How do I know if my computer has been hacked?
Real warning signs include passwords that suddenly stop working, sign-in alerts you didn't cause, friends getting messages you never sent, new apps you didn't install, and your antivirus being turned off. A slow computer or a scary browser pop-up on its own is usually not a sign of hacking.
Many things that feel like hacking are ordinary problems. Computers slow down with age and full storage. Pop-ups that claim you're infected are usually just scam web pages. What points to a real break-in is something changing that only a person with access could change.
Often it's an account that gets taken over, not the computer itself. Check the recent sign-in activity for your email and Microsoft or Apple account. If you see places or devices you don't recognize, change that password from a device you trust and turn on two-step verification.
- Run a full scan in Windows Security, under Virus & threat protection, Scan options
- Look in Settings, Apps, Installed apps for anything you don't recognize, especially remote access apps
- Check recent sign-in activity on your email and Microsoft or Apple account
- Change important passwords and turn on two-step verification
How secure is your computer overall? Take the 2-minute checkup →
Signs Your PC Was Hacked
From the Is My PC Hacked? course. Learn which changes point to a real break-in and which are false alarms.