5 Windows Defender Tips and Tricks to Get Started

Microsoft renamed Windows Defender to Microsoft Defender with the Windows 10 November 2019 Update. It is now part of Windows Security. Microsoft Defender (formerly Windows Defender) has improved by leaps and bounds over the past few years, with lower false positives, better usability, and improved performance in malware and virus detection. That’s why I don’t recommend turning off Defender as before, and I recommend it instead of other paid alternatives on the market. I will share some effective tips and tricks to help you get started with Defender.

Microsoft Defender is also coming to Android and iOS devices soon. It will be interesting to see how this turns out. Anyway, now let’s move on to our Defender tips and tricks.

Note: We predict that Windows Defender will appear as Microsoft Defender in Windows after one of the Windows 10 updates to be made in the coming months.

1. How to Turn off/On Microsoft Defender

There are several reasons why you should know how to do this. One reason is a software or application conflict. Another might be troubleshooting, something I routinely do. I’ve already covered how to turn off Windows Defender (linked again for those who skipped the intro) but I still don’t recommend it unless you’re using a reliable alternative.

If you are not using a third-party antivirus application, Microsoft Defender should be turned on by default. In this case, the rules will be managed by the installed application. Often times, the installed antivirus application turns off Microsoft Defender and that’s how it should be. It is not recommended to run two antivirus applications on the same machine at the same time. Note that uninstalling any third-party antivirus should automatically open Microsoft Defender. Otherwise, you can enable it manually. Enterprise users should check the official guide.

Windows Security comes with four options. We will go through each one to make sure you have enabled all possible forms of protection available to you. Open Windows Security and click on Virus & threat protection.

Click on Managed settings.

You will enable Real-time protection, Cloud-provided protection, Auto-sampling, and Tamper Protection.

2. How to Add Exceptions/Exceptions or Whitelist in Microsoft Defender

Sometimes a website or app may not play well with Defender and cause unnecessary conflicts and crashes. One way to fix this problem is to whitelist the app or site in question. Only do this if you trust the source and know that it contains no malicious scripts.

On your computer, press Windows key+I to open Settings and go to Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection. Under Virus & threat protection settings, click Manage settings.

Under the Exceptions heading, select Add or remove exclusions.

Click Add exclusion and choose whether you want to whitelist (exclude from scans) a file, folder, file type or process.

Follow the on-screen instructions.

Note: Don’t see the Manage settings option as shown above? There could be two possible reasons for this. Either you are running an older version of the Windows build or you do not have administrator rights. You can update Windows from Settings > Update & Security and check out our guide explaining the difference between administrator and standard user accounts. Are you working on an office computer? Contact your IT department.

3. How to Perform a Quick/Full Scan in Microsoft Defender

Search for Windows Security from the start menu and open it.

Select Virus & threat protection and you will find an option to perform a Quick scan.

Alternatively, you can choose Scan options and run Full or Custom scan according to your needs.

You can also perform various Microsoft Defender scanning functions from the Command Prompt. You will need to open CMD (short for Command Prompt) with administrator rights from the start menu as shown in the image below.

In this window, navigate to the Windows Defender folder, which points to the MpCmdRun.exe application on your drive. Usually, you can find it in this location:

C:\Program Files\Windows Defender

Then run the following command for Quick scan:

MpCmdRun.exe -scan -1

This should start the virus scan and you can monitor it while keeping the Command Prompt window open.

4. How to Schedule a Scan in Microsoft Defender

Search for Task Scheduler from the start menu and open it.

Navigate to the following folder structure in the left window pane.

Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > Microsoft Defender

Now select Windows Defender Scheduled Scan (Microsoft Defender Scheduled Scan) in the middle pane and then click on the Triggers tab.

Click New. Can not you see? Double-click on Windows Defender Scheduled Scan (Microsoft Defender Scheduled Scan) in the middle pane above to reveal a popup. You will find the new button there under the Triggers tab.

You can now schedule a scan by selecting various parameters such as date and time.

5. How to Update Microsoft Defender

There are two ways to do this. Open Settings and click on Updates & Security. You’ll find Defender, Security, and other OS updates here. It’s wise to check reviews on the web before downloading and installing a major Windows update. Sometimes, it can break things that cause severe headaches.

Open Windows Security again and click on Virus & threat protection.

Even if Windows Update is turned off, you can manually check for and install updates.

Keep Defender Safe

Microsoft Defender, now part of Windows Security, has come a long way. And it just keeps getting better with new and improved features. For most users it works out of the box and there is nothing you need to do. Still, it’s good to know your way around in case you encounter a road bump.

I recommend Malwarebytes to anyone who trusts Windows Security as their primary antivirus. They coexist nicely and add an additional layer of security. Malwarebytes is designed to catch malware, while Defender is designed primarily with viruses in mind. Both are different. Using a combination of these two apps is currently the best solution.

Next: Do you have a Samsung smartphone and are using a Windows 10 computer? Click the link below to learn how to unlock your computer using your smartphone.