How to find activation code for Bitdefender Free

Rob Borland

I have been using Bitdefender Free for some time and am very happy with it (I previously used Bitdefender Total Security for several years). I have just installed Windows 10 Update to version 2004 which appears to have removed my Bitdefender Free. I downloaded and installed the latest Bitdefender Free but I cannot find the activation code to use to activate it. I would be grateful for any advice.

Thanks,

Rob Borland

Flexx

https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/82473/how-to-find-activation-code-for-bitdefender-free

@Rob Borland

This is to inform you that bitdefender free does not has any licence key. As the name suggest, it is a free antivirus.

Once you install the free version, you just need to create a bitdefender account or if you already have one, you need to sign in with that.

If this helps, kindly mark answer as agree/ accepted

Regards

Flex

(Bitdefender beta tester 2019/ 2020)

Rob Borland

Thanks for your quick response and good advice.

That's how it worked last time I installed the free version. But now after downloading the free version (twice!) and signing in to my account I get the welcome screen "Let's get your device protected" with first option "Activate a subscription"; I click this option and I get the Activation code screen "Please insert the activation code to activate your subscription". If I close this screen and click "My devices" I get the "Install protection" screen showing "<my PC> new At risk". If I click this line I get the Overview screen showing "At risk" and my device details. Nothing clickable in the screen so "Dashboard" takes me back to the dashboard. Clicking "My subscriptions" shows "It seems you have no subscriptions", clicking the activation code button takes back to the activation screen again, clicking "How to install: Watch video" shows "Page not found", clicking "Go back" takes me back to the "Install protection" screen.

I have been around this circuit several times, downloaded the installation twice and even deleted my account and recreated an account and still can't get running.

Rob Borland

Just for information, the Bitdefender Free download page https://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/free/thank-you.html shows a five-step installation procedure but only steps 1 and 2 match my experience; I do not see steps 3, 4 & 5. Perhaps this page is out of date?

I'm not complaining, I'm just sharing my experience :-)

Rob Borland

I have just noticed that the only Bitdefender program showing as installed in Control Panel is Bitdefender Agent. The only binary in Downloads is bitdefender_online.exe. What happened to those half-gigabyte downloads I thought I had installed?

Rob Borland

I notice that my system has the following current folders:

C:\Program Files\Bitdefender Agent

C:\Program Files\Bitdefender Antivirus Free

AND it still has the following folders dated 2018 files from my previous installation:

C:\Bitdefender

C:\Program Files\Bitdefender

I uninstalled the old Bitdefender Free in Control Panel before installing the new one but apparently it did not clean up the old files properly.

Maybe these old files are causing the confusion?

Flexx

Sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.

The bitdefender agent is always installed before installing the mainstream of bitdefender product, be it free or paid. Can you share the screenshot of welcome screen and where it asks for the activation code.

Regards

Flex

Rob Borland

Thanks for your response and advice. I attach screenshots.

I deleted the old 2018 folders I mentioned above and rebooted but no change in status.

Screenshot (15).png

Screenshot (3).png

Screenshot (2).png

Screenshot (16).png

Regards,

Rob

Flexx

https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/comment/296129#Comment_296129

@Rob Borland

There is no need to go to bitdefender central website when using free antivirus.

Let's solve this issue step wise:

1) Remove your present device from bitdefender central website (https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/2795/)

2) Uninstall bitdefedner free on your pc.

3) Open run command (windows icon +R) and type below things one by one and delete the files in the respective folder

temp ,delete all the files in the folder

%temp% ,delete all the files in folder

prefetch ,delete all the files in folder

4) Restart your pc

5) Download bitdefender free antivirus (https://download.bitdefender.com/windows/bp/agent/en-us/bitdefender_online.exe)

6) After a successful installation, a login windows will open on a desktop where you will have to input your details of bitdefender account (email & password) and click sign in. Once successfully login, your device will automatically get synchronized with online central website.

Keep me updated.

Regards

Flex

Rob Borland

Thanks for all the good advice, Flex, I'm onto it and will keep you posted.

Regards,

Rob

Rob Borland

I performed these steps exactly as specified but ... no success.

Bitdefender does not appear in the tool tray and only Bitdefender Agent is listed in Apps under settings, but the following folder is there:

C:\Program Files\Bitdefender Antivirus Free

After installation in step 5 I get a screen reporting "Product already installed, You are protected" (screenshot attached). I also got this screen previously.

Any idea what to try next?

Regards,

Rob

Screenshot (18).png

Flexx

Okay, so we need to go into safe mode now, to solve this issue.

1) Uninstall bitdefender agent and bitdefender free antivirus

2) Restart pc in safe mode (https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/12376/windows-10-start-your-pc-in-safe-mode)

3) As soon as desktop opens, assuming your windows drive is C, open below things in run command one by one :

C:\Program Files (delete any folder with name bitdefender)

C:\Program Files (x86) (delete any folder with name bitdefender)

C:\ProgramData (delete any folder with name bitdefender)

C:\Users\{your pc name}\AppData\Local (delete any folder with name bitdefender)

4) Open run command again and run below command one by one :

temp ,delete all the files in the folder

%temp% ,delete all the files in folder

prefetch ,delete all the files in folder

5) Restart your pc

6) Try reinstalling bitdefender free

Keep posted.

Regards

Flex

Rob Borland

Thanks for your patience, Flex, I will do as you advise.

Rob

Rob Borland

That all worked well, Flex, I'm all set up nicely now.

Thanks for your invaluable help.

Regards,

Rob

Flexx

Nice to know that this helped you.

If your issue has been resolved, kindly mark answer as agree/ accepted

Regards

Flex

Rob Borland

Sorry to be so slow, how do I mark answer as accepted? :-(

Flexx

You can just select the answer that worked for you and click on agree

Regards

Flex

Rob Borland

I have tried this, it registers "1" against "Agree" but it does not post a green "Answered" button on the original posting.

Flexx

https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/comment/296179#Comment_296179

It's okay, since you have already clicked on agree.

Thanks for the update

Regards

Flex