Many of the best antivirus software packages have auto-update features, so updated files and patches are downloaded to your computer when available. Here’s a look at the auto-update features in the top antivirus programs so you can make sure your computer is continuously protected.
AVG Antivirus
AVG offers a free product, AVG AntiVirus Free, and a paid product with broader protection, AVG Internet Security. With both versions, automatic updates should be enabled by default, but it’s important to make sure. Here’s how to manage automatic updates with AVG.
Open AVG, and from the menu, select Settings. In the left pane, select General, then select Update. In the Virus Definitions section, select More options. Select Automatic update. This ensures that virus definitions are updated when new ones are available. Other options are Ask when an update is available, Manual update (not recommended), and Enable streaming update, which downloads micro-updates continuously as new malware is discovered. Go to the Update section and, in the Application area, select More options. Select Automatic update. This ensures that any application updates are immediately downloaded to your computer.
Avast Antivirus
Avast keeps its virus definitions up to date regularly, as well as other application features. Automatic updates should be enabled by default, but it’s important to make sure. Here’s how to manage automatic updates with all Avast antivirus products.
Open Avast, and from the menu, select Settings. Go to the left pane and select General, then select Update. In the Virus definitions section, select More options. Select Automatic Update. You may be prompted to restart the computer. Other options are Ask when an update is available, Manual update (not recommended), or Enable streaming update, which downloads micro-updates continuously as new malware is discovered. In the Update section, go to the Application area and select More options. Select Automatic update. This ensures that any application updates are immediately downloaded to the computer.
Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes for Windows automatically performs database updates and scans. If it doesn’t update or scan automatically, make sure the settings are configured correctly.
Open Malwarebytes and select Settings. On the Protection tab, scroll down to Updates. In the Updates section, turn on Automatically check for updates, then choose how frequently Malwarebytes should check for updates, for example, every hour. Turn on Notify me if time since last update exceeds 24 hours to stay alert to any update problems.
Bitdefender
Bitdefender subscriptions include automatic updates of the application and cyberthreat protection tools. When your computer is offline, your internet connection is too slow, or your computer doesn’t have internet access, you can download updates manually to a computer with internet access and then transfer the updates to your offline computer with a removable device. Here’s how:
Download the update package, called weekly. exe, for 32-bit operating systems or 64-bit operating systems. Double-click the downloaded file to start the setup wizard. Select Next to begin the installation process. Select I accept the terms in the License Agreement, then select Next. Select Install to begin installing. Select Finish to close the installation wizard. The weekly. exe application is a virus definition update only. To install product updates, update Bitdefender using the Update feature of the product on an internet-connected computer.
Kaspersky
By default, Kaspersky updates every two hours automatically. You can also run a manual update anytime.
Right-click the Kaspersky icon on the desktop and select Update. Select Run Database Update. Wait while the program updates.
