Are you getting used to Windows 11 but wish it was a bit faster? Do you feel like your computer has become slower or starts up unusually slowly? Follow along and I’ll go through various tricks that can speed up your system. Uninstall unnecessary programs Foundry If you’ve bought a new computer with Windows pre-installed, chances are that the manufacturer has included a bunch of programs, often completely unnecessary or pure junk. But even if you installed the system yourself, Windows 11 comes with a lot of programs you may never use. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, where you’ll find a complete list of installed programs (Microsoft, like Apple, has started calling common computer programs “apps”). Click the more button to the right of a program you want to remove and select Uninstall. Nowadays, the vast majority of programs shown here can be uninstalled, including the Edge browser. Foundry Microsoft also insists on adding shortcuts to various games and programs in the Start menu, which aren’t even installed but are installed via the Microsoft Store the first time you click on them. You can remove these too, and don’t need to go through Settings. Right-click on an icon directly in Start and select Uninstall. While you’re cleaning up Windows’ bundled programs, you can also take the opportunity to uninstall programs you’ve installed but never use. Some installed programs are running in the background all the time, and even if they don’t take up a lot of resources, it’s unnecessary work. You also reduce the risk that a program you haven’t updated for a long time will turn out to have a security flaw that can be exploited by hackers. Clean up other junk Foundry If you’ve updated to Windows 11 from Windows 10 and have had that system for a few years, it’s likely to have accumulated some junk. Take the opportunity to do some spring cleaning while you’re at it! There are plenty of third-party programs that claim to help with this, but I recommend sticking to Windows’ built-in tools and manual cleaning. Start by running the Disk Cleanup application. Here you can tick the options you want to empty, and you’ll see on the right how much space each category represents. Click on an option to see a description below. For example, Lifetime Optimization Files are files that Windows Update has downloaded and not used yet, but sometimes there may be unused files here even though you have installed all available updates. The next step is to open Explorer and go to the Downloadeds folder. If you’re like me and leave most of the files you’ve downloaded here without ever deleting older files, you can free up tens of gigabytes. Sort in order of size and delete everything you don’t need anymore. Windows also offers a way to remove old components via the command prompt. Type command prompt in Windows search, select Run as administrator, and enter the following command: dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /AnalyzeComponentStore After a while, the results will come up and you can see if the program recommends running the cleanup function, which removes duplicates and copies of some system components that can accumulate after updates. To run the cleanup function, type: dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup Once it’s done, you can run the first command again to see how much space it managed to free up. For me, it was almost five gigabytes, despite the fact that I installed a fresh copy of Windows 11 version 22H2 less than two years ago. Foundry An exception to the above rule about third-party software is a program that scans the disk and displays all files and folders in order of size, making it easy to find large files that you may not need at all. My recommendation is Wiztree. Foundry When you start the program and let it scan the disk, the contents are displayed both as lists sorted by size and as a color-coded chart. You can then go through the results from top to bottom and delete what you don’t need. But avoid folders like Windows and Program Files, and anything you don’t know what it is (if you’re not sure, do a web search). Choose what to start automatically Foundry When you start your computer and log in, a number of processes and programs start automatically. Some are completely in the background, others are visible in the Taskbar, and a few open with application windows. In most cases you can control this from Settings > Apps > Startup. Switch off the programs/processes you don’t want to start automatically. If you want to add a program to start automatically yourself, you can place a shortcut to the program’s .exe file in one of the following folders: shell:startup (for your user account) shell:common startup (for all users) Foundry Locate the application you want to autostart in Applications or Programs (x86) and copy it. Then type in any of the above shortcuts in Explorer to go to the folder in question. Right-click in the window and select Show more options followed by Paste shortcut. Many programs have a built-in setting to start automatically at startup, adding themselves to the registry instead. By minimizing the number of programs that start automatically, you will not have to wait as long for the system to finish after each restart. On a new computer with a fast SSD, this may not make much difference, but on older hardware it can make a big difference. Settings that speed up Windows 11 If you have a slightly older computer and find that Windows 11 feels a little sluggish from time to time, you can go through the system settings and trim the computer a little. Foundry Performance mode Open Settings and go to System > Power & battery. Click on Power Mode to display those settings, then select Best Performance from the drop-down menu to the right of Plugged in. If you have a laptop, there will also be a separate setting for when the computer is not connected to the mains, where you should select Balanced or Best power efficiency instead. In previous versions of the system, these settings were in the Control Panel, but as part of Microsoft’s efforts to move as much as possible to Settings, they appeared there in 24H2. If you want to fine-tune individual settings, you can still do so in Control Panel, but for most people, the new Power Mode setting will suffice. Efficiency mode Foundry Programs running in the background rarely take up a lot of computer resources, but if you’re running a really heavy program or game, such background processes can still lead to a drop in performance. Then you can take advantage of a relatively new feature that Microsoft added to Task Manager in 2022 called Efficiency Mode. With efficiency mode enabled, two things happen: The application’s priority is lowered to “low,” which means that other applications with higher priority take precedence over the processor, and something called Ecoqos is activated. The latter means that the program runs as energy-efficiently as possible. Exactly how this is done varies depending on the processor and other factors, but it can include running without turbo or only on efficiency cores. To activate it, right-click on a process in the list and select Efficiency Mode. A dialog box will appear warning that it can make some programs unstable, but if you encounter one, you can always turn it off afterwards. Switch off search indexing Foundry Another feature that is useful on newer hardware but can slow down an older computer is indexing. This is especially true if you have the system on an old-fashioned hard drive and not an SSD. Click on the magnifying glass in the Start search and type in index and you should find the Indexing Options control panel. Open it and check which locations the system is set to index for faster searching. Click Modify to change your choices. If you rarely search for anything outside your home folder, you can delete everything except that folder to make indexing faster. If your home folder is very full, you can go down to the next level and deselect individual folders in your home folder that you don’t need to search quickly. Switch off special effects Foundry If your computer doesn’t have a standalone graphics card and the processor is a few years old, the integrated graphics circuit may struggle to keep up, especially if you have a high-resolution screen. This can make Windows 11 feel slower than older systems like Windows 7 and XP. One thing you can try to speed up the interface is to turn off special effects like shadows and animations. Open Windows search and type sysdm.cpl, which will take you to the System Properties control panel. Select the Advanced tab and click Settings in the Performance pane. In the window that opens, you can change from Let Windows choose what’s best for my computer to Adjust for best performance (to turn off all effects) or Custom, which lets you tick off the effects you think you can do without. Switch off transparency Foundry A special effect found in many places in the system is missing from the above settings. Transparency effects can instead be found in Settings > Personalization > Colors. Switch it off and the graphical interface will be a little less cumbersome. Sometimes it’s enough to make the system feel like it used to be, and you can leave shadows and other effects enabled. Maximize gaming performance with these settings and tricks Windows 11 has been accused of being slower in games than Windows 10, and that’s not entirely off the mark. One reason it may feel that way is that the new system has several security features enabled by default that users previously had to actively go in and switch on, and which, when running, can contribute to lower performance in games, among other things. Foundry Memory Integrity is a feature that uses virtualization to protect Windows from certain types of attacks. It’s one of the reasons Microsoft has raised the system requirements for Windows 11 so much, but for those who mostly play games on their computer, it might be worth trying to switch it off and see if it improves gaming performance. Open Windows Security, select Device Security > Core Isolation and switch off Memory Integrity. Foundry The second feature you can experiment with turning off is called Virtual Machine Platform and you’ll find it in Windows Features, which you can easily find via Windows Search. Tick it off and click OK. Check the drivers Old drivers for various hardware components can also make your computer less stable or slower than necessary. This is especially true for the graphics card, especially if you’re playing newer games, but even drivers for simpler components can crash the system if they have bugs. For graphics cards, I recommend that you check which card you have and install the manufacturer’s latest driver for that particular card. That is, directly from AMD, Intel, or Nvidia. Windows can install working drivers automatically for many cards, but it is better to go to the source. Skärmdump Other drivers can be searched for by opening Settings > Windows Update > Advanced Options > Optional Updates. After a fresh installation of Windows on a computer, a lot of drivers may pop up here for various components on the motherboard like audio circuit and control circuit. You can also manually update drivers for individual devices in Device Manager, but this is rarely needed nowadays. Switch off unnecessary Windows features Windows has a large number of built-in features that run in the background and handle various things. They are called services and are often used by the system or other programs to perform various tasks. For example, the Print Spooler service handles printing and the Sensor Service handles various physical sensors such as GPS and light meters. Foundry The Services application allows you to manually switch off services that you and your installed applications never use, which can make your computer feel a little quicker. This is a slightly more advanced intervention and you should check each service to make sure you don’t accidentally switch off something important that you actually need. Even if you can’t make your computer much faster, Services is a great way to learn more about how Windows works and if you’re curious, I highly recommend a deep dive. Try it out — if you find your system unusable, you can always restore from backup or reinstall Windows. Further reading: Every Microsoft Windows operating system, ranked Read...

