Quick scan in Windows S mode

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Quick scan in Windows S mode

Christopher Johnson 20

why does the quick scan not do anything and I keep getting the Windows Security-Actions Needed for the quick scan?

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Answer 1

Paulo GM 72,645 Independent Advisor

Hi,

You can't manually run a Microsoft Defender scan while Windows is in S mode because protection works automatically in the background. The message you're seeing isn't directly related to scanning. It can sometimes appear when Windows has pending updates that still need to be installed or completed after a restart. Until those updates are fully installed, some Microsoft Defender components may not be in sync, which can prevent the automated scan from running properly. Since you're using S mode, your device is already well protected because it only allows apps that have been verified through the Microsoft Store.

Christopher Johnson 20 Reputation points

2026-06-28T11:50:32.3266667+00:00

Then why did it appear I had malware or viruses when getting multiple popups from McAffee appearing to look like my laptop was infected. I tried doing a factory reset but it said it couldn’t do it .. after many reboots the laptop eventually began working as normal without the popups anymore.