Best Antivirus for Windows 10: Full PC Security [2023]

Best Antiviruses for Windows 10

Windows OS is by far one of the most widely used PC operating systems in the world and this has made it necessary to have a high-level antivirus program that can provide robust protection against all kinds of viruses, spywares, malwares, Trojans, ransomware, and other kinds of cyber security problems. A good quality antivirus program should not only provide you with powerful malware detection and internet security but also present you with a host of valuable features that can keep you protected and safe from all possible threats. By choosing one of the top Windows 10 antiviruses for 2021, you can definitely stay safe from possible dangers and perform your computing activities without any worries.

When you are trying to look through the Windows 10 antiviruses for security and trying to decide which one is going to be the best for you, you should remember that there are numerous software programs that are not at all useful and so you cannot rely on them for providing you with the security you are looking for. Many of the antivirus programs that are out there cannot provide users with proper protection that they should have. While many of them did have good malware detection rates, they also came up with false positives when it came to the scan results. There were also those that surprisingly slowed down the computers or were rather cumbersome. A lot of the antivirus programs were even overpriced, considering the range of features and protection that they offered. There were also those that did not really have a user-friendly interface to begin with.

If you are looking to reason for a high-powered Windows antivirus, it is extremely important that you learn about their features in great depth before you can make a decision about buying them. Learning about the Windows 10 antiviruses which were the best of the best can actually help you to narrow down your search very easily. The top-rated best antiviruses for Windows 10 that are listed here can work with your office as well as home PCs. You can also use them with a multimedia or gaming Windows PC in case you want to work with them.

So have a look at the top Windows antivirus brands that you should know about.

1. Norton 360

When you are looking to find the best antivirus software for Windows 10, you should definitely consider using the Norton 360 as it widely reviewed as one of the finest antivirus programs in the world. The antivirus engine that comes with Norton 360 is driven by the best of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques. This means that when you choose to have Norton 360 installed into your computer, you can certainly expect to have robust protection against any kind of cyber security threat that you can think of.

It has been found that Norton 360 has got a whopping 100% detection rate. This means that when you choose Norton 360 for your Windows 10 security needs, you are going to have a flawless experience with it. Norton has got a malware-fighting program called SONAR system which can provide with fully assured virus protection from any kind of possible cyber threats. There are many features that are equipped with Norton 360 that can help you to keep your computer protected from a possible breach of security. These include a sturdy antivirus protection, an integrated firewall, a cloud backup, a secure VPN and parental controls. Such features help in making sure that you always get the best of online security with your Norton 360 antivirus.

The Norton 360 can provide you with 100% protection against any kind of advanced malware programs and viruses, including all types of ransomware and spywares. Numerous studies have been conducted to determine the efficiency of the Norton 360 in detecting the most difficult types of viruses and it has been found to be extremely result driven.

Along with this, you also get to benefit from an excellent cloud backup which makes it possible for you to store files into the dedicated cloud setup of Norton. With Norton 360, you get to have 75 GB of cloud storage that can help you to back up your important files and secure them from possible threats. The integrated firewall that you can have with Norton 360 can scan your network systems to make sure that there are no cyber security threats. The secure VPN can provide you with fast bandwidth speeds along with unlimited data. You can also have numerous different server locations as per your preference.

The Norton Antivirus is equipped with a uniquely powerful scanning engine that can easily detect and resolve all kinds of modern and advanced security threats. Over the years, the Norton Antivirus has achieved an astounding 100% protection rating, making it the most reliable antivirus program out there. If you are the owner of a Windows computing system and you want to make sure that it remains protected from any external threats at any point in time, then you should go for the Norton Antivirus. The antivirus program also has numerous added features to offer that can ensure a positive user experience for you.

The easy-to-use antivirus is adaptable to the changing and evolving trends of malwares, Norton is loved by both business enterprises as well as individual users. The superior features that are offered with its 360 packages include real-time protection from malwares, a powerful password manager, unlimited VPN access as well as 10 GB cloud storage with complete security. This is just with the cheapest Norton plan called the Norton 360 Standard. This means that you can get the best value for money with Norton Antivirus. You can also upgrade your plan to have access to better benefits such as enhanced storage space, top-notch parental controls, and additional licenses. Such advantages make Norton one of the best antivirus programs in the world right now.

