Best free Windows and Mac security downloads for your computer

We rounded up some of the best ways to protect your computer against viruses, cyberattacks and other threats. We’ve got you covered if you aren’t familiar with how cybersecurity threats work. Tap or click for a quick breakdown of the five most common digital threats you’ll encounter.

There are plenty of ways to protect your devices from harm. You can take preemptive measures like security software or scan your system for malware. Keep reading for the best ways to keep your devices safe — without spending a dime.

1. Spot unwanted devices on your network with Angry IP Scanner

What it is: Angry IP scanner keeps track of everything connected to your network. It scans your network for IP addresses and other information about the devices connected to your network.

Why you want it: It’s helpful in troubleshooting tech issues and catching hackers since it pinpoints unknown or suspicious devices on your network. Have trouble connecting a device to your network? Angry IP Scanner can show the exact IP address of specific devices, which will help you fix the issue.

What you need to know: For Angry IP Scanner to run, you must have Java installed.

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Tech how-to: Manage all your email addresses in one spot

Email has seriously sped up communications in work settings and in our personal lives. It’s really convenient — unless you have multiple email addresses.

Between needing different addresses for work and your personal life, you can have a lot of messages to check, ranging in degrees from crucial to spam. It can be hard to stay on top of it all.

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Out the door, dinosaur: Microsoft is ending support for its Windows Mail, Calendar and People apps. Starting Dec. 31, 2024, you’ll lose the ability to send and receive emails through Mail. Microsoft wants everyone on its new Outlook app. Here’s the official exporting guide for your Mail emails and contacts. FYI: The Outlook app is slow, so you might want to switch to a different email client altogether. Thunderbird is a good free option.