Windows Defender, included with Windows 10 and Windows 8, offers excellent protection against viruses, malware, and other malicious software. In addition to its real-time protection capabilities, Windows Defender also has a feature that allows you to schedule scans to scan your computer on a regular basis. Scheduled scans are useful if you don’t have time to manually check for viruses on a regular basis – or if you want to make sure your system is free of any threats as soon as possible.
Here’s how to set up a scheduled scan with Windows Defender in Windows 10:
1. Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings window.
2. Click on Update & Security.
3. On the left-hand side, click on Windows Security.
4. Click on Virus & Threat Protection, then select Schedule Scan.
5. Choose the frequency for your scan: Daily, Weekly, or Monthly.
6. Select the day and time you want the scan to run (the default choices are usually reasonable).
7. Click Save to confirm your changes.
That’s all there is to it! Once you save your settings, the scheduled scan will run automatically at the specified day and time. If you ever need to make changes to the schedule, just follow the same steps as above.
Keep in mind that Windows Defender will only scan when you’re not actively using your computer, so it won’t slow down your system while you’re working or playing games. It will also pause any scheduled scans if it detects that you’re in the middle of something important.
In addition to setting up the scheduled scan, you can also configure Windows Defender to scan specific folders or files. To do this, open the Windows Security window and click on Virus & Threat Protection, then select Scan Options. Here you can choose to scan specific drives, folders, or files.
Finally, you can always manually perform a scan with Windows Defender at any time. To do this, open the Windows Security window, click on Virus & Threat Protection, then select Scan Now. This will launch a quick scan that checks your system for any threats.
Scheduling a scan with Windows Defender is a great way to ensure that your system is always running at its best. By setting up a regular scan, you can make sure that your system is protected from the latest viruses and malware – without having to remember to manually check for updates every few days.