Free anti-spyware program that protects your computer from malicious online attacks
Free anti-spyware program that protects your computer from malicious online attacks
Popular programs in Anti-spyware
What is Windows Defender
Windows Defender is a software program that, upon downloading and installing, protects your computer from spyware, malware and other harmful invasions. Windows Defender also provides you with important notifications and various scanning options. Read more to learn more information on the Windows Defender download.
How Does Windows Defender Work?
With the Internet such a large part of our daily lives, our security and privacy are constantly at risk. You want an anti-spyware program dedicated to protecting your computer and all your valuable information from invasions, identity theft and plain old hacking. When it comes to protecting and knowing your computer, who does it better than Microsoft?
Microsoft offers you Windows Defender, a product that gives you the exact amount of protection you need and all in a free download. However, it is worth mentioning that as good as this product is when it comes to protecting you from malware and/or spyware, it is not an anti-virus program. Windows Defender does work very well with an anti-virus software program.
During the free download, you will be offered additional free software, which you can easily decline. If you happen to miss the decline option, you can always go back later and uninstall the new additions. The Windows Defender download supports Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8.
Additional Features of Windows Defender
In addition to providing your computer with an effective anti-malware platform, it also offers various other features, including scheduled scans, partial, full or custom scans, as well as automatic updates. Your anti-virus or anti-malware/spyware protection is only as good as its updates. Windows Defender works with Microsoft to bring you automatic updates so that you do not have to worry about getting the updates on your own.
Windows Defender also includes Software Explorer, which provides you with detailed information on every program that’s running on your system. Another special feature of Windows Defender is the Action Center, which checks both security and maintenance-related issues on your computer. You can choose what types of notifications you want to receive from the Action Center and which you do not need to see.
If your computer appears to have a problem or security issue, the Action Center will show an alert on your taskbar and will recommend solutions. Its easy-to-use graphical interface integrates perfectly with Internet Explorer. It does not just provide protection during a scan. If you happen to be downloading suspicious files, Windows Defender will inform you of its harmful potential.
Pros
- Internet Explorer integration
- User-friendly interface
- Free
- Protects all users of the computer
- Highly effective against most common threats
- Provides safe online browsing
- Supports various operating systems
- Activated automatically by Windows
- Will not slow down your computer when it's scanning
- Lightweight and doesn't use a lot of the computer's resources
Cons
- Protection not as thorough as other name brand products
- Requires verification of genuine Microsoft product
- Depends on regular updates
- Does not offer anti-virus protection, requiring an additional product