TL;DR: Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for just $14.97 (MSRP: $199). Still running Windows 10 and pretending everything’s fine? No shame — we’ve all hit “Remind me later” more times than we care to admit. However, if you’re still running Windows 10, your Microsoft support just ended. With this deal, you can finally make the jump to Windows 11 Pro for just $14.97. That’s a full-fledged, professional-grade operating system for the price of two fancy lattes. First of all, Windows 11 Pro is smooth. Like, way smoother than its predecessors. The redesigned interface is clean, centered, and customizable, which is great for focus and flow. Plus, it comes with features that make multitasking feel like second nature: snap layouts, virtual desktops, and lightning-fast search tools. You get enterprise-grade features like BitLocker encryption, Windows Hello biometric login, and TPM 2.0 compatibility — all designed to protect your work, files, and peace of mind. And Windows Copilot is now baked in, meaning you can ask for help, automate tasks, summarize web pages, or even brainstorm new ideas, all from your desktop. If you’re a developer, creative, remote worker, or small business owner, Windows 11 Pro is an upgrade that can give you a serious productivity boost. Don’t miss upgrading to Windows 11 Pro while it’s on sale for just $14.97 (MSRP: $199) through October 19. Microsoft Windows 11 ProSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...

It is unclear how the website - which uses AI to scrape the internet - obtained the private contact details. Read...

Mike runs a small marketing agency with six full-time employees who all work remotely. Two weeks ago, Carol – Mike’s graphic designer – connected to a shared project drive. Today the client is screaming at Mike because their business materials have appeared on a competitor’s site. Having broken their trust he faces losing the client’s business altogether, and he now needs to burn unknown hours of team time on disaster recovery rather than billable projects. Worse, he just received a ransom note for £20k in cryptocurrency to unlock his business files. How did this happen? Unbeknown to Carol, two days earlier her son Jack downloaded a free game infected with malware on her laptop. That was their way in and, once the cybercriminals had infiltrated Carol’s device and her home network, Mike’s unsecured business data became easy prey. While Carol is distraught over the situation, Mike’s the one now facing small business ruin. This is an illustrative example of just how easily remote workers can cripple your small business when you don’t take adequate security precautions. Are you so sure that remote workers won’t place your small business in peril? Protect your business devices, data, finances and reputation with cyber security designed and built for small businessesSave 30% on Norton Small Business (code PCWNSBP) What small businesses need to know about remote working and security Five years on from the COVID-19 pandemic, some larger companies are now mandating a return-to-work policy. But, for many small businesses, remote working remains common practice. Beaming claims a staggering 81% of UK small businesses support remote working today. While the benefits to work-life balance for employees are clear, and remote working can also cut down on office overheads, allowing staff to work from home can be a security nightmare. So, how can a small business ensure its employees, business data, finances and reputation, stay safe in a world of constantly evolving digital threats? Part of the battle is understanding the threats. Remote working threats that could sink your small business Traditionally, a small business might have stored sensitive data on a local server that could be accessed only by devices on that network. Now, with employees potentially working at home, in coffee shops, or even abroad, business data can be more easily intercepted and compromised by hackers as it moves around the web. As we learned above, it might not even be your employee but their family member who ultimately puts your business data at risk. Here are some of the most common ways in which hackers slip in unnoticed and gain access to your sensitive files: 1. Man-in-the-middle attacks When connecting to public Wi-Fi, users may not realise that the network isn’t all that it seems. Hackers can easily set up a fake connection with a venue-matching name that monitors and records all activity conducted over that network. This includes any sensitive data that is sent or received and, in a worst-case scenario, that might be your business banking data and account details. 2. Phishing attacks One of the most common types of scams employed by hackers is known as phishing. A cybercriminal will target an individual via a text message, email or other method of communication and use familiarity tactics to lull them into a false sense of security, ultimately convincing them to click on a dodgy link or hand over sensitive information. Employees can’t be alert to these scams in every situation, and with AI now making these messages ever more convincing they are increasingly difficult to spot. 3. Malware, viruses and spyware Another potential danger from phishing-style attacks is that the user unknowingly has malware installed on their device. This can then watch and record everything they do, such as logging into company accounts, accessing business banking accounts, communicating with clients, and any other business-related activities. How can a small business protect its remote workers from digital threats? Due to the dispersed nature of remote working, it can be a challenge to enforce the same level of security as you might in the enclosed environment of a workplace. That’s why using a dedicated small business security software suite can be a great way to protect your clients and employees alike, without racking up huge expenses or adding even more stress to your busy day. Norton Small Business is a complete solution that includes a number of purpose-built security tools to help your business avoid falling victim to the kind of attacks outlined above. With the standard package you get always-on antivirus and firewall protection that works to continuously guard against viruses, malware and spyware attacks. There’s also a secure browser that employees can use when working on business documents or accessing online banking. Passwords and sensitive documents can be stored in an encrypted vault to help prevent prying eyes from gaining access, while Norton keeps tabs on the dark web to seek out employee identity or business data that may have been compromised and now presents a threat to the business. There is also an automatic software updater for Windows PCs, making sure employees don’t neglect to update outdated apps that could contain security vulnerabilities, plus 250GB of secure cloud-backup space for any business-critical files. If your security needs are greater, the Norton Small Business Premium plan includes everything in the standard plan, plus some useful extras. You get a VPN service that encrypts all data flowing between a device and the web, helping you protect the business from man-in-the-middle attacks. You also get notified in the event of suspicious financial transactions, or fraudulent social media posts that may threaten the company’s reputation. The premium plan bumps up the secure cloud storage to 500GB, plus you get the peace of mind that comes with 24/7 business tech support should you encounter business IT problems – ideal for small businesses who lack their own IT team. Choose Norton for small business security Running a small business is challenging enough, without needing to worry about IT problems and digital threats as well. The standard plan costs £54.99 for up to three employees, £69.99 for up to five employees, and £99.99 for up to 10 employees. Step up to Norton Small Business Premium to enjoy 24/7 Business Tech Support, Secure VPN, Financial and Social Media Monitoring, Driver Updater and 500GB of secure Cloud Backup online storage; it costs £149.99 for up to five employees, and £199.99 for up to 10 employees. All prices are for the first year. Right now, PCWorld readers can take advantage of a rare 30% discount, unlocking Norton Small Business from just £38.50/first year, and Norton Small Business Premium from just £105/first year. Just enter the code PCWNSBP at checkout to take advantage. Save 30% on Norton Small Business You don’t have to spend any money to see the benefits of the Norton Small Business plans though, as there’s a 30-day trial that lets you try it before you subscribe. With Norton Small Business, keeping your business and its employees safer from digital threats is simple, whether that’s in the office, at home or on the road. Read...

