

That’s why I always recommend investing a little bit into premium antivirus software that includes protection against all types of malware - with extra features like a virtual private network (VPN), dark web monitoring, and a password manager ( Norton 360 has all of these features, is ranked as the best antivirus software for 2022, and is very affordable). That said, every free antivirus has a few limitations. There are some really good free antivirus programs that offer improvements over Windows’s built-in protections, as well as features that aren’t offered by Windows Defender.

I didn’t only look at each antivirus’s malware protection capabilities but also its user interface, its reputation for safeguarding user privacy, and its ability to integrate with recent versions of Windows. I tested every free antivirus I could find against thousands of old and new Windows malware files.

🥇 Norton: Advanced virus and malware protection with extras like webcam protection, a VPN, a password manager, parental controls, dark web monitoring, and more.Short on time? Here’s the best free Windows antivirus for 2022:
