- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows 2000
- Date added: October 15, 2009
- Total Downloads: 230,983,351
- Downloads last week: 2,419,238
- See full specifications
A newer version of AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 19958 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on October 15, 2009
AVG Free provides the bare necessities when it comes to security, but that should be enough for savvy Windows users. You'll get a combined antivirus and antimalware engine, LinkScanner, and e-mail scanning. AVG Free 9 introduces a few new features, with improvements focused on performance, including claims of faster scan and boot times. One new feature is the Identity Theft Recovery Unit. Only for users in the United States, ITRU is a business partnership with Identity Guard which provides "consumer identity theft solutions," accessible only from the AVG toolbar in Firefox and Internet Explorer.
The interface is nearly unchanged from the last version, and generally it's easy to use. From the main window, though, you must double-click to get further information on any feature, whether virus scanning, LinkScanner settings, or updating. Streamlining this to one click would be helpful. A scheduling utility automates both scans and updates, while the upgrade ad at the screen's bottom can be easily hidden using the Hide Notification button. When starting a scan, a slider makes it easy to jump between Slow, Automatic, and Fast scans: the faster the scan, the less comprehensive it is, so users should take advantage of the scan optimization that is recommended during installation to speed up that first scan. A progress meter for regular scans would've been useful, though. Should a virus create serious problems, AVG creates a rescue disk to scan your computer in MS-DOS mode.
The LinkScanner feature protects you from third-party code exploits before they load in your browser and for ranking search results. Annoyingly, when you install its optional toolbar, it commandeers your new-tab page, decidedly inappropriate behavior. The program doesn't obviously tax your system when scanning or when running in the background, although CNET Labs determined that it will significantly slow down your system's boot time, and slightly delay shutting down. AVG also detected some image files as threats, when two other scans decided they weren't--we decided these were false positives. AVG might not be the fastest or the most effective free security option, but it still gets the job done and you're better off with it.
Watch the CNET video review of AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition:
Publisher's description
From AVG Technologies USA :AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is an anti-virus protection tool available free of charge to home users. Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high level of detection capability.
The new 9.0 edition is faster, safer and easier to use. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition gives you free rock solid protection for your basic security needs. The combined anti-virus/anti-spyware scanner in AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition runs up to 50% faster than earlier versions and doesn't get in your way. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition also delivers new anti-phishing detection techniques, which can quickly and accurately determine whether or not a web page is hosting a phishing attack. Additionally, version 9.0 comes with basic anti-rootkit protection to ensure protection against sophisticated hidden threats.
CNET Editor's Note:
The Download Now link will download a small installer file to your desktop. Remain online and double-click the installer to proceed with the actual download.
To learn more about AVG products and to ask questions and receive answers from AVG company representatives, please visit CNET's dedicated AVG Forum.
What's new in this version:
Version 9.0 runs and installs faster, delivers new anti-phishing detection techniques and introduces the AVG LinkScanner to proactively screen the Web pages you haven't even visited yet. For added peace of mind, you also get safety ratings for your Google, Yahoo! and Bing/MSN search results.
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User reviews of AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0.686
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 19958 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 274 user reviewsSee all 274 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0.686
Pros: Very fast, easy to make automatic, accurate and reliable
Cons: None, other than some of my old standby security programs seem redundant and the combinations seem to be creating some problems for me. But I'm sure yet secure in knowing which I could delete
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0 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0.686
"Fast, not interfeering, very adequate and performant."
Pros: Easy to use, install and maintain.
Cons: No problems encountered so far. Would say very good. So, NO CONS I can think of till now.
Summary: See above.
It is one of the few FREE programms encountered till now, performing according to its promisses! Congratulations AVG! -
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0.686
"Reads my online game as a threat!"
Pros: No problem at all with previous versions ... but the most recent sux as gaming, my #1 pasttime, is now all but stopped completely since the latest update reads my games as a security threat and removed them from my pc.
Cons: The most recent version sux as gaming, my #1 pasttime, is now all but stopped completely since the latest update reads my games as a security threat and removed them from my pc, many which I've played for years now without any trouble.
Summary: Whatever was included in the latest update of AVG that is misreading my online games like Maple Story as a security threat needs to be removed immediately. Actually, I'm just going to uninstall AVG and use another antivirus program. So, it really ... read more >>
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Version: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0.686
"I have NEVER had a problem with AVAST. It works great."
Pros: It catches all viruses and trojans etc. I am online a lot and I have NEVER had a virus or trojan.
Cons: NONE that I have found.
Summary: AVAST works better that Norton and is not as invasive. And it's FREE!
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Version: AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0.686
Pros: well i feel protected of any kind virus or others,i have no more worry its absolutely an outstanding product.it does work,any scanning to check results no problems,tested online by many experts,online services.
Cons: sorry i have nothing to say
Summary: i have no knowledge,how this thinks works,i have very little know how on pc,or viruses but what i can tell you i did have problems on other system i had,with viruses,spywares and such like,and many anti-viruses i had installed,they did not working,t... read more >>
- See all 274 user reviews Write review
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