Overall, the installation time ran around 4 minutes on our test computer.

It also lets you choose whether to run the Windows Defender firewall, and whether to run a scan once installation is complete, although both of those are opt-out. Microsoft politely does not opt you in to the program's customer experience improvement program you must choose to opt in or stay out of it before you can finish the installation. It takes very little effort to get going with MSE. Security Essentials has begun to mature, although it's still rough at the edges. Version 2 introduces deeper hooks into Internet Explorer and the default firewall in Vista and Windows 7. Now in its second iteration, Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) debuted as the lightweight, cloud-based successor to the paid security suite Live OneCare in 2009. However, its impact on system performance could be improved, and it's still a bit light in the tool belt. It can cause problems on your computer to have two different anti malware products installed and running at the same time.The bottom line: Microsoft Security Essentials, an antivirus program created by Microsoft, will protect you, and it will generally do it well. If you do, be sure to remove the product you don't want before you install the new one. Before you install anti malware software, check to make sure you don't already have an anti malware product on your computer. Important: Windows Defender will turn off if you install another anti malware program to protect your PC. For more information, see Protect your PC. You should carefully investigate the source of anti malware and other products before downloading and installing them. Many companies, including those listed on this page, distribute anti malware software. For business security software that is compatible with Windows, please contact your security vendor of choice. Just click the company name to see the Windows-compatible product they offer. Should you wish to explore alternatives to the already installed or available Microsoft antimalware software on your Windows PC, the reputable security companies listed below provide consumer security software that is compatible with Windows. Hackers and scammers sometimes use fake antimalware software to trick you into installing viruses or malware on your computer. Windows Defender is free and is included in Windows, always on and always working to protect your PC against malware. Malware consists of viruses, spyware and other potentially unwanted software.

If you’re running Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8, you’ve already got Windows Defender built in, helping to protect you against viruses, spyware, and other malware.

Microsoft virus protection free