Although it’s impossible to completely protect yourself against malware, you can lessen your chances of infection by practicing basic digital hygiene whenever you use the internet, install programs, or interact with emails that include links or files.

Having said that, malware infections might manifest in sluggish PC performance, unexpected app or program crashes, or the appearance of unfamiliar applications or processes. In order to detect malware and remove it from your computer, adhere to following instructions.

1. Disconnect your device from the internet

Turn off your computer’s internet connection first. This stops malware in its tracks from infecting additional devices on your network or getting upgrades that might make it harder to control or remove. Disconnect immediately after finishing any program downloads, such as a virus eradication tool.

2. Reboot in Safe Mode

You can isolate malware and lessen the chance of harm by restarting your PC in Safe Mode, which lowers the amount of drivers and services operating. The most basic setting is Safe Mode, but if you need to connect to the internet (for example, to install software to remove malware), you may do it in Safe Mode with Networking. If you’re using Windows 10 or 11, you may restart your computer in Safe Mode by following these steps:

• To access your system preferences, press Windows + I.
• Choose either System > Recovery or Update & Security > Recovery.
• Choose Restart Now from the Advanced Startup menu.
• Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart from the Choose an Option screen that opens after restart.
• To enter Safe Mode with Networking, press 5/F5, or 4/F4 after the second restart.

Key loggers and other forms of malware may grab your credentials from your screen or clipboard, so it’s best to avoid signing into any applications or services after you enter Safe Mode.

3. Monitor your PC’s activity

You can see your computer’s operations and activities in a number different ways, which might help you spot unusual behavior. To begin, go to Settings > Privacy & security > Activity history and look for any recently used applications or files. Simply type “Event Viewer” into Windows’ search box to open the program, which displays comprehensive records of system and security activities. To access the events, expand Windows Logs on the left sidebar and choose the category.

Lastly, you can see what processes are active and which resources are being utilized by using Task Manager. You may open it from the Start menu or by using the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Processes with unusually long names or a high resource consumption rate should be investigated. From the Processes tab, you may choose and terminate tasks.

4. Remove temporary files

Under Settings > System > Storage > Temporary Files, you may locate and remove any temporary files that malware may have installed on your PC. These files enable the malware to hide or propagate. You may delete files one by one by clicking the Remove Files button. If you haven’t already, turn on Windows’ built-in Storage Sense program, which will automatically delete temporary files on a schedule or when you want it to. To activate Storage Sense, go to Settings > System > Storage and turn it on. Then, to start using it right away, click Clean now.

5. Reset your browser

You may fix any changes caused by malware by resetting your web browser to its original settings. Click the menu icon (three dots) in Chrome’s top right corner to access the preferences menu. Select Restore settings to their original default by tapping Reset Settings in the left toolbar. Click the Reset settings button to confirm.

6. Run a malware scan

Scanners for malware can detect, isolate, and eliminate any dangers to your computer. Microsoft Defender is Windows’ native antivirus software, accessible via the Windows Security app. However, if you are still worried about an infection, it might be wise to use a second scanner or another third-party tool to catch any infections that were missed by the first.

7. Start (or restart) your computer

Restart your computer after you are certain that all dangers have been eliminated. If the malware eradication method doesn’t work, you may have to wipe and reinstall Windows and all of your programs (i.e., reset your computer). Be sure the backup you’re using was made before the virus infestation occurred.