Of course, not every antivirus can successfully remove all the viruses and malware on your system. So, I tested various antiviruses and found 5 that detect all malware via their scans and can effectively eliminate any existing malicious programs on my system. While all the antiviruses I’ve picked here can reliably remove existing viruses from your system, Norton is the best choice. It’s feature-rich, offers 100% malware detection via scans and in real-time, and delivers excellent value for money. Plus, you can try Norton completely risk-free as it comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee. Remove existing viruses with Norton
Quick Guide: 3 Easy Steps to Install an Antivirus and Remove Existing Viruses
Remove existing viruses with Norton
How to Determine if You Have a Virus on Your Computer or Not
It’s hard to determine if your system is infected when you don’t already have an antivirus installed. Fortunately, there are various signs and symptoms you can look for to figure out whether or not your system has a virus. The following are some key details to look for:
Performance Slowdowns and Crashes
Unexplained performance slowdowns are among the first things you’ll notice if your system is infected. Also, you may experience random crashes alongside these slowdowns. If you notice these issues, you should get one of 2023’s best antiviruses as soon as possible.
Unknown Apps on Your Desktop
If you ever spot any strange app icons on your desktop, you likely have a malware infection. Malware usually ends up installing other malicious apps on your system, so it’s best to get antivirus as soon as possible if you spot unknown apps.
Strange Active Processes in the Task Manager
One way to tell if you have a virus infection is by looking at your task manager. You may have a virus infection if you spot any oddly named processes taking up unnecessary system resources. The easiest fix for this is to get an antivirus and run a full scan to detect any threats on your device.
Annoying Pop-Ups
Pop-up ads were once common across the internet, but one of the only ways to get them now is if your system is infected. If you start getting random pop-ups even if you haven’t clicked any links, it’s likely a sign that you have viruses on your system.
Unknown Toolbars and Homepages in Your Browser
If you launch your browser and see a changed homepage or spot new toolbars you didn’t install, it probably means you have malware on your system. You should install an antivirus and run scans immediately if you start to notice these things.
Suspicious System Activity
Suspicious activity includes anything ranging from apps randomly closing to CPU usage spiking for no reason. Getting an antivirus should be your first approach if you start noticing activity like this on your system.
How to Install a Top Antivirus and Clean Your PC
The Best Antivirus Software to Install and Remove Existing Viruses — Full Test Results in January 2023
1. Norton — Removes All Threats With a 100% Detection Rate While Providing Premium Additional Features
Step 1: Download and Install a Reliable Antivirus
The first step in getting an antivirus is downloading it from its official website. I recommend that you get Norton because of its flawless malware detection. After subscribing to Norton, simply log into its website and hit the download button to start the process.
Log into Norton’s official website to download its setup Once the download is complete, simply run the installer and wait for it to complete. It’ll download the necessary files first and then start the installation. The whole process shouldn’t take any more than a few minutes.
Launch the setup and wait for it to finish installing Norton After the setup, you’ll have Norton fully installed on your system and can now use it to remove existing viruses.
Step 2: Open the Scans Menu
Once you have Norton installed and ready, go to the scans menu. Simply click on the arrow on the Open button next to Device Security and click on Scan Options.
Go into Norton’s Scan Options Menu to start a scan Following this step will take you into Norton’s scan menu. This menu consists of the various virus scans and other tasks you can run.
Step 3: Run a Full System Scan
In the scan menu, look for the Full System Scan option and select it. Once you’ve selected the scan, simply hit the Go button to start the process. There are other scans as well, like the Quick Scan and Custom Scan, but they aren’t as comprehensive as a Full System Scan. So, they might miss well-hidden threats.
Pick the Full System Scan to scan your entire PC for viruses and threats Norton will now run a full scan of your system, which will scan every single file to determine whether or not you’ve been infected with malware.
