Contents
- 1 How To Update Microsoft Defender Via Windows Security
- 2 How To Update Microsoft Defender Via Command Prompt
- 3 How To Update Microsoft Defender Via Task Scheduler
- 4 How to Run Windows Defender from the Command Line (CMD)
- 5 Windows Defender Application Guard: How to Turn It On or Off
- 6 How to Turn on the Hidden Adware Blocker in Windows Defender
Microsoft Defender, previously known as “Windows Defender,” is a built-in utility on Windows 10 and Windows 11 that aims to protect your PCs from attacks and viruses. Because new malware or threats are developing on your PC, you must keep your Windows Defender antimalware Definition up to date to provide numerous effective antimalware to protect your PC on Windows 11.
Note: In 2020, Microsoft changed the name of the security feature on Windows 10 to “Microsoft Defender”. Read more here.
How Microsoft Defender Definitions Updates Work
Microsoft regularly updates security intelligence in antimalware products to cover the most recent threats. It improves detection logic, improving the capacity of Microsoft Defender Antivirus and other Microsoft antimalware solutions to identify threats effectively. This security intelligence collaborates directly with cloud-based protection to give AI-enhanced, next-generation protection that is quick and powerful.
If you have Microsoft Defender switched on, it will update most of the time automatically. However, in rare situations, Microsoft Defender does not update itself for an extended time, leaving your machine vulnerable to unwanted attacks. With the requirement for many individuals to update Windows Defender, there are often two options: automatically and manually updating Microsoft Defender for Windows 10 and 11.
⚠️ Please note: The process described below is the same in Windows 11 as it is in Windows 10. However, bear in mind that we'll be using screenshots from Windows 11, so your UI may look a little different. We'll point out any changes you need to be aware of as they come up.
How To Update Microsoft Defender Via Windows Security
If you are used to making things flawless, select the option of automatically upgrading Microsoft Defender. As a result, Microsoft Defender Antimalware and antivirus may always acquire the most up-to-date definitions on Windows 11.
- Click on the “Windows” icon, type in “Windows Security,” and select “Windows Security” from the result
- Under “Virus & threat protection updates,” click on “Protection Updates”
- Click on “Check for Updates” to update the Windows Defender
How To Update Microsoft Defender Via Command Prompt
You can use the command prompt to update the Microsoft Defender in Windows 11. Follow along.
- Click on the “Windows” icon, type in “Command Prompt,” and select “Command Prompt” from the result
- Enter the following command in the command prompt
"%ProgramFiles%Windows DefenderMpCmdRun.exe" -removedefinitions -dynamicsignatures
After running this command, you can see all the version definitions of the Windows Defender.
- To update, run the following command in the command prompt
"%ProgramFiles%Windows DefenderMpCmdRun.exe" -SignatureUpdate
How To Update Microsoft Defender Via Task Scheduler
Method description
- Click on the “Windows” icon, type in “Task Scheduler,” and select “Task Scheduler” from the result
- In the “Task Scheduler,” right-click on the “Task Scheduler Library” and select “New Folder” from the context menu
- Type in “Antivirus,” and click “OK”
- Right-click on the newly created folder “Antivirus,” and select “Create Task…” from the context menu
- In the “Create Task” dialogue box, under the “General” tab, check the radio button “Run whether user is logged on or not”
- Under the “Triggers” tab, click on the “New…” button
- Fill in all the details, select “On a schedule,” select the starting time, and select “Daily” from the side options
- Under the “Action” tab, click on the “New…” button
- In the “New Action” dialogue box, select “Start a program” from the action list, type in the following command in the “Program/script,” and then click “OK”
"%ProgramFiles%Windows DefenderMpCmdRun.exe" -removedefinitions
Add the following argument as shown in the picture:
-dynamicsignatures
- Under the “Actions” tab, click on the “New…” button
- In the “New Action” dialogue box, select “Start a program” from the action list, type in the following command in the “Program/script,” and then click “OK”
"%ProgramFiles%Windows DefenderMpCmdRun.exe"
Add the next argument as shown in the picture:
-SignatureUpdate
- Under the “Settings” tab, check all the checkboxes as shown in the image, fill in the detail as required, and then click “OK”
- Type in your username and password, and click “OK”
How to Run Windows Defender from the Command Line (CMD)
Knowing how to run Windows Defender from the command line can be very useful. Perhaps you've been locked out of its UI due to malware, are trying to run a scan from recovery media, or are using a GUI-less Windows Server install. In any of these situations, knowing a scan command or two can save you a lot of trouble.
Windows Defender Application Guard: How to Turn It On or Off
Windows Defender Application Guard and its enforcer, Windows Defender Application Control, are tools to keep employees productive and prevent attacks. Under the system, administrators can prevent regular access to anything other than manually selected work-related sites. In our other tutorial we show you how to turn Windows Defender Application Guard on or off.
How to Turn on the Hidden Adware Blocker in Windows Defender
Windows is great at preventing trojans, ransomware, and other serious issues, but it can fail to stop adware and potentially unwanted programs in its default configuration. Thankfully, the Windows Defender has an adware blocker just for this, and it's great at stopping unwanted changes to your system or annoying pop-ups.
