Windows Defender: what it does and how to check it
Windows comes with solid antivirus built in, called Microsoft Defender. For most home users it's all you need, as long as it's switched on and up to date. Here's how to check.
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Open Windows Security
Click Start, type Windows Security, and open it. This is the dashboard for all your built-in protection.
Check the main areas
Look at these sections. Each should show a green tick:
4 steps
What amber and red mean
A warning doesn't mean you've been attacked. It usually means a setting is switched off, sometimes by another program you installed. The most common one is real-time protection being turned off, so switch it back on.
If you have another antivirus
Some people install a third-party antivirus, which switches Defender off automatically. That's fine, as long as the other product is active and up to date. You only need one antivirus running at a time.
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