- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000
- Date added: October 31, 2008
- Total Downloads: 34,247,431
- Downloads last week: 701,495
- See full specifications
A newer version of Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 2868 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on November 06, 2008
For a free antimalware and antivirus app that also runs in your system's background, AntiVir works surprisingly well. Its scans are flexible, allowing the user to fully scan all hard drives, choose a preloaded scan--for rootkits, for example--or customize a scan. Combining the antimalware with the antivirus is a luxury in a free scanner. After testing on several machines no viruses turned up, although several malicious hidden files did rear their heads. The heuristic scan can be turned on or off completely or partially, with three different intensity levels.
The quarantine is extensively thorough, too. The spreadsheet layout displays all relevant information about the quarantined file, and gives you options to scan it again, restore, delete, and more. The scheduler is fully customizable. Definition files are available at Avira's Web site if needed, and the help features are excellent, as well, with a description box relaying mouse-over information on each feature. Version 8.0 has introduced a faster engine and a faster definition file update, both of which are instantly noticeable improvements and yet still a bit slow.
Initial concerns about the real-time Guard protection hamstringing system performance proved groundless. Although we could shut off AntiVir and its Guard, there was no way to remove the icon from the system tray or stop the occasional ad placement by Avira. The Complete Scan is no longer numbingly slow, but it will pauses midscan to let you know when it's found a threat. That's good for killing nasties, but it also means that the scans needs baby-sitting.
Despite these hang-ups and the nag screen that follows updates, we found AntiVir to offer such effective protection with such a well-rounded set of features that as long as the definitions file updates keep coming, this app is our first line of defense.
Watch the CNET video review of Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus:
Publisher's description
From Avira :Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus is a comprehensive, easy to use antivirus program, designed to offer reliable free of charge virus protection to home-users only. Avira offers: Extensive Malware Recognition of viruses, Trojans, backdoor programs, worms, etc. Automatic incremental updates of antivirus signatures, engine and entire software. Permanent virus protection, with Virus Guard real time monitoring. Install and configuration in just a couple of steps. Virus protection against known and unknown threats, using an advanced heuristic system. Scheduler where you can set the scanner to make automatic virus scans or updates on your system. Forum and phone support, Knowledge Base with virus descriptions available on Web site. Rootkit Detection and Removal. Version 8.2.0.334 includes new Virus Engine update.
What's new in this version:
Version 8.2.0.334 includes new Virus Engine update.
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User reviews of Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus 8.2.0.334
- Average user rating: 3.9 stars out of 2868 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 189 user reviewsSee all 189 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus 8.2.0.334
Pros: my pc is so safe
Cons: thanks avira
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Version: Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus 8.2.0.334
Pros: good never ahd any problems
Cons: good never had any problems
Summary: good never had any problems
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Version: Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus 8.2.0.334
Pros: good software
Cons: In This software Update timing Is Very High
Summary: -
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Version: Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus 8.2.0.334
Pros: I installed this after my old antivirus went kaput (meaning expired). So far, I haven't been getting virus alerts. The first time I installed this though, it alerted me with numerous virus alerts- but they were really viruses.
Cons: Made my computer slow. :(
Summary: Good antivirus if you want a free one.
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Version: Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus 8.2.0.334
"Great Freeware, but lacks polish and is slow."
Pros: True real-time scanning for free! Rootkit detection. Easy installation. Can't beat the price.
Cons: SLOW as heck for scheduled scans. Seems to be a bit system hungry, but acceptable. Annoying advertisements from time to time. It seems they are all geared to get you to buy the paid version of Avira AV. The interface is a bit ugly.
Summary: The ad's are annoying, but this is a well-made product with no Spyware that is totally free for personal use. That's a fair trade off to me. I would say, at this point, the best "free" anti-virus products are AVG, Avira, and Avast - in no particular... read more >>
- See all 189 user reviews Write review
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