Is it good for computers to install multiple antivirus software? This article by MiniTool will answer the questions about running two antivirus software at the same time in detail. Also, remember to back up files to ensure data security.

Do I need to install two antivirus software on my computer?

Nowadays, malware such as viruses, adware, spyware, ransomware, etc. are everywhere. They may hack into your computer without your consent, steal sensitive information, encrypt files, etc.

To ensure your computer is safe and to prevent malware infection, running antivirus programs can be of great benefit. In Windows 11/10, Windows Security Center is a built-in antivirus software that runs in the background to protect your computer.

Some people may consider installing two antivirus programs on their computers to provide double protection. Specifically, you might choose to install McAfee, Malwarebytes, Avast, or other third-party antivirus software in addition to Windows Security Center and run them at the same time to clear the threat.

Can I run two antivirus programs at the same time? We do not recommend this. Want to know why? Please continue reading the following.

Is it bad to run two antivirus programs at the same time?

Running two antivirus programs can cause problems, let's see what happens if multiple antivirus programs are installed on your computer.

Virus threat intercept conflict

Antivirus software has advanced system access, which can find suspicious activity, analyze event information, and scan suspicious files through malware scanners. If you run two antivirus programs, they may inject interceptors into the system kernel.

As a result, conflicts can occur, which can cause one or two programs to fail to work properly, and even report each other as suspicious programs. Seriously, malicious code or files can be ignored, causing system crashes or data loss.

Consumption of too much system resources

Installing two antivirus programs on your computer may slow down your computer because they consume a lot of your resources.

Simply put, a single complete antivirus suite will do its best to fight any threats to ensure the computer is secure, which can put significant pressure on system resources. Now that you run two antivirus software, imagine what will happen.

You may experience high CPU and RAM usage and slow system operation. If the two software compete with each other, resource consumption may be higher. On old or low-end computers, freezing and crashes may occur.

False positive virus detection

Running two antivirus programs may cause false positives.

Assume that the two software you installed does not conflict. One program detects a threat and isolates it, and another program also finds it but moves it to another quarantine location, which can lead to multiple fake virus alerts and even difficulty deleting suspicious files or applications. Worse, the software may be distracted from dealing with other threats.

In short, running two antivirus programs at the same time is not good in many aspects. Remember, running just one antivirus software can protect your computer from viruses and malicious programs.

Suggestions: Backup files

In addition to using antivirus programs to keep your computer safe, it’s better to get into the habit of backing up files regularly, because you never know when malware will attack and corrupt your data. For easy backup of files, the free PC backup software MiniTool ShadowMaker can help a lot.

Additionally, the program supports automatic backups, differential backups, and incremental backups, which helps you automatically back up newly added or changed files only at configured points in time. Now, try MiniTool ShadowMaker.

Related articles: How to protect the security of Windows 10? 7 ways

in conclusion

From this article, you can learn that running two antivirus programs at the same time is not good, because there may be problems such as software conflicts, high system resource consumption and false positives. Additionally, it is best to back up your data regularly to ensure data security. Hope this article helps you.

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