PrintThis document applies to HP and Compaq computers with Windows 7.
Windows Defender helps protect your computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other malicious software (malware). This document explains how to scan for and remove malicious software using Windows Defender.
Enabling Windows Defender
To enable Windows Defender, connect to the Internet and perform the following steps:
- Click Start
, and type defender
into the Search box. Then click Windows Defender
. - Windows Defender displays its status on the Home page. If Real-time protection is On, proceed to the next section. If Real-time protection is Off, continue with the next step to enable Windows Defender.
- Click Tools , then click Options .
- Select Real-time protection , and then place a check next to Use real-time protection (recommended) .
- Click Save .
Opening Windows Defender
Use these steps to open Windows Defender:
- Click Start
, and type defender
into the Search box. Then click Windows Defender
.
- The top of the page lists any potentially unwanted or harmful software that Windows Defender has detected:
- If Windows Defender does not detect any unwanted or harmful software, no action is required.
- If Windows Defender detects potentially harmful software, Windows Defender displays more detailed information so that you can decide to remove or temporarily disable the program that was found.
Scanning for malware
You can use Windows Defender to run a quick scan of your computer or a full system scan. If you suspect malware in a specific area of your computer, use Windows Defender to run a custom scan on individual drives and folders.
To run a quick scan, click Scan
at the top of the page. For other scan options, click the arrow next to Scan
.
Running a quick scan
A quick scan checks the places on the hard disk drive that malware is most likely to infect.
To run a quick scan, click Scan
, or click the arrow next to Scan
, and then click Quick Scan
.
Running a full scan
A full scan checks all files on your hard disk drive and all currently running programs. A full scan might cause your computer to run slowly until the scan is complete. If you suspect that malware has infected your computer, run a full scan.
To run a full scan, click the arrow next to Scan
, and then click Full Scan
.
Running a custom scan
By running a custom scan, you can select specific drives and folders on your computer for Windows Defender to scan. If Windows Defender detects potentially unwanted or malicious software, it then runs a quick scan so the detected items can be removed from other areas of your computer, if needed.
To run a custom scan:
Scheduling Windows Defender to automatically scan for malware
You can schedule Windows Defender to scan for malware automatically every day or once a week. Use the following steps to schedule malware scans.
NOTE:Click the following heading or the accompanying plus (+) sign to expand the information.
- Click Tools at the top of the page.The Tools and Settings window opens.
- Click Options .The Options window opens.
- Select Automatic scanning .
- Place a check next to Automatically scan my computer (recommended) .
- Set the frequency, time of day, and type of scan that you want to run:
- In the Frequency drop-down list, select Daily to run the scan every day or select the day of the week to run the scan once a week.
- In the Approximate time drop-down list, select the time of day to run the scan.
- In the Type drop-down list, select either Quick scan or Full system scan .
- To keep Windows Defender up-to-date, place a check next to Check for updated definitions before scanning .When this box is selected, Windows Defender automatically checks for and installs the latest updates before scanning the computer.
- To set Windows Defender to scan only when then computer is not in use, place a check next to Run a scan only when system is idle .
- When you are finished scheduling the scan, click Save .
Removing malware
After Windows Defender scans your computer, it displays the results of the scan. If Windows Defender detects no harmful software, then no action is required.
If Windows Defender detects potentially unwanted or harmful software, ignore, quarantine, or remove each item that is detected. When you choose to quarantine software, Windows Defender moves it to another location on your computer, and then prevents the software from running until you choose to restore it or remove it from your computer.
To remove malware, select the software program and then click Remove
.
Alternatively, you can remove programs that you suspect as malware through Control Panel:
- Click Start
, and then click Control Panel
.
- Under Programs , click Uninstall a program .The Uninstall or change a program window opens.
- Select the program you want to remove.
- Click Uninstall or Uninstall/Change at the top of the program list.
- Read and respond to any messages that might open while the software is being removed from your computer.
Viewing quarantined items
Windows Defender moves quarantine software to another location on your computer, and then prevents the software from running until you choose to restore it or remove it from your computer. From the quarantined list, you can choose to remove this software from your computer or allow this software to run. Use the following steps to view the quarantined items list.
Use these steps to view the quarantined items list:
- Click Tools at the top of the page.
- Click Quarantined items .
- The Quarantined items window opens.
- Click View to see the quarantined items.
- Select each quarantined item and then click one of the buttons at the bottom of the page:
- Remove All - removes all items in the list from your computer.
- Remove - removes the selected item from your computer.
- Restore - allows the selected item to run and removes from the quarantined items list.
WARNING:Do not restore software with severe or high alert ratings. If allowed to run, these items can harm your privacy or the security of your computer.
Keeping Windows Defender up-to-date
Keeping the Windows Defender definitions up-to-date helps the program protect against the latest spyware and malware.
You can set Windows Defender to automatically check for updates or you can manually check for updates at any time.
You can set Windows Defender to check for updates every time it scans for malware. Use these steps to set Windows Defender to automatically check for updates:
- Click Tools at the top of the page.The Tools and Settings window opens.
- Click Options .The Options window opens.
- To keep Windows Defender up-to-date, select the check box next to Check for updated definitions before scanning .When this box is selected, Windows Defender automatically checks for and installs the latest updates each time it scans the computer.
Manually check for updates
To check for Windows Defender updates at any time, click the arrow next to the Help
icon, then click Check for updates
.
