While the latest version of Windows does come with a decent software that tries to find malicious files on your computer (Windows Security), it is oftentimes quite slouchy at its job and is easily bypassed by many programs. Your best bet would be to find promising antivirus software to fight against all the viruses and trojans that exist on the internet in abundant amounts. However, many of the antivirus software that you usually see advertisements about are heavy programs that come with a painfully expensive subscription tag. Lucky for you, we have taken the liberty of finding some of the best lightweight antivirus solutions for PC and laptops that we feel would suit people who are running low on storage the best! With that being said, sit back, relax and enjoy the read.
5 Best Lightweight Antivirus For PC Or Laptop in 2026
While you can find free antivirus software online, we would recommend you to stick with the ones on this list. It does not hurt to shell out a few bucks a year or a month for a good antivirus solution instead of having to deal with viruses infecting your computer later on. With that being said, you can try any of the antiviruses you find best suited for you on a trial period basis, which means you won’t have to put down money where you don’t like.
#1 – Avast Antivirus
Kicking the list off, we have one of the most popular antivirus software of all time. Avast Antivirus is easily one of the best choices if you are looking for a good lightweight antivirus for your desktop or laptop. Not only does it offer a completely free version, but it has plans in all ranges. The free version of Avast scans your computer for any threats and automatically deals with any malicious software or files that it finds. It also comes with password protection which ensures you don’t give out your password to any suspicious websites or links.
The antivirus is extremely lightweight, not just in size but also when it comes to RAM usage. Your computer’s performance will not be bothered at all with having Avast running in the background. The antivirus also has a clean user interface with a functional dashboard. If you really want the best protection and features like website scanning and protection against ransomware software, we would highly suggest you go for the subscription plans. You can try out Avast Antivirus for your Windows desktop computer or laptop for free by clicking the link to their website down below:
Try out Avast Antivirus
#2 – Nortan 360
Next up on our list is Nortan 360, which is also another popular antivirus solution for all kinds of desktops and laptops out there. While there is, unfortunately, no free version that you can download and use of this antivirus software, we feel the paid versions are totally worth their asking price. The highlighting features of Nortan 360 have got to be the real-time scanning as well as the secure VPN access that your device gets with the subscription.
You also gain access to over 100 GB of cloud storage which you can use to back up any important files and folders that you just cannot risk losing in the absolute worst-case scenario. These backups also happen automatically and periodically to ensure that any changes or updates to your work are also backed up to the cloud service instantly. Nortan 360 is also pretty lightweight in terms of size and memory usage and does not cause any performance bottlenecks as far as consumption is concerned. If you have money to drop on an antivirus solution, we would highly recommend giving this one a try. You can download Norton 360 for your Windows desktop computer or laptop by clicking the link to their website down below:
Download Norton 360
#3 – Kaspersky Antivirus
Coming third on our list of some great lightweight antivirus software for Windows PCs and laptops, we have Kaspersky Antivirus. Chances are that you’ve already heard about this solution and it is indeed a great and efficient way of protecting your computer against all sorts of viruses. The area where Kaspersky Antivirus excels is blocking crypto lockers and giving you full security against cryptocurrency and bit mining. These are the most common ways of exploiting users in today’s digital world and is essential to keep yourself protected from such threats.
Kaspersky is also lightweight when it comes to background usage and does not hamper any of your computer’s performance. On the contrary, cleaning up viruses and other malicious files and folders will improve your device’s performance. There are many other products that Kaspersky distributes, but if you are concerned about storage or RAM usage, their antivirus is a great tool to have. You get a 30-day free trial to Kaspersky Antivirus, after which you can choose from 3 well-defined plans. You can download or try out for free Kaspersky Antivirus for your Windows desktop computer or laptop by clicking the link to their website down below:
Download Kaspersky Antivirus
#4 – AVG Antivirus Free
Another great way to protect your device against harmful viruses and other trojans is by using AVG’s free antivirus software. The best part about it is that they offer a completely free version that you can use for as long as you please. While it does skimp out on many features that you can only find in the premium versions, it is still a great deal when it costs you absolutely nothing. The antivirus software is also very lightweight in terms of size and does not consume a lot of memory while running the background. You can expect the usual features from this antivirus solution such as real-time protection, scanning of downloaded apps and files, and even automatic blocking of malicious websites. You can try out AVG Antivirus Free for your Windows desktop computer or laptop for free by clicking the link to their website down below:
Try out AVG Antivirus Free
#5 – Avira
Next on our list of some of the best lightweight antivirus software to use in 2026, we have Avira. If you haven’t heard of this antivirus solution, then you will thank us for being introduced to it. If performance is your topmost priority, then this antivirus will be your best pick. It has a really clean user interface with a dashboard that contains all the important tools and utilities required to keep your Windows desktop or laptop in the best condition. It offers real-time protection, a powerful firewall against untrusted apps and websites, web protection, and many more features. Avira is also very lightweight in terms of memory consumption and will take up little to no space on your hard drive. You can try out Avira for your Windows desktop computer or laptop for free by clicking the link to their website down below:
Try out Avira
#6 – Panda Security
Up next on our list is Panda Security, and it is as lightweight as a good-looking and functional antivirus client can get. Like most of the recent lightweight antivirus software, most of the processing power is derived from the cloud, reducing a lot of the burden your PC would otherwise have to bear. Panda Security has a great user interface and top-notch security. It also has many useful tools to protect your computer from malware. You can try out Panda Security for your Windows desktop computer or laptop for free by clicking the link to their website down below:
Try out Panda Security
#7 – Bitdefender
With over 500 million installs globally, Bitdefender is easily one of the most popular antivirus programs in 2026. While it isn’t as lightweight when compared to the likes of some of the other ones on this list, it still manages to provide the most number of features and security benefits while not hogging on your PC’s RAM or eating up your storage. Bitdefender is the only solution you need to protect your PC from all kinds of malware and viruses. It also has a phishing detection feature that scans the websites you visit and only lets you access the legitimate ones. Apart from that, Bitdefender has a range of other useful features you can explore. You can try out Bitdefender for your Windows desktop computer or laptop for free by clicking the link to their website down below:
Try out Bitdefender
Bonus: Windows Security
Not many people might know that your Windows desktop or laptop actually already comes with a free, built-in antivirus solution. While it does not offer a few of the fancy features you get with using a third-party antivirus program, it is by far the lightest antivirus you can use. This is all because it integrates with your Windows copy and works with your computer one-to-one. It is pretty good at real-time scanning and also alerting you if your PC has any issues that need fixing. So before you try downloading any of the free or paid antivirus solutions available on the internet, we highly suggest you try Windows Security.
That’s all folks! We hope you enjoyed our list of the best lightweight antivirus software to use for your Windows PC or laptop in 2026. If you think we’ve helped you find the best solution, then try reading our other similar top picks for various apps and extensions! However, if you think we missed out on any other good lightweight antivirus software that you feel should have been on the list, make sure you leave a comment below since we would love to hear your opinion!