UK small business owners have faced mounting pressure in recent years, with challenging global trade conditions making it increasingly difficult to protect their balance sheets. But it’s not just economic uncertainty that endangers small businesses in 2025 – cyberattacks pose an equally serious threat. Thankfully, with the right digital security tools in place the risks can be mitigated. Could your small business fall victim to one of these threats? In June, the Home Office released its Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025 report, detailing the most common cyberattacks experienced by UK small businesses in H2 2024. Here are the most common ways hackers attempted to gain money or data from UK small businesses last year: Phishing: 85% of businesses that reported cyberattacks identified phishing as a key threat. These scams trick employees into clicking on fake links – often via email – and inadvertently handing over sensitive data. Now powered by AI, phishing tactics are getting smarter than ever and more difficult to spot. Employee impersonation: More than half (51%) of businesses said hackers had posed as company employees to deceive their ‘colleagues’ into handing over information. Malware on company devices: While AI-powered scams today grab the headlines, malware is still very much present and very much a threat. Many small businesses reported that viruses and spyware had been installed on company devices, enabling valuable data to be syphoned off. Business bank account targeting: Nearly 1 in 10 small businesses that suffered cyberattacks in the second half of 2024 said their online banking accounts had been targeted, directly threatening their finances and financial data. Ransomware: A successful ransomware attack can be extremely lucrative for cybercriminals, and devasting for small businesses. Ransomware, which steals sensitive company data and demands payment for its return, is a continued threat for small businesses in 2025. Don`t take the risk: Defend your business data before it`s too lateSave 30% on Norton Small Business (code PCWNSBP) How to stop your small business falling victim to a cyberattack All the hacking methods outlined in the Home Office report are potentially ruinous to a small business, so it’s vitally important that defences are in place to protect against these attacks. But how? It’s unrealistic to expect employees to be on constant alert against cyberattacks, especially with AI now making the threats much more difficult to spot – and that’s why business-grade security software is a must.  If you’re going to place the defence of your business in the care of another, it needs to be someone you can trust. Norton is a renowned brand in the security sector, with a long-standing reputation for its powerful antivirus tools and professionalism. Armed with the Norton Small Business or Small Business Premium security suite, you’ll instantly upgrade your company’s ability to defend itself from today’s scary digital threats. The always-on Norton antivirus protection means your staff will not be caught with their guard down, while a dedicated firewall helps keeps at bay cyberthreats to your business devices. An encrypted vault for passwords and company credit card details, plus up to 500GB of secure cloud storage, helps you prevent sensitive business data falling into the wrong hands. Social media monitoring helps you avoid damage to your business reputation, with notifications to suspicious activities like fake posts appearing on your profiles. You’ll also get alerts for suspicious financial transactions, sent out if anything unusual is spotted on your business bank accounts, helping you to protect your company from fraud. Your employees are able to work safer online, even remotely, with the VPN and a secure browser encrypting data. A dark web monitoring feature scans the nastier regions of the web for compromised personal and company data that could put  your company or employees at risk. Small businesses may not have their own dedicated IT teams, so 24/7 business tech support from Norton Small Business experts can put your mind at ease should you run into IT issues. The Norton Small Business suite will also ensure automatic software updates for Windows PCs take place to patch possible security vulnerabilities, while optimising business PCs for security and productivity. Defend your small business with Norton There are enough things to worry about when you run a small business. With Norton Small Business, online security doesn’t have to be one of them. The Standard edition costs £54.99 for up to three employees, £69.99 for up to five employees, and £99.99 for up to 10 employees. Step up to Norton Small Business Premium to enjoy 24/7 Business Tech Support, Secure VPN, Financial and Social Media Monitoring, Driver Updater and 500GB of secure Cloud Backup online storage; it costs £149.99 for up to five employees, and £199.99 for up to 10 employees. All prices are for the first year. Right now, PCWorld readers can take advantage of a rare 30% discount, unlocking Norton Small Business from just £38.50/year, and Norton Small Business Premium from just £105/year. Just enter the code PCWNSBP at checkout to take advantage. Save 30% on Norton Small Business You can also try Norton Small Business before you subscribe, thanks to a 30-day trial. Read...