2. Bitdefender Total Security

The Bitdefender Total Security is a light, fast, and easy-to-use Windows antivirus that you can consider getting for your Windows PC. It is driven by a cloud-based anti-malware engine which is never going to slow down your computer at any point of time. It has been found on several tests that Bitdefender Total Security does not have any effect on the RAM or CPU usage of a computer and can thus guarantee a smooth performance of your PC at any point of time. The smooth performance ensured by Bitdefender Total Security is what makes it so attractive to a wide range of users. The great thing about the Bitdefender Total Security antivirus program is that it can provide you with 3 layers of highly competent malware protection that can protect your computer from any kind of security threat.

Firstly, you get to have an advanced threat defense system which can prevent any kind of malware to get into your system. Bitdefender Total Security antivirus program uses a highly powerful machine learning system for recognizing malware components and ransomware programs by analyzing the PC continuously for any kind of suspicious behavior. This makes it easier for the antivirus to block threats immediately as soon as they occur. Bitdefender Total Security also ensures complete security and safety for your computer files so that you do not have to worry about your personal data being stolen. You can expect Bitdefender Total Security to block all kinds of unauthorized programs from getting access to the folders and files in your computer. You also get to benefit from ransomware remediation features that the Bitdefender Total Security can provide you with. This feature helps to back up all kinds of important data smartly so that all types of suspicious activities are detected as soon as they occur. It can also restore the data in your computer once the threat has been removed.

When you choose to use Bitdefender Total Security antivirus program, you also get to have access to a number of other additional features along with it. These may include excellent parental control solutions, a high-end anti-phishing protection system as well as super fast VPN up to 200 MB every day.

3. TotalAV

The TotalAV is considered to be a good antivirus for Windows 10 as it has a very powerful anti-malware engine along with top of the line antivirus scanning, excellent identity protection tools and real-time protection at all times. You also get to have some of the finest tools for the optimization of your PC performance. These tools along with the malware protection features really make TotalAV one of the best antivirus programs that you can buy for yourself. The tools that you can get with TotalAV can help you to manage a wide range of functions without much difficulty. Some of these tasks include managing your startup programs, a file cleaner to get rid of your duplicate and junk files, a junk file cleaner for your web browser and an application uninstaller that comes with some of the most easy to use features.

In numerous tests conducted with TotalAV on a Windows 10 computer, it has been found that the antivirus has been able to detect multiple programs that slow down the startup time taken by the device. The TotalAV antivirus was also able to remove these startup programs that were deemed unnecessary. This was able to speed up the startup time considerably, which shows the efficiency of the program. Along with this, in-depth performance tests were also conducted on the junk cleaner which was able to remove all useless files from the computer easily, thereby making it possible for the hard drive to benefit from additional space that can be used for other purposes.

The TotalAV antivirus comes in three distinct plans, all of which are equipped with powerful benefits of their own. The Antivirus Pro plan is equipped with its one of a kind anti-malware engine along with the optimization tools. It can provide with coverage for three devices. The Internet Security plan provides with all the features you can find in the Antivirus Pro plan along with a VPN program. It is suitable for 5 devices. The Total Security program comes with all of these basic features as well as a powerful ad blocker along with a dedicated password manager. It can provide protective coverage for 6 devices.

4. McAfee Total Protection

When you are looking to find the best antivirus for your PC, you would invariably come across a mention of the McAfee Total Protection program as it is perfectly suitable for both personal as well as commercial use. The McAfee Total Protection is equipped with a robust malware scanner which makes it an extremely reliable antivirus program. Numerous tests have revealed that more than 99.7% of all malware programs have been detected by the McAfee Total Protection program. Being a powerful antivirus program in its own right, it also has got many top notch internet security suite features. So if you are trying to find the best internet security for Windows 10, you can definitely choose McAfee Total Protection as it can certainly match your expectations perfectly.

There are many features of McAfee Total Protection that make it one of the most powerful antivirus programs in the market right now. For instance, you get to have high end web protection tools like Wi-Fi scanning, anti-phishing protection and a smart firewall, all of which have been tested to deliver power packed performance. The McAfee Total Protection can also provide you with battery optimization features which can come in handy in boosting the performance of a laptop. Using the McAfee Total Protection can easily help in reducing overall battery drain on the laptops so that users can get more performance out of them. There is a file shredder that comes with this antivirus which helps to delete files securely. The file encryption system in this antivirus can render the files unreadable if there is a breach of security and theft.

