Configuring Windows Defender settings is an important part of maintaining a secure Windows system. Windows Defender is the built-in antivirus tool that helps protect your computer from malware and other potentially unwanted software. The following instructions will help you to update and configure your Windows Defender settings in order to maximize protection on your Windows machine.
1. Update Windows Defender
To ensure that your version of Windows Defender is up-to-date and has the latest virus definitions, it’s important to keep your security software updated. It’s recommended that you configure Windows to check for updates at least twice a day.
To update Windows Defender, press the Windows key + R together to open the Run window, type “windowsdefender” and press enter. This will open the Windows Defender Security Center. In the menu on the left hand side, click ‘Virus & Threat Protection’.
On the Virus & Threat Protection screen, click the ‘Check for Updates’ button. Windows will then check for updates for your Windows Defender software. Once the update process is finished, click the ‘OK’ button to close the update window.
2. Configure Real Time Protection
Real time protection is the feature in Windows Defender that provides continuous scanning of any file that’s opened or created on your device. This will help to protect your computer from malicious software. To configure real time protection, go back to the Virus & Threat Protection screen in the Windows Defender Security Center.
On the Virus & Threat Protection page, scroll down to the ‘Real Time Protection’ section, then toggle the switch to ‘On’. This will enable real time protection on your Windows machine. You can also configure the settings for this feature by clicking the ‘Settings’ link. On the settings page, you can adjust various options such as the type of scanning (full scan), what types of files to scan, when to run the scans and so on.
Connecting Your Device to Windows Defender
The Windows Defender Security Center also allows you to connect your device with Windows Defender in order to provide more in-depth protection. This includes providing warnings about downloaded files, setting up email scanning, blocking malicious websites and more. To enable this functionality, go back to the main Virus & Threat Protection page in the Windows Defender Security Center, then click the ‘Connect your device with Windows Defender’ link.
Once you’ve clicked the link, a new window will appear with a list of available features. Click the ‘Enable’ button next to each feature that you’d like to activate. You can customize the settings for these features by clicking the ‘Settings’ link next to each one.
4. Adjust the Notifications
If you want to keep up-to-date with the status of your Windows Defender protection, you can configure the notifications that you receive from the program. To do this, go back to the main Virus & Threat Protection page in the Windows Defender Security Center, then click the ‘Notifications’ link in the right-hand pane.
On the notifications page, you can choose what type of notifications you want to receive. You can opt to receive notifications when Windows Defender finds infections, when security settings have been changed and more.
5. Scan Your System
The last step of updating and configuring your Windows Defender settings is to scan your system. To do this, go back to the main Virus & Threat Protection page in the Windows Defender Security Center, then click the ‘Scan Now’ button. On the scan page, you can choose the type of scan you want to run – a quick scan, a full scan or a custom scan. Once you’ve selected the type of scan you want to run, click ‘Scan Now’ and Windows Defender will start scanning your system for any malicious software.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your Windows Defender settings are configured correctly and that your device is well protected from malicious software. Keeping your security settings up-to-date is an important part of maintaining a secure Windows system.