Step 4: Wait for the Scan to Complete and Clean Your PC
The next step is to wait for the full scan to complete. This takes a while, depending on how many files you have throughout your system. Once the full scan is complete, it’ll show you how many threats it detected and the necessary actions you can take to deal with them.
Wait for Norton to finish scanning your whole system If there aren’t any threats, Norton will highlight this, and you can simply finish the scan from here. However, if Norton does detect threats, it’ll let you quarantine or remove them from your system entirely with just a few clicks.
Remove or quarantine any threats Norton finds and hit the Finish button That’s all there is to it! Following these steps will let you remove any viruses on your system. Plus, you’ll now have a high-end antivirus safeguarding you against every possible cyberthreat. Key Features: Norton is the perfect choice for effectively removing any existing viruses and protecting your PC from additional threats. It offers one of the highest malware detection rates in the industry via scans, and real-time protection, so you can enjoy complete peace of mind knowing it’ll keep your devices secure. I tested Norton’s threat detection capabilities, which consistently impressed me by quickly scanning my system and detecting threats without slowing it down. The Quick Scan took only 2 minutes to complete, while the Full System Scan took a bit longer at 12 minutes, but detected every single piece of malware on my test system. I also noticed that my system’s performance remained smooth and didn’t slow down during Norton’s scans. Plus, Norton didn’t give any false positives during its scans, which is also impressive. Norton also has more to offer alongside its perfect malware detection, such as its secure built-in VPN. It’s not as good as the best standalone VPNs, but Norton’s VPN offers industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption and a built-in kill switch to keep you safe. Plus, Norton offers one of the most secure and intuitive firewalls I’ve seen, and you can easily customize Norton’s firewall to your liking. You’ll also find various other useful features in Norton, such as a built-in password manager that’ll help safeguard your credentials. Also, you can get up to 250GB of secure cloud storage, which you can use to store sensitive files and data. I was also very pleased with how responsive Norton’s customer support is. It never takes longer than a few minutes to contact an agent via the 24/7 live chat whenever you need help. Whenever I contact support, I always receive helpful assistance regarding my issues. There’s also 24/7 phone support if that’s what you prefer.
Norton comes with various plans, so you’re sure to find something that fits your needs. The following are the plans as you can expect:
Antivirus Plus — Norton’s most basic plan consists of core antivirus features, 2GB of cloud storage, a firewall, a password manager, and protection for 1 device. Norton 360 Standard — 360 Standard protects up to 3 devices, has all the features in Antivirus plus, and also includes Norton’s Dark Web Monitoring and SafeCam features. Norton 360 Deluxe — Has all of 360 Standard’s features but adds parental controls. Also, it increases the cloud storage to 50GB and protects up to 5 devices. Norton 360 with LifeLock Select — Norton’s most premium plan with all the above-mentioned features, 250GB of cloud storage, and Norton’s ID Theft Protection.
You’ll find that Norton’s plans are well-priced, considering the value they deliver. Plus, it offers a 60-day-long money-back guarantee, which is the longest on this list. So, you can try Norton completely risk-free to see if it’s right for you. I also want to mention that it’s easy to claim this guarantee at any time during the time period. When I tested it, I simply requested a refund via Norton’s live chat, and it was processed instantly. After requesting a refund, the money was successfully refunded in 5 days. Remove existing viruses with Norton
2. McAfee — Excellent Malware Detection Removes Every Threat and the Customizable Built-in Firewall Effectively Safeguards Your PC
Key Features: McAfee made removing all malicious files on my PC easy and even continued to protect my computer afterward with additional features. Not only does it offer 100% virus detection via scans, but it also protects against 100% of zero-day malware. So, it’ll keep your system secure against all sorts of cyberthreats. I put McAfee through a series of rigorous tests, and it delivered impressive results each time by quickly detecting every single piece of malware on my system. Its Quick Scan took around 5 minutes, while the Full Scan took just under an hour. The scans are fast and effective, but some other tests showed that McAfee picked out a few false positives sometimes. McAfee’s other features include the built-in Safe Connect VPN that keeps you safe online with its industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption. Also, McAfee offers a highly intuitive and secure firewall that you can easily configure according to your preferences.
