A few days ago you opened your browser and … surprise: the home page was different from the one you had always used until then and, at the top, in the toolbar, there were “strange” icons relating to extensions that you have never installed personally. Suspicious of all this, you started an antivirus scan, but unfortunately the problem does not seem to be solved. Not completely, at least.
Don’t panic! Such situations can be easily fixed with antimalware programs such as Malwarebytes which, thanks to its constantly updated database, is able to eradicate spyware, adware, promotional toolbars and other malicious software that common antivirus can leave out. It comes in two versions: a free basic one, which is sufficient in most cases, and a paid one, which offers advanced features, such as real-time system monitoring. I also point out that a mobile version of Malwarebytes is available for Android devices.
How do you say? I intrigued you and now you would like to know how to download Malwarebytes? Well, then continue reading because in the next few lines I will explain in detail how to download this software on Windows and macOS computers and on Android smartphones and tablets and I will also provide you with general information on how to use it. I wish you happy reading and I wish you the best of luck for everything.
Index
- Preliminary information
- Malwarebytes: Windows 11 download
- Malwarebytes: Mac download
- Malwarebytes: Android download
Preliminary information
Before getting to the heart of the tutorial, going to explain in detail how to download Malwarebytes , there is some preliminary information about it, which I think must be provided to allow you to have perfectly clear ideas about this tool.
For starters, let me tell you which versions of Malwarebytes are available for personal use and the price , if any, to get them. Here they are.
- Malwarebytes Free (Windows, macOS and Android)– this is the free version of Malwarebytes that allows you to perform on-demand antimalware scans to eradicate any malicious software present in the system. Its use, therefore, is aimed at simply cleaning machines that are suspected to be already infected and not at preventing malware infections that could affect the latter.
- Malwarebytes Premium (Windows, macOS and Android) – in addition to allowing cleaning on already infected machines, it allows you to prevent malware infections thanks to a real-time protection module and block ransomware attacks and only on Windows it allows you to protect vulnerable software and even recognize and block malicious websites. You can try it for free for 14 days, then you have to subscribe to a paid subscription with costs equal to 39.99 euros / year for 1 device or 79.99 euros / year for 5 devices (or 84.99 euros / year with VPN service in tow ) .
- Premium Mobile Security– allows you to take advantage of some extra features, such as automatic anti-malware scanning, proactive detection of ransomware, identification of suspicious links and malicious websites, and much more. It is possible to test the Premium functions of the app for 30 days, then you have to subscribe to the paid subscription which costs 12.99 euros / year.
For your information, I would like to point out that there are also Business versions of Malwarebytes, intended for company computers and servers. For all the details of the case, you can refer to the relevant information page .
Always before proceeding with the download of Malwarebytes, you must necessarily make sure that you have a device that meets all the hardware and software requirements required for the program to function correctly. Find them listed below.
Windows
- Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7 (both 32-bit and 64-bit)
- 800 MHz CPU or faster, with SSE2 technology
- 2048MB RAM (64-bit OS), 1024MB (32-bit OS)
- 250 MB of free hard disk space
- Screen resolution: 1024 x 768 pixels or higher
- Active Internet connection
macOS
- macOS 10.12 (or later)
- Active internet connection
Android
- Android 6.0 or later
Also for your information, I would like to point out that Malwarebytes is also there for Chromebook (you can download and install it on any version of chromeOS) and for iPhone and iPad (iOS / iPadOS 11 or later is required, but unfortunately it is not available on the Italian version of the App Store).
Malwarebytes: Windows 11 download
At this point, I’d say we’re there: we can get down to business and find out how to download Malwarebytes. If you are using a PC with Windows 11 (or any other version of Windows supported by Malwarebytes), to download the program on your computer connected to its website , and click on the Free Download button .
When the download is complete, open the MBSetup.exe file obtained and, in the window you see appear on the desktop, click on the Yes button, then on the Install button, decide whether to install the browser extension or not and wait for the setup to complete.
After completing the above steps, the program will start automatically (if it does not happen, you can, by selecting the relative link that has been added to the Windows Start menu ) and when you see the warning about the possibility of activating the free trial of the Premium version decides whether or not to take advantage of it by selecting the appropriate items.
Now that you have installed and started Malwarebytes, you can finally start the anti-malware scan on your computer. To run it, all you have to do is press the Scan button located in the center of the main program window and wait for the procedure to be completed.
The time taken to complete the process is variable, it all depends on the elements that the software has to analyze and the performance of the PC. However, it first checks that the database with definitions is up-to-date, after which it examines the processes in memory, the items set to start automatically, the system registry, the system files, and the rest of the items that they could carry spyware or other malicious software.
At the end of the analysis, a report will be shown showing the items analyzed, those ignored and various other details. If threats are found, they will be automatically deleted or quarantined.
I also point out that if you deem it necessary you can also customize the operation of the program, for example by determining if and after how long to automatically remove the quarantined items, if and how often to automatically search for protection updates, etc., by clicking on the gear wheel icon located in the upper right part of the Malwarebytes window and acting on the various items available.
I also inform you that in the main screen of the program you will find the tab relating to the history of detections and the one to manage the Premium options relating to real-time protection .
Malwarebytes: Mac download
Are you using a Mac and would like to understand how you can download Malwarebytes in this case? I’ll explain it to you right away. First, visit the program’s website , then click the Free Download button .
When the download is complete, open the Malwarebytes-Mac-x.xx.x.xxxx.pkg file and, in the window you see appear on the desktop, first press the Continue button three times in a row and then the Accept and Install buttons. Then type in the Mac administration password , click on the Install software button and, once the installation is complete, press the Close and Move buttons.
At the end of the installation, the program will start automatically (if it does not happen, fix it by selecting the relative icon that has been added to the macOS Launchpad) and will offer you to start thefree trial of the Premium subscription: if you do not want to consent to try it, press on the appropriate item to refuse and move on.
Now that you see the Malwarebytes main screen, you can finally start taking advantage of the program: the operation of Malwarebytes for Mac is identical to that of the Windows version, so I refer you to the previous step for what concerns the way of use.
Malwarebytes: Android download
If it is your intention to download Malwarebytes on your Android smartphone or tablet , the first thing you need to do is to visit the relevant section of the Play Store directly from your device and press the Install button (you can also download from alternative stores ).
Then, start the app by selecting the relative icon that has been added to the home screen and / or drawer, then press the Start now button and those Give permission and Allow to grant the app the necessary permissions to access the memory and to files. Then when you are shown the warning to start the free trial , decide whether to accept or not and wait for the main Malwarebytes screen to be visible.
At this point, to immediately resolve any problems identified on the device, press the Repair button.
Instead, to scan your smartphone or tablet, tap the button with the three lines horizontally at the top left, select the Scanner item from the menu that opens and press the Scan button . Before starting the scan, you can also change the relevant settings by pressing the gear wheel icon at the top right.
Once the device analysis is complete, you will be shown a report on the apps and files scanned, the number of malware detected and the actions taken.