We get asked this all the time. And it’s a very hard question to answer. Different people have different habits on he internet, and depending what they do, where they go and how they control their clicking and installation habits will largely reflect the type of antivirus you should use.

I can’t answer this question directly, but I can give some perspective.

I actually stopped answering people a long time ago when they asked me, “Which antivirus is the best?”

The main reason I stopped answer that question is, because they all eventually let you down. I have been removing viruses from computers for over 20 years. And i every single computer, every day I see with a virus, has some form of antivirus program. And always one you have heard of!

I am not saying you do not need an antivirus. I am absolutely sure every one does. Some form of protection is better than nothing. What I am saying is it is another level of protection. But, it’s not bulletproof.

What is Windows Defender

Most analysts agree Windows Defender is in the top 10 best antivirus programs. Tope ten does not sound like a lot, but considering there are countless antivirus programs out there, its not a bad score.

Windows Defender is the Microsoft answer to viruses, worms, spyware and trojans which are all serious Windows malware programs.

Defender and comes preinstalled in all Windows 8 and 10 computers.

Windows Defender has cloud protection to handle viruses and rootkits in real time, but also has an offline feature which can be burnt to USB to boot into for serious viruses which are harder to remove from with in Windows itself.

Windows Defender is part of the Windows security app and encompasses a whole range ot security dimensions including a Firewall.

Pros of Windows Defender

Windows Defender is free. It comes with Windows 8  and 10 computers and works with most other antivirus programs. However, a lot of other virus protection suites will try and turn Windows Defender off.

If you are not sure about installing an Antivirus program, Windows Defender is a great option because there is no need to set it up. It’s probably already on your system.

Although Microsoft are not historically an antivirus company, their sheer size and the fact they are the author of all Windows Operating system makes them a great choice also. Windows Defender rums effortlessly on the systems they have created and is not very heavily or intrusive on your system.

Cons of Windows Defender

The main 2 cons we hear about with Windows Defender are:

Lack of Features – Windows Defender is bare bone, and doesn’t give you a whole of options, compared to more popular applications and security suites.

Although Windows Defender is quiet in the background, people with older systems have reported it to slow down their computers when it runs a scheduled scan.