Despite the fact that Windows 7 and Windows 10 are the most popular operating systems on the market, Windows XP is still installed on some computers, for a various number of reasons. A statistics about the Windows XP usage can be found in this article.
Today I’m going to list a few free (at least free for personal use) and lightweight antivirus software than can still run on Windows XP, without making it.
Avast!:
From my experience, the best antivirus for Windows XP is Avast, having a lot of features, including:
- On access protection against viruses and malware
- Heuristics engine to detect previously unknown threats
- Silent mode which hides alerts during full-screen user activities
- Easy installation wizard.
Cons:
- It requires yearly registration.
- It suggests installing additional software
Download Avast! Free from here
Comodo:
Comodo Antivirus Free provides virus protection and on-access file protection, includes a Game Mode that does not display any notifications, updates virus definitions in the background and has both 32 bit and 64 bit installers.
Cons:
- Performs some system modifications that you might want to disable
- Initial updates take a while to complete
- The installer kit is very large
- In creates a sandboxed environment for untrusted apps, not permitting them to infect the system
Download Comodo Antivirus Free from here
AVG Free:
AVG free is yet another antivirus system that can run on older computers that use Windows XP. It provides file anti-virus, anti-malware and anti-rootkit protection, web protection, email client protection, can be used in silent mode, can be controlled via a web portal and does not ask for registration before usage.
Cons:
- It slows down the computer
- It installs third-party software by default
- It recommends the acquisition of paid features
- The Zen interface may be annoying
Immunet Free:
Last but not least on this list is Immunet, yet another free antivirus still compatible with Windows XP running on older computers.
Main features:
- It is very light
- Provides cloud-based anti-virus, anti-malware and anti keylogger protection
- Can run along other antivirus system
Cons:
- Does not provide a very good protection