List of antivirus officially supporting Windows 8 Release Preview

Windows 8 Release Preview has been out for almost a month and by now you might be wondering what antivirus software you should be using. Well, while Windows 8 RP comes with Windows Defender integrated within the operating system, there are many third-party solutions, officially approved by Microsoft, that you can try in your Windows PC to fight viruses and malware.

Here is the list of products that the software giant just published, along with their respective links to download Windows 8 Release Preview ready antivirus/malware pre-release software:

  • Norton by Symantec.
  • Trend Micro.
  • McAfee.
  • F-Secure.
  • Panda Security.
  • Kaspersky.
  • BullGuard.

Note that when you install a new piece of security software, you don’t need to uninstall Windows Defender, because it will disable itself automatically. However, make sure that you uninstall any other piece of software you previously installed to fight viruses and malware, before installing any of the approved software from this list.

Update: To get the latest list of antivirus software approved for Windows 8, visit the Microsoft Compatibility Center and use the keyword antivirus.

Note: Although this is a list based on the Release Preview version of the OS. They of course work in the final release of Windows.
About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.