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

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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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  1. Anonymous
    2015-12-01T15:33:10+00:00

    I have read many of your posts, and have figured out to pay close attention to the date of the post. I agree with your logic. I, unfortunately followed the Eight Forums method before I came across your method. Could you give step by step instructions on how to get the  Windows Defender Scheduled Scan back to its default settings so I can set up the proper full scan with your Create Basic Tasks method?

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-08-31T11:23:37+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?

    Concerning the alerts, maybe you have installed some maintenance tool on Windows 7, or your previous version of Windows, and that tool still exists after upgrading to Windows 10 which causes this issue. An example of such tool I have seen in other posts: CCleaner. If you have this tool or similar, remove it or re-configure it to meet your need. Visit the following page

    Fix Windows 10’s "PC status: Potentially unprotected" Warning

    Concerning the automatic full scan or changing the default settings, I still recommend to stay on the default settings and do not change the defaults - see the details I posted above.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-08-29T19:38:57+00:00

    I can't help if you won't answer all of my questions.

    Have a wonderful day!

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-08-29T11:56:36+00:00

    No, Its not the same computer. I have twelve computers, only two have Windows 10.

    The others will not be getting the so called Windows 10 upgrade, which is really a downgrade.

    The other six will stay with Windows XP and Windows 7

    The other two computers have Windows 95, and Windows 98 they both work flawlessly. 

    If you would fully read my replies to you, you would already know the answer to your question.

    Please fully read what is written, before you ask me questions. You are only adding to the confusion.

    I told you I started out with a Fresh install of Windows 7. Fresh meaning NEW

    I know you are not that ignorant, you have an MVP badge.

    Unless it's a fake MVP badge, then maybe you are?

    No offence meant, but please get serious with this.

    If you want to help me, then please help. If not, then go confuse someone else.

    Thank You

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