Antivirus software is not free of errors and sometimes reports computer viruses where there are none. For this reason, the company Procolored, a manufacturer of textile printers, indignantly defended itself against the report of a printer tester that the software of one of its devices contained a virus. The testing official explained to Procolored that both Google Chrome and Microsoft Defender had triggered an alarm when the printer software was downloaded, and quarantined it. Despite Procolored’s protests, the tester persisted. He sent the software to the security company G Data, a manufacturer of antivirus programs. Upon investigation, it turned out that the printer software actually contained a backdoor virus called Xred and a Trojan. When G Data then confronted Procolored with the results, the company admitted that a virus had crept into its download area and provided a new version of its software. The online sandbox Any.run lets you start suspicious programs in a virtual Windows environment and study their behavior.Foundry How false alarms arise Procolored’s initially defensive attitude is understandable. After all, it does happen that antivirus tools sometimes recognize malware where there is none. But not often. Long-term tests have repeatedly shown that false alarms usually account for less than 1 percent of virus reports. However, they are always annoying, as many users are initially alarmed when their computer reports malware. How do these false positives come about? It has to do with the way antivirus programs work. On the one hand, they access daily updated virus definitions, which they can use to recognize intruders very reliably. However, as there are also many previously unknown malware threats on the internet for which no virus definitions exist, the manufacturers also incorporate heuristic and behavioral analysis methods into their software. Heuristic means that the programs look for suspicious characteristics of a file or program. Behavioral analysis, on the other hand, observes the programs running on the PC. Both methods work with probabilities and calculate whether a program with these or those characteristics could be a virus. False alarms occur from time to time. System programs particularly affected False alarms occur particularly frequently with programs that access system settings or data that the antivirus program classifies as confidential or even secret. This applies, for example, to several tools from the software company Nirsoft, such as the Produkey program. It reads the license keys for Windows and Office 2003/2007 and displays them in its window. A harmless process in itself, but it apparently provides the antivirus software with enough suspicious facts to classify the application as a virus. The same applies to numerous other programs that read out data such as license keys or passwords or change system settings. Among other things, the heuristics of the antivirus software look for combinations of certain system calls that are typical of malware. However, known hacker tools, such as those used to crack passwords, are also blocked by the virus guards. Even though they are offered for download legally. Hacking your own computer, for example to reconstruct a forgotten password, is not prohibited. A perfectly functioning antivirus program that produces no false alarms is an illusion. On the one hand, the software must not overlook malware under any circumstances, while on the other hand it should recognize harmless programs as such. It is therefore inevitable that the virus hunter will play it safe from case to case and report software as dangerous even if it is not. Check the trigger of a false alarm If your virus protection triggers an alarm, you must always scrutinize the trigger yourself. Otherwise, there is a risk that the antivirus program will block parts of the software that are absolutely necessary for it to function. A multi-stage procedure is recommended. Check the purpose of the tool: As a first step, you should consider what you have downloaded. If it is one of the tools already mentioned for determining license codes or passwords, you can assume that it is a false alarm. Check for reputation: However, you should also check where you obtained the software from and think about its reputation. To do this, you need to look at the file that caused the alarm and clarify its origin. If you are using Microsoft Defender as virus protection, you can find the file and its origin in the “Settings” under “Privacy and Security > Windows Security > Virus and Threat Protection > Protection History.” All malware found by Defender is listed there. Click on one of the entries to find out the file name and origin. There are similar directories in every other antivirus program. Defender lists the most recently found threats and shows you details if you wish. To do this, you need to point to an area with the mouse. A pop-down menu is then displayed.Microsoft It is important to know where you got the file from and whether this download site has a good or bad reputation. Sites that offer cracked programs and games or tools for hacking license queries etc., for example, have a poor reputation. Hackers often use this software to transfer malware to users’ computers. Websites that illegally make films and videos available for download also fall into this category. Check for signs of social engineering: Social engineering refers to tricks that cause a person to exhibit certain behaviors that they would not exhibit without these tricks. Social engineering is regularly used in the phishing of private data and, somewhat less frequently, in the distribution of malware. For example, emails or text messages claim that an order is in danger of getting stuck in the post if you don’t take action quickly and install a service tool. However, this is actually a virus. If the antivirus program now reports malware, there is a high probability that it really is malware. Typical social engineering techniques are pressure, urgency, emergencies, and requests for help. Watch out for scams: On the internet, the general rule is that if something seems too good to be true, then it usually is. This could be very favorable purchase offers, for example. If a virus message appears in such a context, then it’s probably justified. What to do in the event of a false alarm If your antivirus software declares a downloaded program to be malware, but you are sure that it is not, you can define the download file or the address of the source on the internet as an exception. Every protection program offers a corresponding function. Use alternative virus scanners If your antivirus program has reported malware and you are not sure whether it is actually malware or a false alarm, you can obtain a second opinion from another antivirus tool in a further step. It is not necessary to uninstall your existing software and then download and install a competitor’s product. It is quicker and easier to scan the suspicious file with an online scanner. Some antivirus manufacturers offer online scanners as a free service on their website. There is an area where you can upload suspicious files to the manufacturer’s servers and have them scanned there. Corresponding offers are available from Eset, F-Secure, and Trend Micro. You can use the online scanner from Trend Micro to scan your computer for existing malware. No installation is required.Foundry Or you can go straight to Virustotal, the online scanner from Google. It presents the suspicious file to several dozen antivirus programs from various manufacturers and displays their scan results. Although there have been isolated cases in the past in which Virustotal also failed to recognize malware, this is probably the safest way to rule out a false alarm. There are also alternatives to Virustotal, including Metadefender Cloud, Hybrid Analysis, and Jotti’s Malware Scan. Jotti’s Malware Scan is an alternative to Virustotal and sends uploaded files to a total of 13 different antivirus scanners. There is a data limit of 250MB per file.Foundry Offline scan with bootable USB sticks and DVDs If you frequently use different computers, you can also install a virus scanner on a bootable USB stick or DVD. In this way, you can check the respective PC first before you start your work. There are several ways to obtain such a stick or DVD. Some antivirus programs contain wizards that allow you to create a portable version on a stick or DVD directly from the software. This applies to the identical programs from Avast and AVG as well as the paid-for Norton Antivirus. The disadvantage: You must first install the respective antivirus program in order to create the disc. Other manufacturers offer rescue discs as ready-to-use downloads. These discs are usually based on a Linux live system that has been supplemented with a virus scanner. They are available from Avira and Kaspersky. After installing an additional component, the Avast virus scanner offers to create a rescue disc on DVD or USB stick with an integrated virus scanner. Foundry Third, you can also use Sardu. With this freeware you can create bootable USB sticks and DVDs and equip them with an antivirus tool of your choice. For this purpose, Sardu provides links to freely available rescue systems from antivirus manufacturers and offers to download the programs directly and integrate them into the stick or DVD. Start suspicious programs safely Another method of detecting false alarms is to run a suspicious program in a secure environment. This can be a virtual machine in which you install Windows and then start the software to be analyzed. If it brings a virus with it, it remains locked in the virtual machine. As a rule, it is not possible to skip to your desktop Windows. You can therefore take your time to observe whether it is ransomware, for example, which is now starting to encrypt the virtual SSD. The alternative is to use a sandbox. This is also a shielded environment that offers the malware no opportunity to break out. Online sandboxes such as Any.run are easy to use, but you can also use locally installable sandbox software such as Sandboxie. Caution: Many viruses are programmed in such a way that they only become active after a period of several hours, days, or even weeks. So if a program in a sandbox does not initially show any abnormalities, this does not mean that it is certainly safe. Virus warnings as a lure Especially in the dark corners of the internet, browser windows pop up again and again, reporting that a virus has allegedly been found on your PC. To solve the problem, you should immediately agree to download an antivirus program. Caution: These messages are invariably scams. The software offered normally has no function. However, it tries to persuade you to pay for a license by regularly displaying notices. Worse still, these programs often contain a virus themselves, making your PC part of a botnet, for example. Related content Best antivirus software: These 8 apps keep your PC safe Is Windows antivirus software still necessary in 2025? These 7 antivirus myths are dead wrong Read...

