How to know if your laptop has a virus windows 10

Everyone is (and should be) concerned about computer viruses, especially with new variations of this malicious software emerging each year.

But what does it mean for your data and device if it becomes infected with a virus and what damage can it do?

A computer virus works similarly to the flu virus: it’s highly contagious, you feel run down, you need more sleep and rest than usual and it’s difficult to perform even the simplest of daily tasks. Likewise, a computer virus interferes with the performance of your device by replicating itself and spreading throughout the operating system. A virus can damage programs, delete files and reformat or erase your hard drive, which results in reduced performance or even crashing your system entirely. Hackers can also use viruses to access your personal information to steal or destroy your data.

As society becomes more dependent on technology, it’s important to educate yourself, family, friends, employees and co-workers about safely navigating the internet. Here’s a quick guide on everything you need to know about computer viruses – from what they are and to how to spot one, to what you should do if your device is infected.

How a Computer Gets a Virus

There are several ways a computer can get infected by a virus and most of them involve downloading – either intentionally or unintentionally – infected files. Pirated music or movies, photos, free games and toolbars are common culprits, as are phishing/spammy emails with attachments. Viruses can also be downloaded by visiting malicious websites or clicking links or ads to an unknown/unsecure website. Even connecting to an infected external drive (like a USB) can introduce malicious software into your system.

How to Spot a Computer Virus

f you notice any of the following issues with your computer, it may be infected with a virus:

• Slow computer performance (taking a long time to start up or open programs)
• Problems shutting down or restarting
• Missing files
• Frequent system crashes and/or error messages
• Unexpected pop-up windows
• New applications (toolbars, etc.) that appear without you downloading them
• Overworked hard drive (the fan makes sounds and seems to be whirring and working hard when you aren’t doing much)
• Emails that send autonomously from your accounts
• Browser lag or redirects
• Malfunctioning antivirus programs or firewalls

Protecting Your Computer Against a Virus

While hackers are continuously creating smarter and more advanced viruses, there are several ways to protect your device and files.

The best way to deal with a virus is to prevent it in the first place by using antivirus protection and antispyware software. It’s important to keep these applications up to date, as well as regularly updating your operating system and making sure that your browser’s security settings are current. Regularly back up your files (to the cloud or safe external hard drive) in case they become corrupted, ransomed or are deleted. Use a security tool to evaluate your device and find out how vulnerable it might be.

When you’re surfing the internet, don’t click questionable links or pop-ups. Your browser may warn you about suspicious websites, or you might see a red unlocked lock to the left of the URL at the top of the webpage if it is unsecured. This doesn’t always mean a website is dangerous, but you may want to think twice about browsing or entering your information.

Another good rule of thumb is to never open an email or attachment unless you know and trust the sender. Oftentimes, hackers will use a friend’s name as the sender or use “Re:” in the subject line to trick you, so double check the actual email address to see if you recognize it. If you open the email and still aren’t sure, even if it’s from a trusted source, it’s still best to delete.

Be very careful when downloading software. Only download programs, movies and music from legitimate websites or services.

Many people connect using public Wi-Fi in cafes, restaurants or stores, but these unsecured networks can leave your phone, tablet or computer susceptible to viruses. Instead, consider using a personal hotspot to connect to the internet. If public Wi-Fi is your only option, use a VPN to better protect your device and data.

Finally, educate yourself about the types of threats out there and teach others to do the same. For instance, around 95 percent of teens use the internet, but 18 percent say they haven’t been educated about “good online behavior.” By taking the time to talk with your family about safe online habits, you can drastically lower the risk of devices being compromised.

What to Do If You Get a Virus

If you think your computer has been infected, start by running a full system scan using your antivirus software and an anti-malware program. Review the threats and take any action that you can (the software should guide you through this). If you are unable to delete the virus or infected files from your software, try restoring your computer to an earlier back-up before you began having problems.

Another strategy to try is deleting all of the temporary files on your computer. The method of clearing those files differs between systems but these processes are easy enough to research and implement for the average user. If your computer is malfunctioning and preventing you from accessing files to delete, you can try booting up in safe mode. Safe mode restricts certain programs so you can work to fix the issue without interruption.

In some cases, you may need to reinstall your operating system. If you aren’t familiar with how to do that, take your device to a local store that offers computer services and have a professional take a look.

All in all, prevention and education are the most effective ways to stop your computer from getting infected by a virus. Know the basics of staying safe online and share articles like these with family, friends and colleagues.

Author Bio

Alice is an experienced freelance writer who specializes in technology and business. She has a passion for understanding how technology is changing the human experience and communicating this societal transformation.

