The best way to scan for threats with Windows Defender is to use the dedicated scan utility. Windows Defender comes with a powerful scanning tool that makes it easy to detect and eliminate malicious software such as viruses, worms, and Trojans.
When scanning with Windows Defender, users should begin by running a quick scan. This scan looks at your system’s most essential locations and flags any known threats. It’s a good idea to run a quick scan on a regular basis, even if you don’t suspect any threats on your system.
Once the quick scan has been completed, you can move on to a more thorough scan. Windows Defender offers three different full scans: the Full Scan, which monitors all files and programs on your system; the Custom Scan, which allows you to select the specific drives or folders you want to scan; and the Threat Scan, which checks for rootkits, unsafe processes, and other advanced threats. All of these scans can take a while to complete, so it’s a good idea to kick one off when you know you won’t be using the system for a while.
Windows Defender also offers scheduled scans that can be set to run automatically at a specified time each day or week. This is a great way to keep your system secure without having to manually initiate a scan each time.
Finally, for even more comprehensive coverage, you can enable the real-time protection feature of Windows Defender. This setting ensures that your system is constantly monitored for potential threats and will alert you if any suspicious activity is detected. The real-time protection feature also helps to ensure that known threats are blocked from executing on your system.
Using these features of Windows Defender, you can easily and effectively scan for threats on your system. The combination of quick scans, full scans, scheduled scans, and real-time protection provides ample coverage and will help keep your system safe from malicious software.