This year my laptop turns six–a relatively young age in the grand scheme of things. Sure, it’s gotten slower and the battery life has taken a hit, but since I don’t use it for advanced video editing or gaming, it’s no problem. For lighter workloads like web surfing and emailing, it gets the job done just fine. There’s really only one problem: my laptop is too old for a Windows 11 update. On October 14th, 2025, Windows 10 will reach the end of its life period, which means no new features or security updates. The former is not a big problem. The latter will be a disaster. I’m not alone in this situation. Over 50 percent of users are still running Windows 10, and this figure is gradually dropping. How many will have updated in six months’ time is anyone’s guess, but whatever the percentage, one thing is clear. A large proportion of the world’s 1.6 billion Windows PCs will still be running Windows 10 on October 14th, 2025. What makes this challenging is that Windows 11 is so technically demanding that it’s not possible to update all fully functional computers. Sadly, my six-year-old laptop is one of them. If Microsoft stops updating Windows 10, it would turn into a breeding ground for cybercriminals. A computer without security updates is not only a problem for the user, but it can also spread malware to others. This decision also creates major environmental problems. If a few hundred million fully functional computers are thrown away and users buy new ones, emissions will increase. Manufacturing new computers requires large amounts of energy and the extraction of rare metals. Microsoft has stated that security updates to Windows 10 will still be available for another year, but for a fee. Until now, businesses could subscribe to extended support for old Windows versions and now we consumers can do the same. This is, of course, tempting for Microsoft in the short term, but it’s not a sustainable solution. In such a situation, a large proportion of users would continue to run Windows 10 without paying, thereby compromising security for us all. I personally hope that Microsoft realizes that they should reconsider this decision. The only reasonable thing to do is to send out free security updates to Windows 10 as long as the system is widely used. It’s neither economically nor ecologically sustainable to sell computers with a six-year lifespan. We need to move away from the idea of computers, mobiles, tablets, and other technologies as disposable products. This is a transition from the throwaway society that we all need to make. If Microsoft is serious about being a sustainable company, they should immediately remove the death sentence on my six-year-old laptop and other working Windows 10 computers. Further reading: How to save your older PC when Windows 10 hits end of life Read...

Peacock Bros. has launched a unified RFID platform combining a mobile app and web portal to streamline and enhance asset tracking for businesses. Read...

A cyber hacker group has claimed responsibility. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros DIY installation option can save you lots of money Trusted Neighbor is a great feature Nest cameras and video doorbell support facial recognition and can distinguish between people, pets, and vehicles Step-up Yale smart lock supports fingerprint recognition as well as PIN codes You can add your own Z-Wave smart home devices Cons You must use the Nest app to fully manage the Nest security cams and video doorbell There is no support for Amazon’s Alexa ADT Base doesn’t include a display Monthly service fees can add up quickly Our Verdict The ADT Smart Home Security System emphasizes security over convenience, but there are enough smart home elements for us to recommend it, whether you set it up on your own or pay for ADT’s white-glove installation. Keep a close eye on the services you sign up for, as they’re not all mandatory. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: ADT Smart Home Security Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices ADT is one of the oldest home security companies in the U.S., and the ADT Smart Home Security product reviewed here is its latest offering that melds home security with a robust smart home system. As with every ADT product, you must commit to paying for professional monitoring of this system, where the staff at a central office keeps track of emergency events and will offer to dispatch police, fire, and medical personnel as needed. But unlike many of ADT’s other products, you can either have ADT’s technicians install the system in your home or you can do it yourself. This is a security-first system, but smart home features don’t completely take a back seat. ADT sells smart light bulbs and smart plugs as well as Nest smart thermostats (more on that in a bit), and there’s a Z-Wave radio in the ADT Base that forms the heart of the system, so you can add other smart home components—including third-party products—on your own. ADT does recommend you buy Z-Wave devices that are on its approved list, and anything tied to security monitoring (sensors, smart locks, cameras, etc.) must be an ADT-authorized device, but the company doesn’t bar you from trying anything outside the monitoring realm. In other words, you’re not buying into a completely walled garden. ADT offers DIY installation as an option, and the company has a deep well of tech support articles, instructional videos, and even real-time video tech support to guide you. In this respect, ADT Smart Home Security is closer to the systems from Abode, Ring, or—at the high end—Vivint than, say the security-only products from Arlo or SimpliSafe (I should note, however, that Vivint does not offer DIY installations, although you can add self-installed smart home components to it later, with restrictions similar to ADT’s). You can create smart home automations (or Rules, as ADT calls them) in which any ADT device or any Nest device can act as a trigger that causes any other supported smart home device to perform an action, with the option of setting conditions. These are very much like IFTTT (If This, Then That) routines, and they’re very easy to create in the ADT app. For example, you can set a Rule that when a door is opened (a trigger) between sunset and sunrise (a condition), the Base will trigger an enrolled smart light to turn on (an action). Rules can also have multiple triggers, conditions, and actions. You can also delay any action by minutes and/or seconds. Installation options The ADT Base that forms the heart of the ADT Smart Home Security System has Wi-Fi, LTE, DECT, and Z-Wave radios onboard. LTE is for broadband backup, DECT is for ADT’s sensors, and Z-Wave allows you to add various smart home devices, including smart locks. Michael Brown/Foundry While ADT offers DIY installation as an option, and the company has a deep well of tech support articles, instructional videos, and even real-time video tech support, a representative told me only 10 percent of its customers go that route, so I elected to have an ADT technician install everything for this review. The cost to install the 20 components that made up this configuration was $1,300. Installation costs will of course vary depending on which components you decide to buy. (Scroll down for a list of everything included in this review system.)  The Portland Police Bureau also assesses a residential alarm permit of $25 per year, which was not included in that previous figure (ADT expects you to secure that yourself). Such municipal fees are increasingly common, so you should check your locale. The most important thing to remember is that paying ADT to install your Smart Home Security system won’t bar you from adding other components to it by yourself later. ADT loaned this system for my review, along with a full year of professional monitoring (which would otherwise cost $64 per month (I’ll break down that fee later). I’ve been living with the system since the middle of February 2025 to get a thorough understanding of its capabilities. Specifications You can add Google’s current Nest cameras (not the recently announced Gemini-powered models) to the ADT Smart Home Security System. The 3rd-gen Nest Cam Indoor is shown here.Michael Brown/Foundry ADT partners with Google on many of the smart home and home security components it offers with its systems, and the company sent the current generations of the Nest Indoor Cam, Nest Doorbell (wired, battery), and the Nest Cam with Floodlight for this review. You’ll find a complete list of supported products at the preceding link. These are not the new Gemini-powered products that Google announced on October 1. ADT has not said if it plans to offer the new cameras and incorporate Gemini support