Ad-Aware is a very well-known anti-spyware program which has recently made the leap to become a full anti-virus solution for Windows-based PCs. It is probably one of the first programs ever to specifically target malware and spyware applications and has become extremely good at detecting and removing unwanted applications for your computer.

Choose the level of protection that fits your needs Download Free Buy Pro Save 55% Buy Total; Award-winning Antivirus protection Stop viruses, ransomware, spyware and other forms of malware.: Download protection Scan all downloads before they have a chance to damage your PC.: Real-time protection Block malicious processes and infected files in real-time. The best free protection for your PC. Combining our legendary anti-spyware with a powerful antivirus, Ad-Aware Free Antivirus+ enhances them with real-time protection, download protection and continuously updated filters against malicious URLs, providing top-of-the-line anti-malware protection for the casual computer user.

With the shift to also become an Antivirus program, Ad-Aware has changed in many different ways, and the layout that we've all become used to has also received a facelift.

When you first download the new Ad-Aware, you'll get to experience the new look with the installation screen which allows you to install the software in English, German, Spanish, French and Italian. From there, following the steps is typical of most types of software installations. The next step will remind you that you'll require 100 MB worth of free space on your hard drive. Do note that Ad-Aware will also request permission to install their 'Safe Browsing' toolbar and change your homepage. Near the end of the installation, you might have to wait a few minutes in order for the latest definition files to be downloaded.

Upon first running Ad-Aware Free, you will be reminded that all of the to 'Pro' features have been activated for 30 days. No worries there as you have indeed downloaded the free version, though LavaSoft will tease you with a few extra features which are applicable only for a trial period of 30 days.

From the main interface of Ad-Aware, you're given several different options for protecting your computer. The main options include Safe Browsing, Safe Network, E-mail Protection, Advanced Firewall, External Storage Scan and Shop & Bank Safety Online. All of these features are self-explanatory and when activated, you're taken to the main settings page for the respective features which have been activated.

To the meat of the program: Anti-Spyware. The main scanning interface of Ad-Aware Free is upgraded from previous iterations of Ad-Aware. Though today you're presented with a clean look which gives you access to several different scanning options. By default, the program will 'Quick Scan' and look for for rootkits, running processes, file names and checksums, the registry, harmful cookies, an option to suspend active threats and another option to keep a copy saved of the scan you're about to perform. The full scan option gives you several other options.

Free download and install opera browser. Ad-Aware Free offers several other options and the anti-virus solution offered here really is the new kid on the block. With that said, the company does have a long history in dealing with online threats and has (in the past) actually been able to remove viruses. With that said, it will take some time to mature and in the mean time remains an effective anti-virus program.

Speed-wise, Ad-Aware isn't necessarily the fastest anti-malware/anti-virus/anti-spyware application available, but as mentioned earlier, does a noble job at keeping your system clean of those types of threats.

All-in-all, Ad-Aware Free is a highly recommended application to keep your computer free of harmful viruses and spyware. Though we don't intend on paying for an upgrade to the 'Pro' version anytime soon, it does offer some extra features which give some peice of mind.

Features and highlights

Fast Antivirus
Download Protection
Automatic Threat Updates
Game Mode
Legendary Antispyware
Real-Time Protection
Pin-Point Scanning

Ad Aware Free 12.8.1241.0 on 32-bit and 64-bit PCs

Install Ad Aware Free

This download is licensed as freeware for the Windows (32-bit and 64-bit) operating system on a laptop or desktop PC from antivirus without restrictions. Ad Aware 12.8.1241.0 is available to all software users as a free download for Windows.

Filed under:

Ad Aware Free Download
Freeware Antivirus
Major release: Ad Aware Free 12.8

Download.com's Review

One of the first applications built to find and remove adware and spyware, Ad-aware SE Personal Edition's excellent reputation is well justified. The sky-blue, skinnable interface features five buttons. The first two, Status and Scan, lead to the core function of the application. These buttons initiate a scan of your files for adware components. After scanning is complete, the program presents a summary of results, followed by a list from which you select exactly which components to remove. Right-clicking an individual entry gives some information about the piece of suspected adware, though we would like more details. Ad-aware SE can alert you to more malignant forms of malware by separating items into critical and negligible categories. The third button, Ad-watch, is nonfunctional in the Standard version. The fourth button, Plug-ins, shows you which Ad-aware plug-ins are installed. The fifth leads to the help files.

Ad-aware SE does an excellent job of quickly finding and removing most adware and spyware components, although you will have to restart and rescan for a seriously infected machine. We were pleased to see an auto-update feature included with the program, keeping Ad-aware up-to-date with the latest adware components. Ad-aware SE should be part of your arsenal for keeping your machine free of adware and spyware components.

Install Adware Free

Cnet.com's Review
Ad-aware SE Personal Edition 1.06 is the latest version of Lavasoft's popular free antispyware program, and not surprisingly, it continues to meet the high standards that Ad-aware is known for. Long considered the grandfather of antispyware programs, Ad-aware keeps getting better and is one of our recommended additions to any desktop.
This latest version of Ad-aware SE runs faster than previous versions, and it finds and deletes even more illicit programs that track your surfing and cause many of those annoying pop-up ads. With its light use of resources and thorough scans, Ad-aware also beats paid antispyware programs, such as McAfee Anti-Spyware. In addition to providing a more robust scanning engine, Ad-aware now sports a sleek new interface that makes the program more attractive and extremely simple to use. Ad-Aware's custom skins let you change the look and feel of the app in a variety of ways.
Downloading and installing Ad-aware SE Personal took only a few minutes. It's best to run a full system scan the first time you use Ad-aware. After that, it's much faster to use the Smart Scan option, which checks only files that have recently changed on your hard drive. Ad-aware is highly configurable, with more options and choices than you'd expect in a free spyware-removal program. The default settings work great with most systems, though, and unless you have an unusual situation, you shouldn't have to fiddle with any settings.

Ad Aware Spyware Free Download

If you've been using your PC on the Internet without any spyware protection, you'll probably be amazed at how many offending programs Ad-aware finds. Unfortunately, the process of removing offending apps with Ad-aware can be confusing at times because Ad