Windows 10, How do I set Windows Defender's scan schedule?

Anonymous
2015-08-08T19:45:15+00:00

I installed the Windows 10 on the 29th of July, 2015 Windows Defender hasn't ran a scan.

I started getting alerts that a scan is necessary to keep Windows 10 protected.

In the settings there's no scan setting like there was on Windows 7

I can manually scan, but I want it to be a full automatic scan every day.

How do I set Windows Defender to run a full auto scan every day?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Security and privacy

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2015-08-20T18:39:24+00:00

The location of the Automatic Maintenance settings actually did change in Windows 10:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/change-security-and-maintenance-settings-in-windows-10

So this is where you have to go now to change the schedule for the Windows Defender Scheduled Scan task: Right-click on the Start button and choose Control Panel > Security and Maintenance > Maintenance > Change maintenance settings.

It’s been 3 years now, and there are still way too many people (including Microsoft documentation authors) who just can’t quite seem to get a grip on how this works. The fact that the controls for the scheduled scan went missing in the new Windows Defender user interface doesn’t mean that the feature was dropped and that you’ve been left to your own devices – it means that the scheduled scan was reengineered so that it now runs reliably without any user configuration. It’s now fully automatic just like the definition updates. So you don’t have to change any settings at all to get the scan up and running; and you certainly don’t need to add a trigger, or otherwise reconfigure the Windows Defender Scheduled Scan task. This is a system task, and you would be well advised to just leave it alone. Full Scans don’t need to be scheduled, but if that’s something that you really want to do, you can use the Create Basic Task Wizard.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect\_defender-protect\_scanning/scan-schedule-for-windows-10/c53a0110-04eb-431e-9bc5-9d6db0ffcff7

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect\_defender-protect\_start/how-to-schedule-automatic-virus-scan-in-win-10/64640690-f0f0-4a11-bc7d-c47f232cd9ec

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect\_defender-protect\_start/how-do-i-make-windows-defender-start-automatically/b4948f9f-60bb-4829-aecc-cdf646d098a2

GreginMich

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-08-19T01:42:01+00:00

    I upgraded from Windows 7 to windows 10

    I used the Media Creation Tool

    I have no third party security installed

    I haven't had any security installed.

    Before I installed windows 10 I cleaned the hard drive with Disk Kill using the Department of Defense setting.

    Then reinstalled Windows 7 let it update, then forced updates.

    Then let it sit powered up for 24 hours to let get any further updates.

    Then I downloaded the Windows 10 update using the update tool, and let it install windows 10.

    After it installed it got a ton of updates. I let it sit powered up for 24 hours so it could get all the required update.

    Then I started using it.

    Then three days later I got an alert saying my PC wasn't protected.

    I opened Windows Defender it got updates, then I ran a full scan.

    After the full scan it said my pc was protected.

    But, it will not scan on its own. I have to manually make it scan.

    I didn't buy the computer, I built it myself. Its an extreme gaming PC

    Yes, all of the listed updates are in the installed updates list

    I can't install adobe flash player. It says windows 10 and Edge will not allow plug-ins to be installed for security reasons.

    Egde has its own version of Flash Player

    Yes Chrome, and Firefox are installed

    I use Revo Uninstaller, but I haven't had any reason to run it yet.

    When I do use it, I only run it to uninstall a program.

    Thank You

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  3. Reported
    Anonymous
    2015-08-19T00:50:07+00:00
    1. Did you upgrade a Win7 SP1 computer or a Win8.1 computer to Win10?
    2. Was the upgrade offered & installed via Windows Update or did you use the Media Creation Tool & Win10 ISO?
    3. What third-party anti-malware applications (i.e., not Windows Defender!) are installed, if any?  What third-party firewall, if any?
    4. Has a Norton application or a McAfee application EVER been installed on the computer since you bought it?
    5. Did a Norton free-trial or a McAfee free-trial [pick one] come preinstalled on the computer when you bought it? (Doesn't matter if you never used or Activated it.)

    6. Is KB3081444, KB3081438, KB3081436, KB3081424 and/or KB3074683 listed in Installed Updates (not Update History)?

    1. Is Adobe Flash Player v18.0.0.232 installed? TEST HERE USING EDGE OR INTERNET EXPLORER ONLY! => http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/
    2. Is Google Chrome, Firefox, or any other alternate browser installed?
    3. Are you in the habit of using "registry cleaners" (e.g., CCleaner's Registry Cleaner component; Comodo System Cleaner; Advanced SystemCare; Advanced System Optimizer; Glary Utilities; McAfee QuickClean; AVG PC TuneUp; Norton Registry Cleaner; Norton PC Tuneup; PCTools Optimiser; PC Doctor; Registry Mechanic; RegCure; RegClean Pro;  Registry Booster; SpeedUpMyPC; System Mechanic; TuneUp Utilities; WinMaximizer; WinSweeper; Wise Care 365; Wise Cleaner)?
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  4. Anonymous
    2015-08-19T00:23:21+00:00

    Follow below steps to schedule a scan in Windows Defender;

    1. Navigate to Action Center > Maintenance > Change maintenance settings.
    2. Choose a time (3AM is a default time) to schedule a scan.

    For more information about Windows Defender, see Stephen Boots wiki article Windows Defender Frequently Asked Questions and General Concerns

    Also, see the thread Scheduling a scan with Task Scheduler

    Note: Above links are wrote for Windows 8; however it applies to Windows 10.

    For more question and resolution to Windows 10 issues, see http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10?tab=Threads

    #D09r

    Thank you for your reply.

    What is the action center, and how to I get it?

    I tried the task scheduler but, it will not let me change the settings.

    It said Windows Defender is system controlled, its settings cannot be changed.

    Since I posted this Windows Defender has ran one time, but it only ran a quick scan.

    it said it ran the scan at 03:30 - 3:00:AM. But, the computer wasn't turned on at that time.

    So, how could it have run a scan when the computer was turned off?

    Thank You

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