How to scan with Microsoft Defender Antivirus in Windows 10

Malware on Windows is still a big problem. That's why Microsoft has an antivirus program called Microsoft Defender in Windows 10.

It scans for malware in the background, but you can also run full system scans.

Type "Windows Security" in the search and click on the "Windows Security" application icon that appears.

In the sidebar, click "Virus and Threat Protection".

You can do a quick scan from here by clicking the "Quick Scan" button. If you have not recently scanned your system, consider a deeper scan. In the area under the heading "Current Threats", click "Scan Options".

In the Scan Options menu, you'll see a list of four different types of scans you can run on your computer using Microsoft Defender.

• Quick scan:Scan folders on your system where threats are commonly found, such as Downloads and Windows. It takes a few minutes to complete.
• Full scan:It scans every file on your computer and all running programs as well. The scan may take more than an hour to complete.
• Custom scan:If you select this option, Windows Security will ask you for a specific file or folder location that you want to scan.
• Microsoft Defender Offline Scan:This option restarts your machine and scans system files and programs when they are not running, which is useful if malware is running from the beginning of the computer and may affect the scan.

If you have not tried it Defender in the past, it is best to start with a full scan. Select "Full Scan" and click the "Scan Now" button.

A full system scan will start and Windows Security will display a progress bar.

When the scan is complete, you will see the results. If all goes well, you will see a message that says "No current threats".

However, if the scan found malware, you will see a message saying "Threats Found" and a list of infected files just below.

To remove the threats, click the "Start Actions" button.

After clicking "Get started", Microsoft Defender will automatically remove the threats. If you want to see details about the threats that have been removed, look under the scan results and click on "Protection History".

Also, if the Defender found a threat during a quick or complete scan, you should also select “Microsoft Defender Offline Scan ”on the screen with the scan options.