Get the program from its maker’s own page
The big Download button on a free-software page may be an ad. Go to the maker’s own site, and check a file’s real name before opening it.
From people’s advice and experience shared online; the steps are checked against the US FTC, the FBI and the makers’ own help pages for a browser and for Windows, October 2026.
You need a free program, you search for it, and the biggest thing on the page is a large Download button. It might be the program. It might be an advertisement built to look like it.
Get free software from its maker’s own website, which you find yourself, and not from a big Download button on a page full of ads.
This page is for computers. Phones and tablets work differently, and this page does not cover them.
Why the biggest button is the wrong one to trust
It is not foolish to be caught by a button made to look like the real one: the FBI describes criminals who impersonate real brands in adverts on purpose. The FTC says scammers place bogus ads for software on search engines and social media, and that you should not click an ad to download software but go to the website by typing the address. The FBI says the same: type the company’s web address into the address bar rather than click through. If you do search, the FTC says to scroll past results marked Ad or Sponsored, and the FBI says to check the address before you click an advert.
Some people say large, flashy Download buttons can be adverts, and that hovering over one, or dragging it, shows the real web address, so you can see whether it is the maker’s. One person says malicious sites use networks of infected computers to push themselves up the search results, so, they say, a high position is no proof a site is safe.
Some people say to go to the official vendor’s own website, not a mirror or a search result, because third-party sites can bundle adware or malware with the program.
Check what you have downloaded before you open it
Some people say to check the real end of a file’s name, not just its icon, before opening it, because malware can be disguised with a double extension such as .pdf.exe. One person says the same of programs disguised as music files, such as mp3.exe. The Windows maker’s support pages say an .exe file is an executable program file. On a Windows computer, File Explorer can hide the ends of file names; choose View, then Show, then File name extensions to see them. A document or a song should not end in .exe.
A browser setting that makes you stop
Some people set their browser to ask where to save each file, because it makes a pause in which an automatic or malicious download can be cancelled. The questions below say who it suits and who it does not.
If something has already gone wrong
If you have opened something you doubt, the steps are at the top of this page. One person warns that malware can make a USB stick contagious if it is plugged into an infected machine, and another that some cheap computers come with adware that inserts fake links into search results; neither is something this page can check.
Who this page is not for
If you already know how to run a virtual machine or a sandbox, you may want more than this page offers: one person says that for high-risk browsing you should consider stronger isolation than browser settings, such as a virtual machine, a sandbox or a separate profile. And if you are on a phone or a tablet, or you have to use an older version that is not offered any more, the questions below say what this page cannot do for you.
Common questions
How do I tell the real button from the fake one?
Some people say that large, flashy Download buttons on a page can be adverts, and that hovering over a button or dragging it shows the real address it leads to, which helps you tell the real download link from an advertisement. Do not click while you check. The FBI says to check the address of an advert before clicking, because fake sites can contain typos or misplaced letters that imitate a real one, and the FTC says scammers also place ads on search engines, marked ‘Ad’ or ‘Sponsored’, so scroll past those. Both say to go to the website directly instead of following an advert.
Should I use an ad blocker?
Some people say an ad-blocking extension cuts down how many harmful ads and fake download prompts reach you, and the FBI says to use an ad-blocking extension when you search the internet. It is not a guarantee: one person says such extensions are effective against third-party ads but can fail against pop-ups built into a site’s own code, especially on poorly coded sites, and some people say they still get pop-ups despite using them. One person says to check the reviews of any extension before you install it, since one safety extension had a mixed reputation.
Is the ‘ask where to save’ setting worth it?
It depends on how you use your computer, and people split on it. Some people say it adds a pause that lets you cancel an accidental or malicious automatic download. One person says it slows down people who download known-safe files all day, so it is less practical for them. What decides it, they said, is how often you download things you do not trust compared with how much you need to move quickly. One browser maker’s help page says that for a program file you can choose Save if you trust it and Discard if you are not sure what it contains.
What if I need an older version that the maker no longer offers?
One person says some people download older versions of programs from third-party sites because the newer ones do not run well on their hardware, and one person objects that ‘only from official sites’ is too restrictive for that reason. One person warns that this carries inherent risks if you do not trust the source. This page cannot tell you how to make that safe or how to verify an older file.
Does this apply to Macs and phones?
It applies to Macs. One person says it is a mistake to think Macs cannot catch malware, and that a browser exploit has infected Macs before; another person points out that the maker dropped its own immunity claim years ago. This page is about computers and does not cover phones or tablets.
Questions this step helps with
Same situation, another step
- A buyer never needs you to send moneyScams and fraud
- Check the speaker before you press playPhones, laptops and gadgets
Who can help
ReportFraud.ftc.gov
You can report a scam, a company or an unwanted call, and you get next steps to protect yourself.
IdentityTheft.gov
If someone used your information, you can tell them what happened and get a personal recovery plan with the steps to take. The site also has sample letters and contact details for the credit bureaus.
In the UK
Full tip: https://findangel.org/tips/get-the-program-from-its-makers-own-page/ · FindAngel.org — free, always.