Install and activate Bitdefender Total or Internet Security

Bitdefender comes to you as an activation code from Lizensa and as software from Bitdefender. You enter the code in your Bitdefender Central account, and you download the installer from Central. This guide shows each step on Windows.

What you received

Your order confirmation email contains a 10-digit activation code, and the same code is under My Library in your Lizensa account. We offer Bitdefender Total Security and Bitdefender Internet Security, each with a 1-year term, as the product names say.

• No installer comes with the order. The software comes from Bitdefender Central.
• The code goes into an account. You need a Bitdefender Central account. If you have none, create one first with your email address.
• The subscription is tied to that account. Use an account you will keep and can reach.

Check your PC first

Bitdefender lists these requirements for its Windows security apps:

• Windows 7 with Service Pack 1, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 or Windows 11
• 2 GB of RAM
• 2.5 GB of free disk space
• Internet Explorer 11

Bitdefender supports only final, released versions of Windows, not preview builds.

Get the software

You get the installer from Central after the subscription is active, so the first job is activation.

1. Go to Bitdefender Central and select Sign In. Enter your email address and password.
2. If no subscription is active yet, Central offers ACTIVATE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION. Select it. If you do not see it, open My Subscriptions in the left menu and select + Activate with code.
3. Enter the activation code and select ACTIVATE.

Activate

Central may ask for more after the code.

• Billing details. For codes that do not come from Bitdefender's own shop, Central may ask for billing details to allow automatic renewal. Bitdefender says nothing is charged now and a charge would come only when the subscription expires. If a close button is shown, this step is optional. Otherwise complete it: select Continue, pick Personal or Company, enter your details, tick the confirmation box and select Save billing details. Read what you agree to.
• Extend or add. If Central asks, choose Extend current subscription to add the time to a subscription you already have, or Add a new subscription to keep it separate. Then select Confirm activation. The extension option appears only when the total stays within 5 years.

Your subscription then appears under My Subscriptions. If you see the tabs Personal and Family group, open the one that holds it.

Install

1. On the PC you want to protect, sign in to Bitdefender Central.
2. On the start page, select Install Bitdefender Products.
3. In the Security panel, select Install.
4. Select Download to save the installer.
5. Double-click the saved file, whose name starts with bitdefender_windows_.
6. If Windows asks whether the app may make changes, select Yes.
7. Wait while the installer updates itself. This takes a few minutes, longer on a slow connection.
8. If you like, pick a language at the bottom right. Read the Subscription Agreement and select Install.
9. When the installation ends, you can run a device assessment or skip it. Select Finish to open Bitdefender.

Check it worked

Open the Bitdefender window. Compare the subscription details with My Subscriptions in Central. If the app asks you to sign in, use the same Central account.

If something goes wrong

Central does not accept the code. Check each character against your email. Bitdefender issues activation codes only after a purchase. Contact us with your order number if the code is rejected after a careful check.

There is no "ACTIVATE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION" prompt. Open My Subscriptions in the left menu and select + Activate with code.

The installer stays on "updating". Bitdefender says this step can take longer on a slow connection. Wait several minutes before you stop it.

The installer does not start. Check the requirements above, then download the installer again from Central. Bitdefender has its own articles for the messages "Installation failed" and "Unable to connect to the server".

Still stuck? Contact our support and include your order number and the exact message you see.