AV Comparatives, a renowned security testing site, has published a list of antivirus programs that have been deemed compatible with Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 11 operating system.
Microsoft is set to launch Windows 11 officially on October 5, 2021. New devices with Windows 11 preinstalled will hit the market on the same day, and existing Windows 10 devices meeting the system requirements will receive upgrade offers gradually.
Windows 11 comes equipped with Windows Defender, a security feature that has undergone significant enhancements in recent years. Some third-party antivirus companies have criticized the consolidation of Windows Defender, claiming it is anti-competitive. Microsoft stated in 2019 that Windows Defender holds a usage share of over 50%.
Users utilizing third-party antivirus solutions on Windows 10 may be curious about their compatibility with Windows 11.
AV Comparatives conducted tests on popular antivirus programs using a preview build of Windows 11. Each solution was installed on a clean system, and testers verified proper installation, database update, and integration with Windows Security through manual updates and system restarts.
Several assessments were carried out to ensure the functionality of the antivirus solutions on Windows 11, with AV Comparatives outlining the following prerequisites:
- Successful installation without requiring specialized knowledge or workarounds
- Automatic activation of real-time protection without user intervention
- Seamless integration with Windows Security
- Efficient updating of malware signatures, whether automatic or manual
- Alerting users if real-time protection is disabled and facilitating easy reactivation
- Delivering equivalent or superior malware detection compared to Windows 10
- Responding appropriately to malware encounters to safeguard the system
- Clean uninstallation with removal from Windows Security
The complete list of solutions found to be compatible by AV Comparatives is available on their website:
- Avast Free Antivirus 21.7.2481
- AVG Free Antivirus 21.8.3202
- Avira Antivirus Pro 1.1.54.2291
- Bitdefender Internet Security 25.0.26.89
- ESET Internet Security 14.2.24.0
- G Data Total Security 25.5.11.316
- K7 Total Security 16.0.0556
- Kaspersky Internet Security 21.3.10.391
- Microsoft Defender Antivirus, as in Build 22454.1000 of Windows 11
- Malwarebytes Premium 4.4.6
- McAfee Total Protection 16.0
- Norton LifeLock Norton 360 22.21.8.62
- Panda Free Antivirus 21.00.00
- Total AV Total Security 5.15.69
- Total Defense Essential Antivirus 13.0.0.545
- Trend Micro Internet Security 17.0.1181
- VIPRE Advanced Security 11.0.6.22
AV Comparatives highlights that the vendors of these solutions have not officially declared Windows 11 support. To ensure compatibility, users should try out a trial version of their chosen antivirus software on Windows 11 devices that did not upgrade from Windows 10.
Closing Thoughts
Given the similarities between Windows 10 and Windows 11, it is expected that most programs functioning on Windows 10 will also work seamlessly on Windows 11. Third-party antivirus tools faced challenges on Windows 10, notably during feature updates.