Other McAfee features include the TrueKey password manager that you can use to safely store and keep track of your credentials. There’s even a secure file shredder that you can use to permanently get rid of sensitive files that you don’t want falling into anyone else’s hands. McAfee’s customer support is available whenever you need it. There’s 24/7 live chat and phone support, both of which have knowledgeable agents on the other end ready to help you. Of course, it’s not the fastest customer support considering the live chat agents are somewhat slow, but it’s reliable nonetheless. You can get one of 5 plans if you subscribe to McAfee, each of which is well-priced considering the available features and protection. Its plans are as follows:
Antivirus Plus — McAfee’s core antivirus and web protection for a single device. Total Protection Basic — Offers all the features in Antivirus Plus and includes McAfee’s VPN and Identity Monitoring. Total Protection Plus — Has all the features you’ll find in Total Protection Basic but lets you simultaneously protect up to 5 devices. Total Protection Premium — Includes everything mentioned in the above plans but also adds McAfee’s Personal Data Cleanup feature and lets you protect unlimited devices. Total Protection Advanced — Offers McAfee’s security freeze, ID theft coverage, lost wallet protection, and all the features you’d find in Total Protection Premium.
I was pleased to learn that McAfee’s plans initially have a reasonable price, but also want to highlight that they get more expensive after the first year. I recommend the Total Protection Plus plan as it offers all the necessary features and lets you protect 5 devices at once. Also, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, meaning you can try McAfee completely risk-free for a whole month. When I tested this money-back guarantee, I easily had it approved via live chat and got my money back in 7 business days. Remove existing viruses with McAfee
3. TotalAV — Reliable Threat Detection With Various Optimization Features to Help Your System Perform at Its Best
Key Features: TotalAV is a solid antivirus that removes threats while also optimizing your system’s performance. It’s an affordable and effective antivirus with perfect malware detection through its scans, so it’ll quickly remove any viruses you had before installing it. I extensively tested TotalAV’s virus scanning capabilities, and it delivered solid results each time by finding every existing threat on my PC. TotalAV offers 4 different scans, which include a Quick Scan, Full System Scan, Custom Scan, and a Smart Scan, which optimizes alongside detecting threats. My team and I tested its Full System Scan on a test computer with various malware, and it identified 100% of threats on the system. Plus, the scan took just over 20 minutes, which is faster than many other antiviruses One thing I especially like about this security app is that it’s among the most effective choices for optimizing your system. TotalAV comes with a full system tune-up suite that includes a powerful app uninstaller and a startup manager that’ll help improve your system’s boot times. Of course, there’s also the above-mentioned Smart Scan which scans your PC and shows various ways to optimize its performance. You’ll also find other features in TotalAV that help provide additional layers of security. It has a basic yet effective password manager that stores your credentials and generates secure passwords when needed. It’s missing features like two-factor authentication and sync across devices, but it does the job. TotalAV’s Safe Browsing VPN is also impressive as it provides fast connection speeds while letting you safely and anonymously surf the web. Also, TotalAV offers a WebShield browser extension that keeps you safe from malicious websites and phishing attempts. There are currently 3 different plans for TotalAV, each of which is reasonably priced. Its plans include the following:
Antivirus Pro — Includes TotalAV’s core antivirus features, web protection, optimization tools, and protection for up to 3 devices. Internet Security — Offers TotalAV’s Safe Browsing VPN alongside all of Antivirus Pro’s features and protects up to 5 devices. Total Security — Adds TotalAV’s Total AdBlock and password manager to the rest of the package while offering protection for up to 6 devices.