Another efficient tool that you can use when you work with the McAfee Total Protection is the vulnerability scanner. This can help in scanning and installing of the most important files associated with Windows 10 OS. You can also get other application updates scanned and installed with the help of the McAfee Total Protection. There is a secure VPN that comes with the McAfee Total Protection that can encrypt the internet traffic with proper bandwidth speeds as well as unlimited browsing data. If you are a user in USA, then you can also obtain the identity theft protection when you are using the McAfee Total Protection.

5. Avira Prime

The Avira Prime is a state-of-the-art Windows antivirus that is known to deliver excellent performance when you are looking to secure your computer completely from any kind of external attack. The antivirus engine that comes with Avira Prime is one of the best in the industry. The great thing about Avira Prime is that it has a powerful malware detecting ability which makes it a truly reliable antivirus program. The detection rates of Avira Prime are astonishingly high and tests have revealed that it leads to very low false positives. The program makes use of cloud-based technology for managing virus scans so that it can check for viruses and malwares accurately and quickly. Avira Prime has been found to obtain a score of 100% when it came to its detection rates against old as well as new types of malware programs.

Apart from the top notch virus and malware scanner that comes with Avira Prime, users also get to benefit from a wide range of other tools and features that come with it. These include a PUA shield, an email protection tool, a web protection feature, a firewall manager and a software updater. The PUA shield helps to protect the Windows 10 computing system against any kind of potentially unwanted applications or PUAs that can be concealed within different kinds of legal software applications. The firewall manager that comes with Avira Prime can help to optimize the firewall settings according to the level of security that you are looking to have.

Avira Prime also offers extremely sturdy web protection which is something that you must have at all times. It can provide you with excellent protection against phishing sites as well as all types of malicious web content. Moreover, you can also get first class email protection while you are trying to work with emails. In many cases, viruses are installed in a computer through emails and such scanning systems help to make sure that such things does not happen at all. This feature of Avira Prime helps to scan all the email attachments for seeing if there are any harmful links and malware programs. The software updater that you get with Avira Prime can also automatically download and update the apps on your computer.

6. BullGuard

If you are looking to find best antivirus for Windows 10 PCs, then you should definitely use BullGuard as it is definitely a robust antivirus that you can rely on. It is a powerful anti-malware engine that also has numerous additional features that make it a handy tool for virus and malware detection. If you are thinking of getting excellent malware detection features, then you can do that when you use BullGuard for your Windows 10 PC. There is also a one of a kind game booster that comes with this app that can further help to optimize the performance of your PC while you are playing your favorite games.

The BullGuard antivirus has been tested with a number of different games such as Half-Life: Alyx and Fortnite to name a few. Careful attention was given to CPU performance, frame rate, RAM usage as well as load times. It has been found on multiple occasions that the BullGuard antivirus was able to enhance the performance of the computer for all the various categories.

The makers of BullGuard have always been consistent enough when it comes to enhancing internet security features with the company. Some of the most significant features that you can expect to have when you use the BullGuard are the firewall, cloud backup manager and parental controls. Additionally, you can also get a VPN as well as an identity theft protection which is quite suitable for users within the US, EU and Canada only. If you are planning on getting a VPN along with BullGuard, you will need to buy it separately. While these extra features have been there in the previous versions of BullGuard as well, they have been further improved with time.

If you are keen on getting an antivirus that can provide you with a top-level firewall, then you can surely go ahead with the BullGuard antivirus program as it can provide you with a solid user experience. The identity theft protection feature that comes with this antivirus is also regarded as one of the best in the world. With BullGuard, you get to have real-time credit monitoring expertise.

7. Panda Dome

Panda Dome is certainly one of the best Windows antivirus software for home users that you can use for your Windows 10 operating system. It has got one of the finest antivirus scanners that you can find in the market. You can also benefit from the numerous unique and powerful security features that can be good for you. It is not just an excellent antivirus in its own right but it can also present many other useful features such as file encryption, file shredder, and PC rescue kit. Using Panda Dome can actually make things a lot convenient for you when you are looking to encrypt some of your important work documents. You can also put in a password so that they always stay protected from various kinds of ransomware and malware.

The Rescue Kit that comes with Panda Dome can help to disinfect the PCs that have been already blocked by some kind of malware. This can come in handy for major emergency situations and cases where the computing device has become completely inaccessible and is being remotely controlled by the hackers. You can load this Rescue Kit on a USB drive and then plug it in the device that has been infected by the malware. Once you have booted the computer, Panda Dome is going to erase the malware automatically so that the computer becomes usable once again.

