Spyware is a form of that tries to steal information from you without you knowing or approving. It could be disguised as a legitimate program or work behind the scenes to do things like track web browsing data or monitor keystrokes to collect passwords. You might have a spyware infection if your computer's performance has recently started to suffer, and especially if strange pop-ups are showing up, websites are redirecting to places you don't want to go, email contacts are getting odd spam messages that appear to be from you, or you're a victim of identify theft. Below are several free anti-spyware tools that can scan your, etc. To remove spyware. Some of them only work when you manually start the scan but others will monitor your computer all the time to make sure spyware can't modify your computer or monitor your information. Note: All the programs mentioned below are known to scan for spyware but they might not scan for other things like viruses.
Other scanners remove some kinds of malware but not spyware, so we've omitted those from this list. Important: Spyware is often bundled with a normal program's installer. See for some tips on avoiding spyware in the first place. SUPERAntiSpyware should be your very first pick if you want to get rid spyware that's already on your computer.
It updates often, installs and scans quickly, and gives you complete control over what gets scanned. It's able to check inside files, skip unknown file types (for a quicker scan), ignore files bigger than 4 MB, and skip over non-executable files (so that only and similar file types are scanned). What really makes SUPERAntiSpyware stand out among the others in this list is that it can also be set up to only scan files that have been changed within the last so-many days (1 day, 5 days, etc.), ignore and Volume Information data, use more of the for a faster scan (called Scan Boost), and even scan the files that shortcuts point to. SUPERAntiSpyware can scan the whole computer or just parts of it where spyware normally exists. You can also run a Critical Point Scan to delete spyware that's currently running in or use the Custom Scan option to pick what gets scanned and where to check (flash drives, internal/external hard drives, select folders, etc.). This anti-spyware tool can also before the scan is started, exclude folders from scans, scan from the right-click context menu, and close down any open web browsers before scanning.
The free version is 100% free but you do have to manually run scans and definition updates (they don't happen automatically). However, these limitations are lifted with. Tip: If you want to try the professional edition, you can enable the trial during installation of the free version.
Malwarebytes is another big-hitter when it comes to cleaning up spyware. It's easy to use and tends to find a lot more malicious items than similar programs. It scans through and, files, and running processes, plus includes a heuristics analyzer to find potentially unwanted programs. When the scan is complete, it's really easy to tell where the spyware was found, and selecting the ones to quarantine is just a click or two away. Malwarebytes can also scan individual files and folders as well as whole hard drives, with the right-click context menu in Windows Explorer. There's an option to scan within archives, ignore certain files/folders, and to scan for rootkits too.
Automatic updates, a more detailed scanning schedule, and automatic quarantine is only available in the premium version. You can start a trial from the top of the free version. Avast Free Antivirus. Avast can detect and remove spyware before you even know it's on your computer. What makes it different than the two from above is that it's always on and always watching for new threats. There are lots of settings you can adjust in Avast, like to enable CyberCapture to block unrecognized files, use Hardened Mode to really lock down on security, scan for potentially unwanted programs, scan from Windows Explorer, exclude files/folders/ from scans, and lots more.
Also included in Avast is a Wi-Fi inspector, client, junk cleaner, and web and mail protection Avast sells paid antivirus programs but also offers this free one, all of which provide anti-spyware protection. AVG AntiVirus Free. AVG is another popular antivirus program that serves as a full malware scanner, checking for and removing not only spyware but also ransomware, viruses, and more. All automatically and for free.
Spybot Spyware Removal Free Download
AVG provides not only protection for your computer but also for your web activity and email. You can perform a full system scan, a -time scan, or a custom scan, but there's also a dedicated button that instantly starts a check for spyware on all your removable devices. Another unique feature in AVG is its Deep Scan option that runs a much slower but also more thorough scan, a good option if nothing else seems to get rid of the spyware. You can configure it to recognize files by their content and not their, which is ideal if the spyware is using a hidden/false file extension. The Deep Scan option can also open and scan through over 20 archive file types, much more than most other spyware scanners that usually just support the popular ones (ZIP.
Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been 'hijacked' (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware.
Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer. Spybot-S&D can also clean usage tracks, an interesting function if you share your computer with other users and don't want them to see what you have been working on. And for professional users, Spybot-S&D allows you to fix some registry inconsistencies and extended reports.