Although its plans are very affordable, you can try TotalAV completely risk-free as it offers a 30-day-long money-back guarantee. I claimed this money-back guarantee myself to see whether it was genuine and was very impressed with the whole process. It took a minute-long conversation with one of TotalAV’s phone support agents, and I had the money refunded in just 2 working days, which is quite impressive. Remove existing viruses with TotalAV
4. Iolo— Impressive Malware Detection to Remove Existing Threats and a Highly Intuitive User-Friendly Design
Key Features: Iolo is a Windows-only antivirus that’s effective at removing viruses and optimizing your system’s performance. It’s not the best Windows antivirus for real-time protection, but it successfully detects 100% of malware via scans. So, iolo will easily eliminate any existing viruses on your system. I tested iolo’s detection capabilities by downloading test malware onto my system from the reputable EICAR.com. I was pleased to learn that the Deep Scan detected every single virus on my system. However, the scan took an hour and 20 minutes, which is slower than other security apps like Norton. Thankfully, it didn’t flag any safe files as harmful, so you don’t have to worry about false positives while using it. Other than its reliable virus scanners, iolo also offers effective real-time protection through the System Shield feature. iolo’s System Shield helps you keep your system’s security up to date and informs you if you need to adjust any settings to get the best protection. Among iolo’s other strengths is the fact that it’s one of the best security apps when it comes to optimization. iolo offers several optimization tools designed to help your system run faster such as the All-in-One PC Cleanup, Startup Optimizer, and Speed Up tools. Each tool is effective, but it’s worth mentioning that you need iolo’s System Mechanic Ultimate Defense package to make the most of them. iolo isn’t the most affordable antivirus on this list. Still, it offers several plans that you can get. The main plans you can get include the following:
Malware Killer — This is the most basic plan you can get that only comes with iolo’s on-demand malware detection and removal. System Mechanic — Only offers iolo’s optimization features, network protection, and security updates. System Mechanic Pro — Comes with everything in System Mechanic while adding iolo’s System Shield, Search and Recover, and DriveScrubber. System Mechanic Ultimate Defense — Has everything included in System Mechanic Pro but also adds iolo’s Privacy Guardian, Malware Killer, and Password Manager.
Though it might cost more than the others, System Mechanic Ultimate Defense is the plan I recommend getting. Ultimate Defense comes with iolo’s core malware and threat protection features and its effective optimization tools. Thankfully, you can try iolo completely risk-free because it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Getting a refund is easy as you simply have to request one via email. When I requested a refund, it was processed in less than a day, and I had my money back in 3 business days. Remove existing viruses with iolo
5. Bitdefender — Flawless Malware Detection and a Wide Variety of Features That Provide Additional Layers of Security
Key Features: If having a feature-rich antivirus is a priority for you, Bitdefender is a great choice for removing existing malware. It offers perfect malware detection, so you can easily use it to clear any existing viruses on your system. Also, it offers various other useful features, including a password manager, customizable firewall, VPN, and more. My team and I tested Bitdefender’s virus detection capabilities and were impressed, especially with its thorough yet fast Full System Scan that took under an hour. Bitdefender successfully detected every malicious file on the test system, though it did highlight a few safe files as dangerous. It’s not on par with Norton, which offers perfect malware detection with zero false positives, but Bitdefender is great at removing existing viruses nonetheless. Bitdefender offers 5 different kinds of scans which include its Quick Scan, System Scan, Vulnerability Scan, Rescue Environment Scan, and Custom Scan. I was especially pleased with the Vulnerability Scan, which helps keep your system fully up-to-date and safe from the newest cyberthreats. You’ll also find other features in Bitdefender that provide additional security layers. It offers effective ransomware protection and a built-in VPN that uses AES 256-bit encryption to safeguard your online activity. Plus, Bitdefender offers a secure and intuitive firewall that you can easily set up according to your preferences. You can choose one of several different plans if you want to subscribe to Bitdefender. Its main offerings include the following:
Antivirus Plus — The most basic plan, which offers Bitdefender’s key antivirus features and a limited 200MB/day VPN but only protects Windows devices. Internet Security — Includes all the features in Antivirus Plus but also adds parental controls and Bitdefender’s Privacy Firewall. Total Security — Offers everything in Internet Security and includes Bitdefender’s optimization features. Plus, it protects iOS, macOS, and Android devices alongside Windows. Premium Security — Comes with everything in Total Security, unlimited VPN usage, and Bitdefender’s password manager. Ultimate Security — Has all the features mentioned above and also includes Bitdefender’s Identity Theft Protection.