later on. It’s also worth noting here that Google took an equity stake in ADT in 2020, investing $450 million in the company. This tight Google integration means you cannot use this system with Amazon’s Alexa smart home platform. Device costs (a la carte, bundles are discounted) DeviceCostADT Base $249.00ADT Carbon Monoxide Detector (2)$120.00ADT Door/Window sensors (multipack)$50.00ADT Glass Break Sensor (2)$99.98ADT Keychain Remote$20.00ADT Motion Sensor$40.00ADT Premium Door/Window sensors (multipack)$80.00ADT Smoke Detector$60.00ADT Water & Temperature Sensor$60.00ADT Window Stickers (4)$0.00ADT Yard Sign $0.00Google Nest Cam (indoor, wired)$99.99Google Nest Cam with Floodlight$279.99Google Nest Doorbell (battery)$179.99Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch w/Z-Wave 800 module$299.99Municipal Electrical Permit (will vary by locale)$42.00Total as-reviewed hardware cost$1,680.94Total installation cost (optional)$1,300.00Total up-front cost of reviewed system$2,980.94 To secure your entry doors, ADT offers the Yale Assure Lock 2 with a Z-Wave 800 module for $300 when it’s purchased with a system. The lock has a backlit numeric keypad along with a conventional key cylinder (just one key is supplied) and a fingerprint reader onboard (with support for up to 20 fingerprints). Locking or unlocking the Yale lock can simultaneously arm or disarm the security system respectively, and this can be done with a registered fingerprint, a PIN, or with ADT’s app. You can also buy a Yale Assure Lock 2 with a previous-gen Z-Wave module, but without a fingerprint reader, for $210. ADT initially provided the latter device, and then shipped the former, newer device when it became available. I installed it myself, and the process was a breeze. The physical installation was the usual, somewhat clumsy process involving a mounting plate and threading the power cord from the exterior escutcheon through the door’s bore hole and plugging it into a socket on the interior escutcheon, but ADT’s software made onboarding and enrolling users quick and easy. The Yale Assure 2 with Z-Wave 800 is an excellent smart lock with an onboard fingerprint reader, a numeric keypad, and a key cylinder.Michael Brown/Foundry Since a Google Nest Cam with Floodlight must be hardwired to your electrical system, ADT brought in a licensed electrician to install it, accounting for $450 of the $1,210 total installation fee. Like most home security vendors, ADT’s technicians are not licensed electricians; they can deal with low-voltage components—like video doorbells—but they won’t touch anything connected to your home’s 120-volt circuits. The ADT Base The $249 Base forms the heart of the ADT Smart Home Security system. The cylindrical device is 4.5 inches in diameter and 5.7-inches high (115mm x 145mm), with a numeric keypad on top for arming and disarming the alarm. You can also arm/disarm the system in ADT’s app or with an optional keychain remote ($20). The Base is powered by an AC adapter and has a backup battery that ADT says should provide 24 hours of operation in the event of a power outage. It has a decidedly mild siren onboard (85dB measured at 10 feet from the Base), and an LTE radio to provide broadband backup in case your primary internet connection fails. The cylindrical ADT Base is the heart of the ADT Smart Home Security system. You can arm and disarm the system using the keypad on top if you don’t use ADT’s app or the optional key fob for that purpose.Michael Brown/Foundry You’ll add the Base to your Wi-Fi network (both 2.4- and 5GHz networks are supported, giving you flexibility as to where to install it). The ADT Base also has Bluetooth and Z-Wave Long Range radios onboard. Bluetooth is used primarily for initial setup, but the Z-Wave radio can be used to expand a security system into a complete smart home system that includes smart locks, lighting controls, and other components. ADT also offers a secondary keypad ($99) with dual-band Wi-Fi and battery backup if you want to be able to arm/disarm the system from another location in your home. If you have a large home, you might want to put one near whichever door you use most often. ADT says the “ADT Base and Keypad are ADT-branded hardware,” so their resemblance to the gear Google provided with its own Nest Secure system—introduced in 2020 and killed in 2024—might be coincidental. Sensors You’ll want ADT’s two-piece, battery-powered door/window sensors ($20 each) mounted to at least your entry doors and lower-floor windows. When the magnetic field between the two pieces is disrupted after the door or window is opened, the electronics in the business end of the sensor send a signal to the Base. The tech who installed the system recommended putting them on every door and window, but I elected to put them only on my three entry doors and the four most easily accessed windows (most of my windows are 5 feet or more above the ground, so you’d need a ladder to climb into them). Carbon monoxide detectors such as this are critical components in any smart home security system. Michael Brown/Foundry Given that these sensors are surface mounted, and therefore completely exposed, they aren’t as attractive as the type where the electronic element fits into the door frame and the other element (a magnet) disappears into the door itself. If the Base is in an armed state when the magnetic field between any sensor is broken, it will send a signal to the ADT’s monitoring facility that there’s been a possible break-in. If you’re returning home and don’t disarm the system before you open the door, you’ll have a 30-second window to disarm the system and prevent that signal from being sent. ADT also offers a Premium sensor ($40 each) that has a button you can press to temporarily bypass the security system, so you don’t need to disarm when you leave your home while others in the family remain and then re-arm it after you close the door. These Premium sensors can also detect shocks, which would occur if an intruder broke a window to gain entry without otherwise opening that window. ADT’s tech installed four of these. There’s a large, 5 x 6-foot (HxW) fixed picture window in my living room, so the tech installed a glass-break sensor in that room in case an intruder decided that would be a good way to get into the house (as unlikely as that would seem—it would make a lot of noise). He also glued one of the Premium door/window sensors to that window, even though it doesn’t open. If an intruder broke the window, it would trigger the alarm even if the dedicated glass-break sensor didn’t. You might find the door/window sensors ADT uses to be unsightly. For doors, I much prefer the type that disappear into the door frame and the door itself.Michael Brown/Foundry These sensors communicate with the Base using a 1.9GHz DECT frequency, a digital standard originally created for cordless phones (the acronym stands for Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications), so their signal traffic doesn’t compete with your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network, but they don’t travel as far as sub-GHz Z-Wave signals. They run on 3V CR2 batteries. ADT also included three battery-powered life-safety devices in this review system: a smoke detector ($60, installed outside my kitchen) and two carbon monoxide detectors ($60 each, one installed in my kitchen, near my gas range, and the other in my basement, near my gas-powered furnace). ADT’s $60 Water and Temperature Sensor was the final security sensor ADT left me with. I had it placed in the basement next to my water heater, and it will notify me via the ADT app if water appears there, warning me if that appliance or my washing machine develops a leak or if my basement otherwise floods. The temperature sensor in that device will warn me of frigid conditions that could lead to a burst pipe. Money-saving strategies Ultimately, you have a large degree of control over the cost of ADT’s system, since you can pick and choose which elements to install up front and which ones to add later (ADT also offers various discounted bundles of equipment). In addition to installing the system yourself, another way to reduce the total system cost is to install ADT’s motion sensor ($40) and/or its glass-break sensor ($50) in some rooms, instead of placing a door/window sensor on every window in your home. ADT’s motion sensor is designed to ignore pets that weigh less than 85 pounds.Michael Brown/Foundry The motion sensor can be programmed to be active only when the system is in an armed-away state, but you can also program it for a “convenience” mode that turns on connected smart lighting at night. If you have pets, it will ignore motion caused by animals weighing less