Do you need antivirus software in Windows 10?

Not a day goes by without reports of another hack that leaked sensitive customer data, or a new scam trying to swindle people out of their money or personal data.

But while that’s a concern, what about viruses? Are they still a threat? Do I need an antivirus on my PC or laptop?

Unfortunately, they are. According to AV-Test, more than 450,000 new malware and potentially unwanted applications are detected daily.

Every day.

That’s an awful lot of bad stuff that you don’t want around your computer.

Antivirus software is, of course, a way to keep it safe, and modern antivirus applications usually do a lot more than just watch for and block viruses.

The best antivirus should protect your laptop, PC (and other devices) from viruses, as well as protect your personal information – your identity, bank and credit card number – from criminals who want to steal your money.

This means it’s smart to use a security app that works on your phone and tablet, as well as your Windows laptop or PC.

Many of these apps now include a VPN to give you extra security and privacy while you surf the web, and will alert you if malware tries to access your device’s camera and microphones. They also include password managers that remember all your logins, so you can use different passwords for all your accounts, which is the best way to keep them secure.

Privacy protection is also included in the best packages. It does various things like monitor the dark web for your email addresses, passwords, and other personal information and then alert you if it’s detected so you can take action.

So, yes, windows still needs antivirus softwarebut it’s best to purchase a complete security package that will protect you from more than just viruses.

Does Windows come with antivirus software?

It’s true: Windows 10 and 11 have Windows Defender. Microsoft has included virus protection in Windows for years, and the latest version of Defender is the most reliable we’ve ever had.

If your laptop or PC didn’t have any other antivirus software pre-installed, Windows Defender will already protect you.

But is it good?

Yes it is. Although it has been slightly downgraded in the latest AV-Test report, it has an excellent track record. It regularly matches or outperforms antivirus applications from leading manufacturers such as Norton, McAfee and Bitdefender.

But there’s a downside: Defender shouldn’t slow down your laptop like other companies’ apps because it’s part of Windows, but it actually makes apps load slower and files take much longer to copy than its competitors.

But more importantly, it doesn’t offer the extra features you get with paid security packages, so you’re not as well protected from dangerous websites, social media scams, and phishing emails.

Of course, there are pluses: Defender costs nothing and is already installed, which is convenient. Just remember that this does not protect your phone or tablet.

Why pay for antivirus?

I hope you already know the answer to this question.

We have already explained that Windows Defender can slow down your computer and – at least in the last test – did not catch 100% of viruses and so-called zero-day threats.

But a paid security app like Norton 360 or Complete McAfee Protectionprovides a wider range of features that protect you as well as your PC or laptop.

You can receive alerts when apps want to access your webcam, notifications that your email address or password has been compromised in a data breach, and warnings about fake and dangerous websites.

Paid antivirus software is updated regularly and new features are added, so while it’s another thing you have to pay for, it can save you a lot more than you spend on it.

If you want to know which security packages we recommend, read our roundup of the best antiviruses.

The bottom line is that if you want the best protection, you must get good security software. Often, one subscription protects the devices of your entire family, including mobile phones and tablets.

What can I do to improve the security of Windows 10 for free?

You can’t get the same level of protection for free without doing a fair amount of work, and in some areas you just can’t get protection at all.

But there are things you can do. Here are two that you should do right now:

A good password manager like Bitwarden will store all your logins and enter them when you need to sign in to an app, website, or service. This may mean changing repeated passwords on many sites, but try to have different strong passwords for all websites and services that store personal information that you don’t want to be compromised.

Often, password managers tell you where you’ve used the same password so it’s easier for you to change it. Some will even link you directly to that site’s password change page.

Secondly, a VPN encrypts your internet connection and helps you increase your security and privacy when you visit websites, download files, and do other online activities. You don’t have to use it all the time and you should only use a reliable VPN service, but there are some good free VPNs to choose from.

Be very careful what you click on

Many of the scams these days work by tricking you into clicking on links in emails that then download malware, or by going to fake versions of websites that then ask you to log in, thereby stealing your account information.

A good rule of thumb is to always navigate to a site on your own. If you receive an email that says your account password needs to be changed, or even that it’s on a great sale, don’t click the link. Instead, go to your browser and enter the website address. If the sale is real, then you can find it.

Be very careful with links in emails or social media posts as they can be just as dangerous. Basically, treat every link or download as suspicious and you can avoid a lot of problems.

Here are common scams to avoid.

Make regular backups

Another way to protect your data is to make regular offline backups. Yes, using online services is a good idea, and as you’ll see in our best cloud storage review, there’s plenty to choose from, but as ransomware is becoming a bigger threat, we also highly recommend creating your own local offline backups.

Follow our Windows backup guide for more information about the software you can use and how to set up a regular schedule to protect your valuable data.

Don’t use an administrator account

Another thing you can do, especially if you want to add protection to the laptops or PCs your kids use, is to avoid using Windows accounts with administrative privileges. This simple modification can eliminate many of the existing threats as malware, spyware and the like will not be able to install themselves.

To do this, you need to create a new administrator account (as you will need it on your system) and then change the existing account to the standard one.

This can be achieved in Settings > Accounts > Family & other peoplewhere you add either a family member or a shared account.

Install this as an administrator, then log out of your existing account. Log in as new, click on your regular account and when available Change account type will appear click on it. A window will open in which you can make this account either Standard or Administrator.

However, it should provide sufficient protection against downloads containing malware.

If you find that certain programs you use regularly require higher level access, you can always give them a special pass. Learn more about how to run programs as an administrator in Windows 10.

Related articles for further reading