Running a Windows Defender scan is a simple process that will allow you to quickly and easily detect any potential threats that might exist on your computer. It is highly recommended that you run scans periodically to ensure the safety of your system.
Before you can run a scan, you must first make sure you have Windows Defender installed on your computer. To do this, open the Start Menu and type “Windows Defender” into the search bar at the bottom. Click on the icon to open the application.
Once the application is open, you will need to select the type of scan you would like to run. You will have the option of running a Quick Scan, Full Scan, or Custom Scan. The Quick Scan option is the quickest way to scan your computer and will check for commonly known threats. The Full Scan option will scan your entire computer for any threats, including files, memory, the registry, and start-up items. The Custom Scan option allows you to choose specific folders or drives to scan if you prefer.
Once you have selected a scan option, click the “Scan Now” button to begin the scan. During the scan, the status bar at the top of the screen will show you the progress of the scan. Depending on the size of your hard drive, the scan may take a few minutes to several hours to complete.
When the scan is finished, Windows Defender will produce a report of the results. This report will show you all of the threats it has detected and the possible remedies for each one. If you do find any threats, you can click on the individual items to find out more information about each one. From there, you can choose to quarantine, delete, or ignore the threats as needed.
If you find a large number of threats, it may be a sign that your computer has been infected with malware. In that case, it is best to run a full system scan with a specialized malware scanner such as Malwarebytes.
Running a Windows Defender scan is an easy and effective way to ensure the safety of your computer. It is highly recommended that you perform scans regularly to keep your computer as secure as possible.