than 85 pounds. My dog weighs only 10 pounds, so I can’t say how accurate that claim is, but I haven’t experienced a false alarm triggered by motion. The glass-break sensor, meanwhile, is triggered by the sound of glass breaking (duh) within a range of 2 to 25 feet in the same room. If that happens while the system is any of its three armed states (Away, Stay, or Night), it will trigger the siren in the base station, alert the monitoring service, and send an alert to your smartphone. The sensor can be attached to a wall or ceiling (it must be mounted at least 6.5 feet above the floor) with the provided screws or double-sided tape. Each of these sensors will also send an alert to the ADT app and to ADT’s central monitoring office if they’re tampered with. Opting out of ADT’s extended warranties–its Quality Service Plans–or selecting the least expensive version–will also reduce your monthly outlay, but then you’ll be on the hook should something go wrong with ADT’s equipment after the initial 90-day warranty runs out. Where you won’t be able to save money with ADT is by monitoring the system yourself. You’ll need to pay at least $25 per month for “intrusion monitoring,” in which ADT staff will respond to security events such as a break-in by requesting a local police dispatch, and “Life safety monitoring,” in which ADT will dispatch first responders in the event of a fire, carbon monoxide, or medical emergency. I’ll dig deeper into ADT’s fees in a bit. Security cameras My home isn’t wired for a doorbell, so the 2nd-gen Nest Doorbell ADT installed is running on its internal battery.Michael Brown/Foundry While ADT describes the $180 2nd-gen Google Nest Doorbell as battery-powered, it can easily replace a wired doorbell if you have one (in which case, and ADT tech can connect it to your existing transformer and chime). Read our Google Nest Doorbell review for more details. ADT offers the AC-powered Nest Cam ($99) for indoor surveillance. The Nest Cam with Floodlight ($280) was the final element of video security ADT provided for this review, delivering exterior smart lighting as well as security.   Each of these Google Nest cameras records video in 960 x 1280-pixel resolution and stores it in the cloud. To reduce the amount of video you must sift through, you can configure the cameras in the ADT app, so they detect motion and record only when the ADT system is armed. I’ll discuss how the ADT and Google Home apps work together in a moment. Smart home accessories ADT’s embrace of Z-Wave shows the company takes the smart home seriously. In addition to the Z-Wave locks on offer, you can also buy Z-Wave-powered smart plugs and plug-in dimmers ($50 each) and LED light bulbs ($30 each). That said, you’ll find much cheaper alternatives on the open market; remember that ADT won’t bar you from installing third-party Z-Wave products. Again, as you might expect, devices that tie into the security element of the system—such as smart locks—are a different matter. And ADT recommends you only install devices that it has tested and approved. ADT also offers a Netgear Nighthawk mesh Wi-Fi 6 router ($299); the 2nd-gen Google Nest Hub ($100), enabling you to arm and disarm the security system with voice commands, among other things; the 4th-generation Nest Learning Thermostat ($280); or the simpler Google Nest Thermostat ($130). I’ve been more than happy with my Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, so I didn’t have either of those Nest devices installed. You can install either thermostat yourself or hire ADT to install it for you. ADT Smart Home Security System user classes The ADT Smart Home Security system recognizes several types of users who have varying levels of permission, with Primary users having the most access.Michael Brown/Foundry The system recognizes three classes of users: Family, Trusted Neighbors, and Helpers & Guests. The Family class is subdivided into three other categories: Admin, the Primary user with the most privileges, including the ability to grant other users access to the system; Standard users, with permission to access professional monitoring, arm/disarm the system, and limited access to other settings; and Basic users, who can only arm/disarm the system. You can register the fingerprints of any user except for those in the Basic class. The Admin can also create a “duress” code that will disarm the system but notify ADT’s professional monitoring service that there’s an emergency in the home. If an intruder forces you to disarm the system, for example, you could enter the duress code to disarm the system as instructed, but ADT would then dispatch the police to the home to help you. Helpers & Guests are people to whom you want to grant access to your home on a more limited basis—think housekeepers, dog walkers, contractors, and the like. They’ll be invited to download the ADT app and they can use their assigned PIN on the smart lock, but their access can be restricted to a single day, a range of dates, or a recurring schedule. ADT brought in an outside electrician to install the Google Nest Floodlight Cam. The company’s techs generally install only low-voltage devices. Michael Brown/Foundry Trusted Neighbors are just what they sound like: People you trust with access to your home, who live nearby, and are willing to help manage your home while you’re away. While you can also limit their access to your home to a schedule, a far more useful scenario has ADT notify them of events so they can respond in your absence. These notifications can be set to be active all the time or only when your system is in an Armed Away state. If your Nest Video Doorbell detects a package left on your porch, for example, ADT can notify your neighbor, so they can pick up the package and bring it into your home (provided you’ve given them that access, of course). Or if the system detects a water leak, it can notify your neighbor of that problem so they can go over and shut off the water valve. You’ll receive the same event notifications, and you’ll receive alerts when your trusted neighbor arrives at your home. Trusted Neighbor is a great feature that I hope ADT’s competitors will copy. Using the ADT Smart Home Security System A battery in the ADT Base keeps it running in the event of a power outage, while an LTE radio keeps the system linked to the internet–and ADT’s monitoring service–should your regular broadband connection fail.Michael Brown/Foundry Aside from the Nest video doorbell and security cameras, which I’ll get to in a moment, the user experience with the ADT Smart Home Security System is mostly typical for this class of product. You’ll issue each authorized user a 4- to 8-digit PIN, which they’ll use each time they arm or disarm the system at the Base. They’ll use the same with an ADT-authorized smart lock, which will automatically disarm the system when that PIN is entered on the lock’s keypad. If they download the ADT app, they’ll also be able to lock/unlock the door and arm/disarm the system with their fingerprint (assuming you’ve set them up that way) or the app on their smartphone. You’ll press a button on the Base (or the optional keypad, ADT’s keyfob, the ADT app, or with a “Hey Google” voice command) to arm the system in one of its three armed states: Away, Stay, or Night. That Night state is unusual; most security systems have just two armed states: Stay (or Home) and Away. In Armed Away mode, an exit delay gives you time to open a door to leave your home after you’ve started the countdown to its fully armed state. Since the home will presumably be unoccupied after you leave, motion inside the home or opening any window while the system is Armed Away will trigger the system to go into an alarm state. When you return home, an entry delay will start a countdown before the system goes into an alarm state. The countdown will give you time to enter your PIN at the base inside the home. You can also present your fingerprint on an authorized smart lock unlock it and disarm the system, press the disarm button on the ADT key fob, or disarm with the ADT app. The ADT Home Security System has three arming modes: Away, for when no one will be home; Stay, for when some residents might be away, but others are home; and Night, when everyone is expected to be home for the duration. Michael Brown/Foundry Armed Stay mode also has entry and exit delays, but motion inside the home will not trigger an alarm (opening a window, on the other hand, will put the system into an alarm mode). A exit delay is useful when one member of the household needs to leave the home while other occupants remain inside. The person leaving can arm the system and have a short amount of time to open a door and leave without triggering the