Starting a Quick Scan
While Defender runs continually in the background to protect your device from threats, you can also run a quick virus scan on-demand.
Windows 10/11
- Click the Windows (Start) button in your taskbar, or press the Windows button on your keyboard.
- Type "Windows Security" in the search bar and select the Windows Security application in the search results.
- Click the Virus & Threat Protection icon in the Windows Security window.
- Click Quick Scan. Scanning time will vary depending on the number and size of files on your computer.