There are many packages that come with the Panda Dome and some of the best packages that you are going to find with this antivirus may seem to be expensive when you compare it to many other brands in the market that offer comparable features. However, you can take solace from the fact that the Panda Dome Essential package is really one of the most pocket-friendly packages that you can get for yourself. This package can provide you a host of useful features such as the Wi-Fi scanner and a real-time malware scanner. There is also a VPN that comes with this program but it is limited to 150MB per day.

8. Kaspersky Total Security

Any list of the best security software for Windows 10 is incomplete unless there is a mention of Kaspersky Total Security in it. Kaspersky is known to present with a high-level malware scanner that delivers optimum security for Windows. Moreover, you can also find many top notch additional features with the Kaspersky Total Security that can really make it a worthwhile antivirus program for you to consider. The antivirus also has a highly intuitive dashboard that can help the users to navigate through its features. Such a diverse range of features really makes it excellent for Windows 10 computing systems.

The real-time malware scanning engine that comes with Kaspersky Total Security has been found to be powerful enough to detect a wide range of viruses, ransomware and spyware as well as a host of other hostile programs. The Kaspersky Total Security program has an excellent anti-phishing tool that it can use for blocking all kinds of deceptive websites so that they do not steal your valuable data and information from the computer. Another excellent feature that comes with the Kaspersky Total Security program is called Safe Money. This is something that you can use to manage all your online payments. You can use Safe Money for managing all your shopping and banking transactions securely in a separate browser. There is also the privacy protection feature that comes with the Kaspersky Total Security program. This program helps to make sure that the outside programs are not getting access to the microphones or webcams without proper permission. The other notable feature that you can get with the Kaspersky Total Security is parental controls. Among the numerous antivirus programs that are available in the market, it has been found that Kaspersky Total Security can block all kinds of unsafe content from your kids ever getting access to them. The program can also track the location of the devices.

Kaspersky Total Security is regarded as one of the top-notch programs that you can count on for your security needs. It is not only easy to use but also easy to explore and navigate. You can have it updated smoothly any time you want and this can work out well for you.

9. ESET Smart Security Premium

The ESET Smart Security Premium is certainly one of the most powerful antivirus tools that you can find for your Windows computer. It comes with a state-of-the-art anti-malware engine along with robust diagnostic tools that can be used by security experts. One thing that you should know about ESET Smart Security Premium is that it comes loaded with a wide range of features that can seem to be a bit complicated for everyday users. Therefore, it is safe to say that the ESET Smart Security Premium is an antivirus program that is well-suited for people having high levels of technical proficiency.

The malware scanner that comes with ESET Smart Security Premium has been found to be highly accurate and precise. The antivirus makes use of advanced heuristics for detecting and resolving zero-day malware threats. This means that ESET Smart Security Premium scores almost perfect detection rates for all kinds of malwares and viruses on the tests that have been conducted on it. With ESET Smart Security Premium, you also get to have access to advanced diagnostics, anti-phishing solutions, anti-theft tools as well as data and device encryption features. The advanced diagnostic tools that are offered by ESET Smart Security Premium are widely regarded as some of the best in the industry. When you work with these tools, you can find a detailed list of all the files, drivers, folders, and registry entries that you have in your system. This means that any kind of changes that occur in your system, you can detect it in the blink of an eye. The antivirus program can also perform emergency resolutions if your computer has been breached by malware.

Most users who work with ESET Smart Security Premium have reported a very high level of user satisfaction with it. It has got some pretty decent unique security features. If you are looking to get a perfect value plan for your personal use, you can go with ESET Internet Security as it also has a 30-day period money-back guarantee.

10. Trend Micro

If you are looking for a powerful antivirus with pretty decent internet security components, you should certainly go forward with Trend Micro. It has one of the most reliable malware scanner tools that you can find in the market. The antivirus is completely lightweight and this makes it perfect for Windows 10 laptops and desktops. Additionally, Trend Micro can also show which of the sites are safe for browsing and which are not, so that you can avoid the ones that have been marked as hazardous. The application makes use of three color-coding system to let you know about the safety of a website. The ones that are marked with green color are safe. If a site has a yellow marking, then it should be considered as yellow. The dangerous ones are always marked with red.

There are also a number of other additional features that come with Trend Micro. These include data breach monitoring, a VPN, a secure browser and a password manager. The data breach monitoring feature of Trend Micro is certainly one of the best of its kind. It makes use of encryption for searching online databases for logins, passwords, and credit card data that could be vulnerable to hackers. If you are trying to maintain the privacy of your online activity, then you should make use of the VPN offered by Trend Micro. While it is not the fastest VPN that you can ever find, it is still sufficiently useful for keeping your activities perfectly hidden.

