Beginner's guide to Windows Defender Security Center on Windows 10

[samuelthegreat]

Beginner's guide to Windows Defender Security Center on Windows 10

Here's how you can get started with Windows Defender Security Center to keep your device and data secure against malware and malicious attacks.

 

 

The Windows Defender Security Center is an experience that comes built into Windows 10 since the release of the Creators Update. It combines the most common security features of Windows into an easy-to-use app allowing technical and non-technical users to view and protect their devices and data against many types of malware, including viruses and ransomware, hacker attacks, security threats, and more.

 

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to get started and perform everyday tasks with the Windows Defender Security Center app to keep your system and data safe.

 

• Windows Defender Security Center vs. Windows Defender Antivirus
• How to navigate Windows Defender Security Center
• How to scan your PC for malware using Windows Defender Antivirus
• How to view scan history using Windows Defender Antivirus
• How to temporarily disable Windows Defender Antivirus
• How to view health and performance report of your PC
• How to manage network security with Windows Defender Firewall
• How to protect your PC against malicious code
• How to manage parental control and keep track of your PCs

 

Windows Defender Security Center vs. Windows Defender Antivirus

Before we dive into this guide, it's important to clarify the difference between "Windows Defender Antivirus" and "Windows Defender Security Center," because while their names are similar, they serve different purposes.

 

Windows Defender Security Center is an application that provides a unified experience to view status and control security features, such as firewall, antivirus, performance monitor, and other products.

 

On the other hand, Windows Defender Antivirus is the default anti-malware engine of Windows 10 that offers real-time protection against viruses and security threats.

 

Installing a third-party antivirus will disable the Windows Defender Antivirus automatically, but it'll not affect the functionality of the Windows Defender Security Center. In the same way, disabling Windows Defender Antivirus or Windows Defender Firewall will not disable Security Center.

 

How to navigate Windows Defender Security Center

To get started, you can launch the app from the Start menu, or you can double-click the shield icon from the notification area in the taskbar.

 

Although "Home" doesn't include any setting that you can manage, it's a good place to get started, as it provides an overview of the protection of your device.

 

In this page, you can view the status of all the security features and alerts of any action that needs to be taken to keep your computer secure. Also, at the top of the page, you'll be able to find antivirus information, such as when the last scan was performed and when the last definition was installed.

 

 

The shield icon in the notification area is also capable of alerting you when an action needs to be taken. If there is more than one alert, only the most severe warning will be displayed.

 

 

Windows Defender Security Center includes five areas of protection that you can manage and monitor.

 

• Virus & threat protection: includes the Windows Defender Antivirus settings, and it allows you to monitor the malware protection, scan your device for threats, and set up its advanced anti-ransomware feature.
• Device performance & health: allows you to check the health and performance of your computer, and provides a mechanism to clean up your device to fix errors and slowdown problems.
• Firewall & network protection: lets you monitor the status of network connections, and you can configure various Windows Defender Firewall settings.
• App and browser control: helps you to protect your device and data from malicious code hidden on apps, files, and websites.
• Family options: offers easy access to manage your devices and kids online experience using a Microsoft account.

 

How to scan your PC for malware using Windows Defender Antivirus

Windows 10 automatically updates and scans your computer for malware regularly, but if you can also perform a scan manually.

 

Quick scan

A quick scan happens fast, and it only scans the parts of the system where malware are known to hide.

 

1.Open Windows Defender Security Center.

2. Click on Virus & threat protection.

3. Click the Quick scan button.

 

 

4. Select the Windows Defender Offline scan option.

 

 

5.Click the Scan now button.

6. Click the Scan button to continue.

 

 

When you start an offline scan, your device will restart and boot using the Windows Defender Antivirus environment. The latest definition update will be installed (if an internet connection is available), a scan will be performed, and if a malicious software is detected, it'll be removed or quarantined automatically.

 

 

Full Story HERE

 

 

 

 

[Recruit]

Maybe next will come " Complete guide to disable Windows Defender Security Center from Local Group Policy Editor "

[shorty6100]

You beat me to it, Recruit. Not only do I want to disable it, I want the option to uninstall it completely. I used to use this guide on Windows Vista and 7, but Windows Defender is now baked in the Windows 10 OS.

 

https://www.raymond.cc/blog/how-to-disable-uninstall-or-remove-windows-defender-in-vista/

[samuelthegreat]

So you like windows defender then recruit 

2 hours ago, Recruit said:

Maybe next will come " Complete guide to disable Windows Defender Security Center from Local Group Policy Editor "

 

[dcs18]

 

[samuelthegreat]

should I just delete original post ?? lol

2 minutes ago, dcs18 said:

 

 

[dcs18]

That was a tutorial I'd posted in my other UserName.