Windows Defender - Running an Antivirus Scan
This article describes the process of triggering an antivirus scan with Windows' built-in security suite, Windows Defender.
What is Windows Defender?
The Office of Cybersecurity recommends enabling Windows Defender on personal devices owned by University Faculty, Staff and Students. Windows Defender is the built-in endpoint protection software that is available on all currently supported Windows Operating Systems (including Windows 10). It has been designed to fill the role of traditional antivirus software at no additional cost to the user. Windows Defender blocks malicious files as they enter the system, allows users to manually trigger scans to search for malicious files, protects against active malicious threats, and provides a firewall to protect against network attacks. The Windows Defender protection suite is enabled by default on Windows computers, unless you have any additional antivirus software (such as Symantec or Malwarebytes) installed.
Running a Windows Defender scan on your Computer:
The Office of Cybersecurity recommends enabling Windows Defender on personal devices owned by University Faculty, Staff and Students. Windows Defender is the built-in endpoint protection software that is available on all currently supported Windows Operating Systems (including Windows 10). It has been designed to fill the role of traditional antivirus software at no additional cost to the user. Windows Defender blocks malicious files as they enter the system, allows users to manually trigger scans to search for malicious files, protects against active malicious threats, and provides a firewall to protect against network attacks. The Windows Defender protection suite is enabled by default on Windows computers, unless you have any additional antivirus software (such as Symantec or Malwarebytes) installed.
Running a Windows Defender scan on your Computer:
- Log into your Windows computer.
- Click on the Windows Start Button (bottom left of your desktop), and then click the Settings gear icon to open Windows Settings.
- Click the "Update and Security" button.
- Select Windows Security from the Update & Security options pane that appears.
- Select Virus & Threat Protection and the "Virus & Threat Protection" window should appear.
- On the "Virus & Threat Protection Window," click the "Scan Options" button. This will take you to the scan options page.
- Select the scan type you would like to run - a brief description of each scan type is displayed beside the scan to help you make a selection. Most often, a quick scan should be sufficient in identifying potential infections on your computer. Once you've made your selection, click "Scan now" to run the scan.
- The scan should run. You do not have to wait on this screen for the scan to complete, it will run in the background.
- Once the scan has finished, navigate back to the Virus & Threat Protection Window Using Steps 1-5 above (you shouldn't have to perform this step if you left the scan window open), and you should be able to view the results of the scan there.
Questions about Windows Defender:
For useful articles on how to use various Windows Defender features, navigate to the Security & Privacy page of Microsoft's Support Site.
If you encounter errors relating to Windows Defender, or you need general assistance, contact Microsoft Support through the support portal here.
If you have additional questions, please contact the DoIT Help Desk for assistance.