If you suspect that your device may have malware you should have Microsoft Defender run a scan. Here's how to do that on Windows, Mac, or Android.

Run a malware scan manually Run a quick scan Turn Defender Antivirus real-time protection on or off To learn more about the Windows Security app and all its features, see Windows Security App …

Learn how to use virus and threat protection options in Windows Security to scan your device for threats and view the results.

You'll be notified immediately if any threats are found. To scan specific files or folders, right-click a file or folder, select Show more options, and then select Scan with Microsoft Defender. When the scan is …

If you're concerned and want to have Microsoft Defender run a scan right now, you can do that by going to the Device protection page from the Microsoft Defender dashboard.

Learn how to schedule a Windows Defender Antivirus scan at a time and frequency that you choose.

When you download and run an app from the internet, SmartScreen uses info about the app's reputation to warn you if the app isn't well-known and might be malicious.

On Windows, Mac, and Android Microsoft Defender can check files or apps you download and install, as well as run scans of files already on your system to spot any malware that may threaten your device.

You can always download and run our on-demand security scanners, such as the Microsoft Safety Scanner or Microsoft Defender Offline. These scanners can be installed at the same time as any real …

Run Windows Update to apply any fixes and ensure you have the latest components. If Microsoft Defender Antivirus continually encounters errors during updates, try installing the latest protection …