Topics Map > GBIT Service Desk Services > Applications > Home Use Software

Anti-Virus Recommendations for Home Use

This document details anti-virus recommendations for home use.

Windows Users

Keep your Windows PC safe with trusted antivirus protection built-in to Windows 10. Windows Defender Antivirus delivers comprehensive, ongoing and real-time protection against software threats like viruses, malware and spyware across email, apps, the cloud, and the web.

Verify that your Windows 10 operating system is updated on your home PC using the following link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/comprehensive-security.

Open Windows Defender Windows Security Center on your PC using the following line: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/comprehensive-security.

***NOTE: You can only have one antivirus program running on your PC. If you have a paid antivirus program that is expired, it is no longer going to protect your computer, but it will also prevent Windows Defender from running. In that case, you either need to pay to renew your paid antivirus program, or you need to uninstall it so Windows Defender can be turned back on.***


Mac Users

It is recommended that Mac users install antivirus. There are many viruses designed for Macs, so they need antivirus. We recommend Sophos. While it is not free, it is by far the best antivirus for Macs. MacKeeper is fake antivirus, so do not install that one. 

Sophos Software: https://home.sophos.com/en-us/download-mac-security 

Make sure your Mac is up to date. It needs to be running the latest build of one of the three most recent major OS releases (as of July 2024 that's Sequoia, Sonoma, or Ventura).

You can verify what version you have by navigating to the Apple menu and selecting "About This Mac."

If you are on Mojave or newer, you can use Software Update in System Settings to check for OS updates. If you are on High Sierra or older, you can use the App store to find updates. 



Keywordsanti-virus, home, use, microsoft, security, essentials, windows, defender, sophos   Doc ID22352
OwnerSteve K.GroupUW Green Bay
Created2012-01-23 10:28:26Updated2024-07-29 15:00:34
SitesUW Green Bay
Feedback  0   1