It’s worth noting that Bitdefender offers different pricing tiers for each plan depending on how many devices you want to protect. Nonetheless, I found the plans affordable, especially during the first year. Plus, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try out Bitdefender completely risk-free. I even tested this money-back guarantee myself and found it easy to claim. I simply requested a refund via email, and although it took a while to get a response, I received a complete refund within 10 days. Remove existing viruses with Bitdefender
Quick Comparison Table: 2023’s Best AVs for Removing Existing Viruses
Remove existing viruses with Norton
How I Tested and Ranked the Best AVs for Removing Existing Viruses
I analyzed several important aspects when picking the best antiviruses for removing existing viruses. The key features I looked for include the following:
Malware detection rate — It’s crucial to have an antivirus that can detect every single virus on your device. So, I focused on picking only those antiviruses that can successfully detect and eliminate 100% of malware on your system. Ease-of-use — Alongside being effective, it’s important for an antivirus to be easy to use so that everyone can make the most of them. I only recommended antiviruses with intuitive designs that are easy to figure out. Available scan types — Having an antivirus with multiple scans is essential to keeping your system safe from every threat. The antiviruses I’ve picked on this list offer a variety of scans so you can remove every bit of malware from your system. Additional features — Of course, it’s also essential for a high-end modern-day antivirus to provide additional features that bring extra layers of security. I’ve only recommended antiviruses with helpful features like password managers, VPNs, and dark web monitoring alongside their virus scanning. Value for money — No matter the effectiveness of an antivirus, it must be affordable to be considered worthwhile. All the antiviruses I’ve chosen for you come with multiple well-priced plans you can subscribe to so you can have top-tier protection for your devices.
Remove existing viruses with Norton
Can any new antivirus remove existing viruses?
Yes. As long as you pick a high-end antivirus with perfect malware detection, it’ll easily detect and remove existing viruses from your system. Simply install your preferred antivirus, run a full scan, and it’ll take care of any viruses on your system.
Should I remove my old antivirus before installing a new one?
Yes. If you aren’t using a top antivirus like Norton, you should delete your old antivirus. Once you’ve removed the old antivirus from your system, you can install any high-end antivirus from this list and enjoy reliable protection against every cyberthreat.
How does an antivirus remove viruses?
The best Windows antiviruses use various techniques to identify and remove malware from your system. Many antiviruses use signature-based or behavior-based detection to flag any suspicious files on your system. Afterward, the antivirus compares them to a regularly updated database of known threats to confirm whether or not they’re viruses. Not all antiviruses are 100% effective at safeguarding your system, though. I highly recommend that you get a high-end antivirus like Norton to guarantee your system’s safety against all possible threats. Remove existing viruses with Norton
Remove Existing Viruses From Your PC With a Top-Tier Antivirus
In conclusion, it’s easy to remove any existing viruses from your system by using an antivirus. Simply get a reliable antivirus, run a full scan on your system, and let the security app take care of the rest for you. Of course, getting a premium antivirus with perfect malware detection is crucial if you want to remove every single threat from your system. Plus, when you choose a high-end antivirus like Norton, you also get helpful extra features like secure cloud storage, a password manager, and a reliable VPN. So, even though there are several premium antiviruses you can pick from, Norton stands out from the rest. Its 100% malware detection rate will remove even the most well-hidden viruses from your system. Also, it comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you can try Norton completely risk-free.