The Trend Micro antivirus has been rated highly by users who are looking to have intuitive web protections for their computers. You can also rely on its malware scanner to do a good job each and every time. However, if it is more premium features you are looking for, then you might have to go with some other brand. That being said, Trend Micro is unquestionably one of the most pocket-friendly antivirus programs that you can ever find.

11. Cylance

Cylance is truly one of the most unique antivirus programs that you can ever find. The reason for this is that it makes use of AI or artificial intelligence to detect and deal with virus and malware programs. The anti-malware scanner offered by Cylance is tough but minimalistic and it mainly operates in the background, looking to make sure that your Windows 10 computer is completely safe from any kind of virus attack. It is by far one of the best antivirus programs that you can ever find in the market. Numerous tests have already been conducted to evaluate its effectiveness and it has been found that it can detect most types of malware programs without any hassles. The antivirus also has a high-end remote access feature that can further help you to benefit from the security features of this program.

One of the things that may deter some people from using Cylance is that its machine learning technology may still need some improvements. Some users have also complained that it lacks many of the premium quality antivirus features that they would like to see in a program suitable for a Windows computer. However, it has been found to be extremely user-friendly and light on the system which is why a lot of users love to have Cylance installed on their Windows 10 computing systems.

The truth about Cylance is that it is suitable for those who are keen on getting a lightweight antivirus for their computer. However, if you are looking to get a product that has got numerous advanced features, then probably you will have to look elsewhere. This is also true for you if you are mainly a non-technical user.

The antivirus programs discussed above are certainly some of the best in the world right now. If you think that you have more questions, you can check the following for further guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 Doesn’t Windows 10 already have an antivirus installed?

When you are using a Windows 10 desktop or a laptop computer, you get to benefit from Windows Defender which is already preinstalled in the system. This is an inbuilt antivirus that right now has got many improved features. In fact, the Windows Defender is much more powerful at the present moment than the way it was a couple of years before. Nevertheless, it is important to note that they do not offer the same kind of malware protection when you compare it with some of the other types of antivirus products that are listed here.

If you are seeking protection against adware, spyware, ransomware as well as other kinds of dangers such as identity theft and phishing, then it is safe to say that Windows Defender is not going to help you. Windows Defender may work well for getting a basic level of protection. However, it cannot help you when you are trying to secure your computer against advanced forms of malwares.

Using only the Windows Defender can be okay for you if you are someone who prefers to be extra careful and protect all your personal data by not keeping anything in your PC. On the other hand, if you are like most people who tend to keep different kinds of sensitive data on their computers such as logins, photos passwords, and banking information, then you should definitely get yourself a high end antivirus for your Windows computer that can provide you with the additional protection that you need.

🤔 Are free antiviruses good enough?

One of the most common queries that a lot of people have when it comes to antivirus programs is that if it is sufficient enough to get a free antivirus program for their needs. Even if there are some types of free antivirus programs for Windows computers that can perform a good job at protecting the PC from possible types of viruses, they can never really offer complete protection against all kinds of viruses, Trojans, and malwares. The reason for this is that they typically lack the most necessary functions they must have when it comes to guaranteeing 100% protection from all kinds of cybersecurity threats, such as web protection, ransomware protection, phishing protection, theft protection, VPN, encrypted file storage, automatic backups and a host of other features.

A top of the line antivirus program can present with an extensive range of high end internet security features which can present your computer and its files with any kind of cyber threats that you can think of. This is why it is so important to get a high-quality antivirus program for your Windows computer. However, with some effort on your part you can definitely get the cheapest premium Windows antivirus software so that it does not lead to spending a lot of money trying to get proper protection for your Windows 10 computer.

🤔 Will an antivirus slow down my computer?

A lot of people tend to avoid installing an antivirus in their computers, thinking that it is going to slow down their machine. Whether it is true or not depends on the way you intend to use your computing machine. Choosing the wrong antivirus can be a source of major problem for you in case you are an avid gamer. You may also find your computer slowing down if you are into using different kinds of CPU-intensive apps. An older computer can also show performance lags, tending to slow down when you have an antivirus installed in it. Additionally, you can also find your computer to be operating slowly if you are someone who likes to watch programs from online streaming platforms and apps. It is important for you to remember that the best quality antivirus programs are not going to slow down your computer irrespective of the way you use your machine. The antivirus programs that are listed here can deliver an excellent performance which means that you won’t face any troubles when you choose to use them.