Windows Defender is an antivirus tool created by Microsoft to protect Windows computers from malicious software. It can scan and detect viruses, spyware, rootkits, and other types of malware, and can alert users to any potential threats. In order to keep your computer secure and up to date with the latest security patches, it is important to make sure that Windows Defender is running the most current version available.
The easiest way to update Windows Defender to the latest version is to use Windows Update. This service will automatically check for updates to the operating system and any installed applications. To access this, open the Start menu and click on “Settings”. From there, select “Update & Security” and then “Windows Update”. Once in the Windows Update section, click “Check for Updates” and wait for Windows to search for any available updates. If Windows Defender is listed as an available update, simply click “Install” to start the installation process.
If you are unable to access Windows Update, you can manually update Windows Defender by downloading the latest version directly from the Microsoft website. To do this, go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/defender and download the “Similar Products” version of Windows Defender. Once downloaded, open the file and follow the instructions on-screen to install the program.
Once installed, Windows Defender should start running its default scan, which will detect any malicious software present on the system. You can also manually initiate a scan by clicking either the “Quick Scan” or “Full Scan” option on the main window. If any threats are found, Windows Defender will alert you and provide options for dealing with them.
Windows Defender should now be running the latest version available. To ensure that it remains up to date in the future, you can enable automatic updates for the program by going to the Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update page and checking the box that reads “Give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows”. Doing this will ensure that Windows Update will notify you whenever new versions of Windows Defender become available.