Are free downloads safe?

While some free downloads are safe, not all are trustworthy and can result in malware, viruses or other serious problems on a digital device. Always exercise caution, unless the download is from a reputable company such as Microsoft or Adobe.

Before starting a free download, research the website to determine if it is a reputable company, especially if it appears as a pop-up on the computer. Read reviews of the site to see if other users have reported problems with the free download. No matter how thoroughly the safety of a free download is checked, there is always a risk of damaging personal computers, and it's important to have backups in place.