There’s no one way to protect one’s computer. There multiple steps one can take, including installing virus protection software, updating Windows, and installing software from trusted sources. All of these steps put together can help prevent your computer from falling in the wrong hands. We’re going to list some steps below that if applied correctly, might help protect your computer from viruses and malware online, and prevent criminals from stealing your information and/or data. Before you even get started, you might want to read these posts. They’ll help you set up a backup process to prevent ransomware attacks and restore your data in a successful attack, as well as protect Windows from viruses using Microsoft Defender.
How to enable ransomware protection in Windows 11 How to protect against viruses and malware in Windows 11
To get started protecting one’s computer in Windows 11, follow the steps below.
Install Antivirus software in Windows 11
Your first line of defense against viruses and malware is to install antivirus virus software. Windows comes with Microsoft Defender which is an antivirus software you can use to protect Windows if you don’t have a commercial equivalent. How to install and use Microsoft Defender to protect one’s computer. Running multiple anti-malware apps at the same time can cause your system to be slow or unstable. If you install an anti-malware app from a different company, Microsoft Defender will automatically turn itself off.
Turn on Microsoft Edge SmartScreen in Windows 11
When using Windows 11, you also turn on SmartScreen in the Microsoft Edge browser to help protect you from phishing and malware attacks by warning you before downloading software that may be infected with viruses or malware or downloading programs from locations that have been reported as unsafe. How to turn on SmartScreen with Edge browser in Windows 11 Microsoft Defender SmartScreen provides warning messages to help protect you from potentially untrusted and phishing websites and malicious software. SmartScreen filter can also help you from downloading and installing malware (malicious software) on your computers.
Make sure Windows Updates is enabled and updating your computer
As with any protection plans, if your Windows computer is not receiving regular updates from Microsoft, that computer will be vulnerable to viruses and malware. Microsoft releases special security updates that can help protect your PC. These updates can help prevent viruses and other malware attacks by closing possible security holes. How to update a Windows 11 computer Windows Updates is set up to automatically install security and features updates on your computer. You can also choose to manually install updates at any time.
Turn on User Account Control (UAC) in Windows 11
Your Windows computer has two account types: Administrator and local user. When changes are going to be made to your PC that requires administrator-level permission, UAC notifies you and gives you the chance to approve the change. UAC can help keep viruses from making unwanted changes. How to turn on UAC in Windows 11 If UAC is disabled on your computer, make sure to turn it on so that changes that viruses and malware that may want to install on your computer may fail to do so.
Turn on the pop-up blocker in Windows 11
Pop-up windows are small browser windows that appear on top of the website you’re viewing. Sometimes these can be malicious software attempting to trick users into clicking a link to download the malicious code. How to turn on pop-up blocker in Windows 11 A pop-up blocker can prevent some or all of these windows from appearing. The pop-up blocker in Microsoft Edge is turned on by default. The steps above may not be a complete guide to protecting all Windows 11 computers, but a good starting place. Additional steps and processes may be needed to more layers of security to protect your computer. That should do it! Conclusion: This post showed you how to put in place steps that may help protect your computer from viruses and malware. If you find any error above or have something to add, please use the comment form below.
