PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition is a free version of antivirus software designed to protect your computer against viruses and other threats from the Internet (Trojan horses, worms, spyware). The real-time protection mechanism offered by PC Tools AntiVirus Free is heavily reduced compared to the paid editions of the program. The manufacturer has left active two modules - Email Guard scanning and removing dangerous attachments in incoming and outgoing email and File Guard monitoring the computer for infected files.

The latter also blocks attempts to open dangerous e-mail attachments. There was also a scheduling mechanism to enable automated tasks to be started within the set deadlines, and a quarantine where potentially harmful elements are placed. PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition is good for protecting older computers with limited system resources - mainly CPU and RAM.

A computer with a 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM will suffice for efficient operation of the program. You can lower the scan priority in the program settings, and also specify the level of protection and the load on your system resources. PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition offers the Secure Community function, which allows you to send potentially harmful components detected during system scanning for analysis in PC Tools laboratories.

Also noteworthy is the option to select the size of the antivirus module database, which allows you to adjust the size and amount of data downloaded from the Internet through the mechanism of automatic Smart Update updates. Paid versions of PC Tools' security tools also offer a system to block access to infected websites, a rootkit detection and blocking module, a monitor of your computer's Internet connection settings, a module to check downloads and applications using the Cloud server network, a cookie monitor, a browser protection module or a mechanism to detect suspicious file behavior. See how PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition has proven itself in our 2012 antivirus test.