alarm. Opening any window after the exit delay has expired will trigger the system to go into an alarm state, but opening any door will trigger a fresh entry/exit delay. Armed Night mode is similar to Armed Stay, except that there is no entry or exit delay. Motion inside the home won’t trigger the alarm, but opening any door or window will. This mode should be used when everyone is home for the night. A backlit icon on the Base will inform you if the system is ready to be armed or not. If the system is ready, for example, you’ll see an icon of a home backlit by a green LED. But if any doors or windows are open, the Base will show an icon of a house with a slash through it, backlit by a yellow LED. You can override any of those sensors and arm the system anyway. Once the door or window is closed, it will return to its “armed” state. But if you have something like an air conditioner in a window, such that the system is reporting the window as open, you’ll need to override it every time you arm the system until you take the unit out and close the window again. You can arm and disarm the ADT Smart Home Security system with this optional key fob, which also has a panic mode that can summon emergency help from ADT’s professional monitoring service.Michael Brown/Foundry Similar icons and colored backlights indicate other alarm modes (armed away, stay, or night; entry/exit delay; or panic), and there a dedicated buttons for summoning police, fire, and ambulance services via ADT’s professional monitoring service. ADT was beta-testing a new feature that allows registered users to unlock a smart lock—and disarm the system—based on their phone’s location and the phone’s familiar-face detection. You can already unlock the smart lock and disarm the system using the facial recognition features of the Google Nest cameras (particularly useful with the Nest Doorbell). Monthly ADT service charges As I’ve mentioned, while you can save some money by installing an ADT Smart Home Security System yourself, you can’t use with without paying ADT for monitoring the system, among other things. You should also be aware that you’ll be obligated to sign a 36-month contract (24 months for California residents) for professional monitoring. Should you end the contract before it has run it’s course, ADT will bill you for 75 percent of the monthly charges remaining in the initial term. As this review system is configured, professional monitoring would cost a consumer $63.99 per month. That figure consists of fees in seven categories, as outlined below: Ongoing service Monthly fee 24/7 Intrusion Monitoring$24.99 Smart Home Automation $5.00Integrated Smart Solutions Subscription (optional)$10.00Nest Aware with Video Verification$10.00Quality Service Plan – Comprehensive$10.00Supplemental Quality Service Plan $4.00Total monthly service charge$63.99 Here’s a description of what each of those services are: 24/7 Intrusion Monitoring: If a break-in alarm or a life-safety sensors (smoke, CO, or water detector) is triggered, ADT’s monitoring center sends you an alert to confirm there is an emergency. If you respond that there is–or if you don’t respond at all–ADT will request an emergency dispatch of first responders. Smart Home Automation: You’ll need to pay this fee to take advantage of the Z-Wave radio in the ADT Base to create rules, scenes and schedules. Integrated Smart Solutions Subscription: This is optional add-in entitles you to unlimited concierge-style remote sessions with ADT specialists for Wi-Fi and network diagnostics, as well as smart home optimization across all the devices connected to the ADT Smart Home Security System, including non-ADT devices. Nest Aware with Video Verification: This is the subscription service that Google used to offer buyers of its Nest cameras and smart home device. The service offered through ADT does not include Gemini support. It includes 30 days of event-based video history stored in the cloud for each Nest camera and video doorbell that’s included in the ADT system (you can add more cameras later at no additional charge). For an additional $7 per month (a feature not included in this review system), you get 60 days of event-based video storage in the cloud; plus, up to 10 days of 24/7 continuous video (wired cameras only). Quality Service Plan – Comprehensive: This is an optional tiered extended warranty plan that “covers repair/replacement of ADT-supplied equipment due to malfunction” up to a pre-discount maximum of $1,000 in equipment. When the value of the equipment exceeds $1,000, you’ll be assessed a supplemental fee (see below) The Comprehensive tier included with the package reviewed here includes security, life safety, automation, and video devices. The more basic Essential tier includes only security and life safety devices, while the top-of-the-line Advanced tier covers the same devices as the Comprehensive tier, but adds “annual virtual preventative maintenance checkup, annual smart home consultation, and certain available equipment discounts after the first year.” Supplemental Quality Service Plan: This is a supplemental fee when the pre-discount retail value of the ADT equipment you install or have ADT install exceeds $1,000. It starts at $2 per month if the equipment retail value is between $1,000 and $1,300 and is capped at $42 per month if the value of that equipment is $5,200 or more. Google Home integration You can configure most of the Nest Cam settings in the ADT app, but you’ll need to open the Google Home app to access all their settings.Michael Brown/Foundry You can see thumbnail images from the Google Nest cameras in the ADT app and tap those images to see a live stream from the selected camera. You’ll also see indicator showing the camera’s battery status. Tap a Saved Media icon and you’ll get a timeline of recorded clips (curiously, camera events are not including the ADT app’s event history). Clips can be filtered by date range, by camera, and/or by the type of event that triggered the recording: Activity or animal, Doorbell, Face, Motion, Package, Person Talking, or Vehicle. You can also change at least some camera settings in the ADT app, the most important of which are Notifications. You can choose to be notified of motion caused by animals, people, or vehicles; any motion; if someone rings the doorbell; or if a package is within the camera’s view. You can also turn off all notifications, but most people wouldn’t go that far. That’s the extent of camera configuration options within the ADT app. The Google Home app (left-hand screenshot) takes full advantage of the Nest Cams’ facial recognition features, whereas the ADT app (middle and right-hand screenshots) only identifies people as a “face” and a “person.”Michael Brown/Foundry That means you’ll need to fire up the Google Home app if you want more—including such important Nest Aware features as facial recognition. The ADT app will only notify you that a person has come into one of the Nest cameras’ field of view or if a face has been detected. The Google Home app will let you know that person’s name (after you’ve initially identified them, of course). Should you buy an ADT Smart Home Security System? From a security perspective, the ADT Smart Home Security System checks all the boxes: There’s a full complement of high-quality security and life-safety devices with professional monitoring to protect your family and your property. ADT’s Trusted Neighbor feature that lets you give neighbors permission to disarm your security system to enter and check on your property is a great feature. You can add or subtract from the components included in this review to either save some money up front or increase your home security profile. Taking the DIY installation option, meanwhile, will save you a significant amount of money up front. The monthly cost of professional monitoring, which is just a bit higher than what Vivint charges, won’t really change based on the components you install. The ADT Smart Home Security System is also very good from a smart home perspective, but it’s not the best smart home system on the market. This is primarily due to its dependence on Google’s cameras and video doorbell. While we have high opinions of those products, as you can read in our reviews linked above, needing to juggle two different apps to manage your home security system is by no means a showstopper, but it’s not ideal. The absence of support for Amazon’s Alexa, on the other hand, could be for some. The presence of a Z-Wave radio in the ADT Base coupled with the fact that you can acquire non security-related  third-party Z-Wave components and install them yourself is a major plus. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart home systems. Read...