How to Remove Malware or a Virus from a Windows Computer

If your Windows PC is acting strange — slow, covered in pop-ups, or showing fake warnings — it may have malware. Here's how to check and clean it.

In this guide (6 steps):

1.Disconnect from the internet first (if symptoms are severe)
2.Run a Windows Defender scan
3.Run Malwarebytes for a second opinion
4.Remove suspicious programs
5.Change your passwords after cleanup
6.Prevent future infections

Disconnect from the internet first (if symptoms are severe)

~16s

If your computer is actively showing fake warnings, running very slowly, or doing things on its own, disconnect from Wi-Fi first by clicking the Wi-Fi icon and choosing Disconnect. This prevents malware from sending your information out or downloading more malicious files.

Run a Windows Defender scan

~24s

Click Start and type "Windows Security." Open it and click "Virus & threat protection." Click "Scan options," choose "Full scan," and click "Scan now." A full scan takes 30–60 minutes. If Windows Defender finds anything, it will show you options to Remove or Quarantine the threat — choose Remove.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: The "Quick scan" checks the most common locations in just a few minutes, but "Full scan" is more thorough for suspected infections.

Run Malwarebytes for a second opinion

~15s

Go to malwarebytes.com and download the free version of Malwarebytes. Install it and run a "Threat Scan." The free version is excellent for finding and removing malware that Defender may have missed. After scanning, quarantine or delete anything it finds.

Remove suspicious programs

~22s

Click Start > Settings > Apps. Scroll through the list and look for programs you don't recognize or didn't intentionally install — especially anything with names like "PC Optimizer," "Search Helper," "Browser Guard," or similar vague names. Click on any suspicious entry and choose Uninstall.

Warning

Don't uninstall programs you're unsure about if they look like system tools (Dell, HP, Intel, Microsoft branded items). Only remove clearly unfamiliar or suspicious names.

Change your passwords after cleanup

~15s

If your computer had malware, assume any passwords you typed while infected may have been captured. After cleaning the computer, change your email password, bank login, and any other important account passwords from a different, clean device if possible.

Prevent future infections

~16s

Keep Windows Defender on at all times. Never download software from email attachments or unofficial websites. Be wary of pop-ups claiming your computer is infected — legitimate security software doesn't use pop-ups from your browser to alert you. Microsoft and Apple will never call you unsolicited about a virus.

You Did It!

You've completed: How to Remove Malware or a Virus from a Windows Computer

Need more help? Get Expert Help from a TekSure Tech

Malware is software that sneaks onto your computer and does harmful things — it might slow your PC to a crawl, show endless pop-up ads, lock your files, steal passwords, or display fake scary warnings saying your computer has been hacked. Ransomware is a particularly nasty type that locks your files and demands payment.

The most common ways people get malware on Windows: clicking a link in a fake email (phishing), downloading a program from an unofficial website, clicking a fake "Your computer is infected!" pop-up, or installing software bundled with other programs.

The good news: Windows 11 comes with Windows Defender, a solid built-in security tool that can find and remove most common threats. There's also a free tool called Malwarebytes that catches things Defender misses. Together, these two tools handle the vast majority of malware infections.

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