Keyloggers are notorious computer programs built for monitoring the keystrokes made on a Windows or Mac computer. Although it is tough to key log a Mac, there are various Windows keylogger programs readily available that can track a Windows computer.
If you are Windows 10 user then there’s a possibility that you are under someone’s surveillance and you wouldn’t even know about it. But don’t worry in this article, I have come up with a guide on how to check for keyloggers on Windows 10. So without wasting any time let’s find out how to detect a Keylogger on Windows 10 computer.
Table Of Contents
- Does Windows 10 Detect Keylogger? Will Windows Defender Help?
- How To Check For Keyloggers On Windows 10?
- Signs That Tell If There’s Keylogger On Your Windows Computer
- How To Remove Keylogger From Windows 10?
- How To Detect A Keylogger On Windows 10? Final Verdict
- FAQs
Does Windows 10 Detect Keylogger? Will Windows Defender Help?
Windows 10 PC comes pre-loaded with its own anti-virus program known as the Windows Defender. But will Windows Defender detect keyloggers? I tested it on my target computer, and I found that you cannot install a keylogger on Windows PC until and unless you disable the Defender on it.
However, once the keylogger is installed the Defender program was not able to detect it. In my case, I disabled Windows Defender and installed the keylogger program on it. After installing the keylogger, I enabled the Windows Defender and run a scan but it was not able to detect it. All it detected was some random malware but not the actual keylogger.
So does Windows 10 detect keylogger? The answer to it is, Windows Defender may be able to detect a few simple keylogger programs but it cannot identify the advanced ones.
So you cannot rely on Windows Defender to protect you all the time. But don’t worry here’s how to check for a keylogger on Windows 10 computers even if the Defender fails.
How To Check For Keyloggers On Windows 10?
1. Use Task Manager
Another effective way to detect a keylogger on Windows 10 is through the Task Manager program. The Task Manager shows you all the active applications currently running in the background on your device.
If there is a keylogger secretly running in the background, you may detect it in the Task Manager itself. Here’s how to check Task Manager for suspicious apps.
- Press the Ctrl+Alt+Del button on your keyboard. Go to Task manager > Processes.
- Now, carefully look for all the programs running in the background. If you find some suspicious programs, note down their name and right-click on them to end the process.
2. Use A Third Party Malware Scanner
It is possible that Windows Defender is not able to help you to detect keyloggers on Windows 10 PC but that does not mean that no other anti-virus program can help you. There are lots of good apps like Avast, BitDefender, McAfee, etc. which can help you find Keylogger on Windows 10.
Moreover, most of these third-party apps come with a free trial so you don’t have to pay anything upfront.
Sometimes you can’t find a keylogger no matter how hard you try. But don’t worry, you can be sure that there’s a keylogger on your computer if you see the following signs.
Signs That Tell If There’s Keylogger On Your Windows Computer
1. Device Getting Hot Or Laggy Performance: A keylogger program can cause your device to heat up which eventually lags your Windows computer because it uses RAM and storage in the background.
2. Battery Drop: If you use a Windows 10 laptop then you will notice a drop in the battery performance of your computer. That’s because apart from RAM & storage, the keylogger also consumes the battery on your device.
3. Antivirus alerts: If Windows Defender or third-party anti-virus programs have detected something on your computer then it could be a keylogger. You should not take these alerts lightly and act upon them as soon as possible. These can be warning signs such as “Avast found a spy cookie“, Your PC is under threat, etc.
4. Delay in Typing: If your Windows 10 PC has a keylogger on it then you may see a typing delay on it. For example, when I was testing Spyrix keylogger on my Windows 10 PC, I found that it took more time than usual to show what I typed on the screen. If it is so, then it’s time to beware.
How To Remove Keylogger From Windows 10?
1. From Apps & Features
Once you have detected the keylogger on your computer, you can remove it from your Windows 10 PC like any other software. You can go to Apps & features and uninstall the keylogger from there. Follow these steps to do that.
- Go to Control Panel and select Programs & Features.
- On the Program & Features window, you will see the list of all the apps installed on your PC. Find the keylogger and uninstall it from your Windows computer.
After uninstalling the keylogger, restart your computer and use it again without any fear.
2. Temporary Files
Some advanced keylogger software may not be visible in the Programs & Features section. Hence you cannot uninstall them as normal software. Such advanced keyloggers are sometimes hidden in the temp files to prevent them from blowing their covers.
You can get rid of these types of keyloggers by finding and deleting temp files on your computer. All you have to do is go to the search tab on your Windows 10 and type %temp%.
With this, the temporary folder will open, find the keylogger hidden under the fake name and delete it.
3. Reset Your Computer
Keyloggers are hard to detect and in case you don’t find one but see all the signs of a keylogger then you have only one option and that is resetting your computer. By resetting your Windows PC everything from your computer will be deleted including the keylogger program.
Here’s how to reset your Windows 10 computer
- Go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery
- Now under Reset This PC option, click on Get Started
- Next, Choose whether to keep your files or remove everything. Choose the Keep my files option.
With this, only the apps, programs, and malware will be deleted but your important files will remain as it is.
How To Detect A Keylogger On Windows 10? Final Verdict
Keyloggers are advanced computer programs that stay hidden while recording all your keystrokes. Although you have Windows Defender on your computer, it may not be that much effective against a keylogger. But you can check the task manager to identify the hidden keylogger. Moreover, you can take help of the third-party anti-virus programs to check for keyloggers on Windows 10.
Either way, once you have detected a keylogger, you can easily get rid of it by removing it from the apps & features section. If nothing works then you can even factory reset your PC to get rid of the keylogger on your Windows 10 computer.
FAQs
Does Windows Detect Keylogger?
Windows computer has built-in malware scanner program but it may not detect a keylogger all the time.
How Do Keyloggers Get Installed?
They can get installed on your computer if you download something from illegal websites or click on spam links.
How Do I Know If I Have A Keylogger On My Computer?
If your computer is slowing down or you are seeing a delay in typing then it's a sign that your PC has a keylogger.
