If you're lucky, a computer virus is one of the most annoying things to happen to your PC or Mac. And if you're unlucky, it's one of the most devastating. While some viruses are little more than a pain in the back, others can do serious damage to your most valuable data, like your photos or important personal documents. The good news is that if your PC or Mac has one, you don't have to be a real techie to get rid of it. And it's really easy to prevent your computer from getting infected again in the future. Let's see how to detect a virus on your computer and how to fix it.
How do viruses get into PCs?
Computer viruses generally spread in two different ways. The most common way is to get people to open infected files. These files can be sent via email, downloaded from websites, or stored on a removable device such as a USB drive – if you open the file, the virus infiltrates your PC or Mac. Viruses can also be transmitted via non-software. safe, that is, when a program is not 100% immune to infection: some viruses are specifically written to attack vulnerabilities in specific programs.
How to detect the symptoms of a PC virus
PC viruses are just like viruses in the real world: they attack your PC and prevent it from working properly. So the first sign of a PC virus may be that your computer is doing unusual things. Do you suddenly see loads of pop-up ads? When you try to search the Internet, do you get strange results? Are you completely stuck on your computer with a message asking for money? All of this is what computer experts call "malware," which is short for malware. We're all a little different, so the one that blows you up with ads is called adware, weird search results are the result of something called browser hijacking, and the locked computer is called ransomware. In the case of ransomware, never pay the ransom or, even worse, give criminals your card details or bank details: they probably won't unlock your PC, but they will certainly get away with your money. While many viruses are obvious, some are not. Some of them are obvious only to others. For example, if you get messages from friends, family, or colleagues asking why you're sending them weird stuff, it's often a sign that a virus on your computer is sending infected emails to try to spread to everyone in your contact book. The good news is that all these problems are easy to solve.
How to remove a PC virus from your computer
![mejor software antivirus]()
(Image credit: TechRadar) To get rid of a virus, you need to do two things. First, you need to get a digital sanitizer. We use the term "antivirus software" to cover all kinds of virus killers; The best antivirus software can detect and destroy all types of malware, from adware to ransomware. Different suites will suit different people, but our top recommendations are Bitdefender AntiVirus, Norton AntiVirus, and Kaspersky AntiVirus – we think these are the smartest, safest, and easiest solutions for most people. Once you have it, update it right away. Antivirus software will usually do this automatically, but it's a good idea to use its "Check for updates" option to be sure. New forms of malware are found every day, and the best antivirus applications are constantly being updated to destroy even the latest viruses. The second thing to do is isolate the virus so it can't do any more damage. To do this, you can put your PC into something called "Safe Mode". This is a Windows feature that works with the absolute minimum of functionality. This means that there are fewer opportunities for the virus to do anything or spread to other computers. Once you're in safe mode, run your antivirus software and turn on the kettle – no matter how fast your PC is, any scanner can take a while. Your antivirus software will identify all infected files and clean them if it can; if they are irreparable, it will quarantine them so they can be safely removed without re-infecting your PC. In some cases, you can also use Windows System Restore to restore your files to their pre-infection state.
How To Prevent Viruses From Entering Your PC
The last thing you want is another infection, so it's important to practice the Internet equivalent of social distancing: never open files you didn't specifically ask for, and never download files from places you don't completely trust. We highly recommend good antivirus software, no matter how careful you are. Most of the best antivirus software suites automatically scan incoming email, files you download, and USB devices you connect, but they'll protect you in other ways, too. For example, Norton AntiVirus has anti-ransomware protection and a virtual private network (VPN) to prevent people from intercepting your data when using public Wi-Fi, and it has parental controls so you can make sure kids browse safely too . Not all viruses are obvious and not all spread in a predictable way, and new viruses are discovered every day. A good antivirus also knows them. It is also very important to keep your copy of Windows and your other applications up to date. In most cases, this should happen automatically through Windows Update and your own apps' automatic check for updates, but not all apps do this for you, so be sure to click "Check for updates" . We also recommend two other very important things. First, be sure to save everything that is important. Viruses aren't the only threat to your important files: hardware can fail, laptops can be stolen, and accidents can happen. If you are interested, make sure you have it. And second, never use the same username and password twice. It's tempting, we know, but if you do and the malware manages to capture your password for site A, you can try these details on site B and site C, and site D and site E, and... If the idea If trying to remember different and complicated passwords for many different sites seems scary, look for an antivirus suite that also includes a password manager. This will create very strong passwords for you and you will remember them when you need them. TechRadar created this content as part of a paid partnership with Norton Antivirus. The content of this article is completely independent and reflects the editorial opinion of Techradar only.