The best way to check your PC for viruses is to run a manual virus scan of your system with Microsoft Defender, Malwarebytes, or another antivirus program. You can also press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the Task Manager and look for unusual processes using a lot of resources.

Windows computers sometimes do get viruses and other malware, but not every slow or misbehaving PC is infected by malware. Here’s how to check if you actually have a virus—and whether that suspicious process is dangerous or not.

What Are the Signs of a Virus?

Poor performance, application crashes, and computer freezes can sometimes be a sign of a virus or another type of malware wreaking havoc. However, that’s not always the case: There are many other causes of problems that can slow down your PC.

Likewise, just because your PC is running fine doesn’t mean it doesn’t have malware. The viruses of a decade ago were often pranks that ran wild and used a lot of system resources. Modern malware is more likely to lurk silently and covertly in the background, trying to evade detection so it can capture your credit card numbers and other personal information. In other words, modern-day malware is often created by criminals just to make money, and well-crafted malware won’t cause any noticeable PC problems at all.

Still, sudden poor PC performance may be one sign you have malware. Strange applications on your system may also indicate malware — but, once again, there’s no guarantee malware is involved. Some applications pop up a Command Prompt window when they update, so strange windows flashing onto your screen and quickly disappearing may be a normal part of the legitimate software on your system.

There’s no one-size-fits-all piece of evidence to look for without actually scanning your PC for malware. Sometimes malware causes PC problems, and sometimes it’s well-behaved while sneakily accomplishing its goal in the background. The only way to know for sure whether you have malware is to examine your system for it.

RELATED: 10 Quick Ways to Speed Up a Slow PC Running Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11

How to Check if a Process Is a Virus or Not

You might be wondering if your computer has a virus because you’ve seen a strange process in the Windows Task Manager, which you can open by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc or by right-clicking the Windows taskbar and selecting “Task Manager.”

It’s normal to see quite a few processes here — click “More Details” if you see a smaller list. Many of these processes have strange, confusing names. That’s normal. Windows includes quite a few background processes, your PC manufacturer added some, and applications you install often add them.

Badly behaved malware will often use a large amount of CPU, memory, or disk resources and may stand out here. If you’re curious about whether a specific program is malicious, right-click it in the Task Manager and select “Search Online” to find more information.

If information about malware appears when you search the process, that’s a sign you likely have malware. However, don’t assume that your computer is virus-free just because a process looks legitimate. A process could lie and say it’s “Google Chrome” or “chrome.exe,” but it may just be malware impersonating Google Chrome that’s located in a different folder on your system. If you’re concerned you might have malware, we recommend performing an anti-malware scan.

The Search Online option isn’t available on Windows 7. If you use Windows 7, you’ll have to plug the name of the process into Google or another search engine instead.

RELATED: What's the Best Antivirus for Windows 10 and 11? (Is Microsoft Defender Good Enough?)

How to Scan Your Computer for Viruses

By default, Windows 11 is always scanning your PC for malware with the integrated Windows Security application, also known as Microsoft Defender. You can, however, perform manual scans.

On Windows 10 or 11, open your Start menu, type “Security,” and click the “Windows Security” shortcut to open it. You can also head to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Open Windows Security on Windows 10, or Settings > Privacy and Security > Windows Security > Open Windows Security on Windows 11.

To perform an anti-malware scan, click “Virus & threat protection.”

Click “Quick Scan” to scan your system for malware. Microsoft Defender will perform a scan and give you the results. If any malware is found, it will offer to remove it from your PC automatically.

If you want a second opinion — always a good idea if you’re concerned you might have malware, and your primary antivirus doesn’t find anything — you can perform a scan with a different security application, too.

We like and recommend Malwarebytes, which pairs well with Windows Security to provide an extra layer of protection for your PC. The free version of Malwarebytes will let you perform manual scans to check for viruses and other malware on your PC. The paid version adds real-time protection—but, if you’re just looking to test a computer for malware, the free version will work perfectly.

Windows 7 doesn’t include built-in antivirus software. You can download Microsoft Security Essentials and run a scan with it if you need a free option. It provides similar protection to the Microsoft Defender security software built into Windows 10 and 11. (Update: Now that Windows 7 is no longer supported, Microsoft Security Essentials is no longer available. We recommend you upgrade to a modern version of Windows.)

If your antivirus application finds malware but has trouble removing it, try performing a scan in Safe Mode, use an antivirus rescue software, or use Microsoft Defender’s Offline Scan.

You can also ensure you don’t have malware on your PC by resetting Windows to its default state.

Looking for a different antivirus program? Take a look at our favorite antivirus programs.

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