RELATED: You Won’t Be Able to Disable (or Delay) Windows Updates on Windows 10 HomeĪntivirus definition updates automatically arrive through Windows Update and are installed like any other system update. If Windows Defender does find a threat, you’ll also see a notification letting you know that it’s taking action to clean those threats-and no action is required from you.

You’ll occasionally see a notification popup to let you know when a scan has been performed, and you can usually see the details of the last scan by opening the Action Center in Windows 10.

It won’t even ask you what you want to do with the malicious software it finds-it just cleans things up and quarantines the files automatically. It will only pop up to inform you when it finds malware. You don’t really have to think about Windows Defender at all. RELATED: Why Does Antivirus Software Quarantine Viruses Instead of Deleting Them? Like other antivirus apps, Windows Defender automatically runs in the background, scanning files when they’re downloaded, transferred from external drives, and before you open them. Take Advantage of Automatic Scans and Updates We do, however, recommend running an anti-malware app like Malwarebytes in addition to whatever antivirus app you choose. What you use is up to you, but Windows Defender is not a bad choice (and has overcome most of its problems from a few years back). RELATED: How to Run Malwarebytes Alongside Another Antivirus Windows Defender also plays nicer with web browsers and other apps-respecting their security and privacy settings more than most other antivirus apps. It’s by far the most non-invasive app, handling things in the background whenever it can and not nagging you all the time. It’s true that other antivirus apps-like BitDefender and Kaspersky-protect against more viruses in benchmarks.īut Windows Defender boasts some advantages, too. And it’s pretty good, if something of a mixed bag. With Windows 8, the product was tidied up a bit, bundled with Windows, and renamed Windows Defender. Microsoft offered a standalone antivirus app named Microsoft Security Essentials in the days of Windows XP, Vista, and 7.

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