How do I scan with windows defender

Question

How do I scan with windows defender

Arthur Nichols 0

I am getting a pop up on the right side of my screen that says viruses found and recommended running a windows defender scan. How do I do that.

kagiyama yutaka 5,330 Reputation points

2026-07-20T02:04:06.0466667+00:00

Could you add a bit more detail about the popup. Right now it’s hard to tell if it’s an actual Windows Security alert or just something coming from the browser. If it came from a browser tab or showed a strange URL or phone number, that usually means it’s not Defender. Also, if nothing shows up in Windows Security’s Protection history, it’s typically not a real alert.

1 answer

Your answer

kagiyama yutaka 5,330 Reputation points

2026-07-20T02:04:06.0466667+00:00

Could you add a bit more detail about the popup. Right now it’s hard to tell if it’s an actual Windows Security alert or just something coming from the browser. If it came from a browser tab or showed a strange URL or phone number, that usually means it’s not Defender. Also, if nothing shows up in Windows Security’s Protection history, it’s typically not a real alert.

Answer 1

To run a Microsoft Defender scan in Windows:

Open Windows Security:
- Select Start, type Windows Security, then open it.
Select Virus & threat protection.
Select Quick scan to check for threats right away.

If the quick scan does not find anything and the pop-up continues:

Select Scan options.
Choose Full scan for a deeper check, or Microsoft Defender Offline scan for the most complete scan.

To scan just one file or folder:

In File Explorer, right-click the file or folder.
On Windows 11, select Show more options if needed.
Select Scan with Microsoft Defender.

If Quick scan is missing, check whether another antivirus app is installed. When a non-Microsoft antivirus product is running, Microsoft Defender Antivirus can be disabled automatically.

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