Windows Defender is a security feature that comes pre-installed on any Windows operating system. It is designed to protect your computer from malicious software and threats, such as viruses, spyware, and other forms of malware.
To find out if Windows Defender is running on your computer, first launch the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete. Then, click the “Processes” tab and look for the process “msmpeng.exe.” If this process is running, then Windows Defender is active and running on your computer.
If you do not see the “msmpeng.exe” process in your Task Manager, then Windows Defender may be disabled or otherwise not running. You can check if this is the case by navigating to the Windows Security Center. To do so, click the Start menu and then either type “Security Center” in the search bar or select “Control Panel” > “System and Security” > “Security Center.”
In the Security Center window, find the line labeled “Windows Defender” and check the status reported next to it. If the status reads “Not monitored” or “Disabled,” then Windows Defender is not running on your computer. In this case, you may need to turn Windows Defender on manually by going to “Control Panel” > “System and Security” > “Windows Defender” > “Turn On now.”
Alternatively, you can also use the Command Prompt to check if Windows Defender is running. To do this, launch the Command Prompt by typing “cmd” into the search bar. Then, enter the command “sc query Windefend” and press Enter. If the command returns with the STATUS of “RUNNING,” then Windows Defender is active and running on your computer.
Finally, you can check if Windows Defender is up to date by navigating back to the Security Center window. In the same section where it reads “Windows Defender,” there should also be a line labeled “Virus protection.” Under this line, make sure that it says “Up to date” next to Virus definition. If this is not the case, then Windows Defender may need to be manually updated through the Windows Update service.
In conclusion, Windows Defender is a useful security feature that helps protect your computer from malicious software and threats. To find out if Windows Defender is running on your computer, you can use the Task Manager, the Windows Security Center, the Command Prompt, or the Windows Update service. Regardless, it is important to ensure that Windows Defender is kept up to date and active on your computer in order to maintain a secure system.