection setting to Off and choose Yes to verify.

Surely you mean ON

, aye, surely did, but it's only a toggle on/off so easy to operate.

spenderdave

I had a few annoyances with Windows Defender on Windows 11. After a long time with Avast which has tended to get bloated over the years I am now using Bit Defender Free which does everything I need (which is not much as being hexsafe never get infected anyway)

Enterprise_1701C

I went to try and turn on Windows Defender on my laptop today, McAffee expiring in 9 days and want rid anyway, and I was less than surprised that you now have to pay for a subscription to 365 to use Defender!  It has been my go-to since it turned into a reasonable AV.  Shall have to download AVG now!

flaneurs_lobster

Enterprise_1701C said:

I went to try and turn on Windows Defender on my laptop today, McAffee expiring in 9 days and want rid anyway, and I was less than surprised that you now have to pay for a subscription to 365 to use Defender!  It has been my go-to since it turned into a reasonable AV.  Shall have to download AVG now!

Assuming you have a Windows laptop then Defender is free. There are subs payable if you want to run it on non-Windows platforms. 

Screenshot of the monetary demand?

Bonhomie

Enterprise_1701C said:

I went to try and turn on Windows Defender on my laptop today, McAffee expiring in 9 days and want rid anyway, and I was less than surprised that you now have to pay for a subscription to 365 to use Defender!  It has been my go-to since it turned into a reasonable AV.  Shall have to download AVG now!

The product that comes with Windows 10/11 is named Windows Security(includes Windows Defender AntiVirus)...which of course is free. If you have downloaded Windows Defender for Office 365, you should know it isn't the same product.

J_B

Bonhomie said:

The product that comes with Windows 10/11 is named Windows Security(includes Windows Defender AntiVirus)...which of course is free. If you have downloaded Windows Defender for Office 365, you should know it isn't the same product.

So, as well as having Outlook, Outlook and Outlook ... we now have Defender and Defender?

Brilliant!

flaneurs_lobster

J_B said:

Bonhomie said:

The product that comes with Windows 10/11 is named Windows Security(includes Windows Defender AntiVirus)...which of course is free. If you have downloaded Windows Defender for Office 365, you should know it isn't the same product.

So, as well as having Outlook, Outlook and Outlook ... we now have Defender and Defender?

Brilliant!

...and 365 and 365, only one of which contains Outlook (or possibly Outlook 365).