What you need: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8/8.1 or 10
Whichever primary software you use to protect your PC from viruses and other security threats, it’s always good to have a second opinion on hand. MalwareBytes Free is ideal for scanning everything from a dodgy file to an entire hard drive, and won’t conflict with existing antivirus tools. The latest version adds a range of features and enhancements, including a new notification centre, which provides quick access to the program’s alerts. Notifications now also contain more information and the program’s reports have been simplified to make them clearer. To produce a report – that you may want to send to a PC technician for analysis, for example – click Reports, select the event you want, click View Report, then click Export and select the Text File option (see screenshot).
When you install Malwarebytes, it defaults to a 14-day trial of the Premium version of the tool. To disable this and switch to the Free version, click Settings, Account Details, then Deactivate Premium Trial.