Quick, which scans areas of your computer that are most likely to be infected. In Windows 10, you would click Start, select Settings, click Update & Security, and then click Windows Defender. To open Windows Defender in Windows 8 x, you would type “Windows Defender” on the start screen, and then click Windows Defender. In looking at its interface, you’ll see that there are a number of settings and features that are common to any program that protects against malware. When a file is downloaded with one of these browsers, Windows Defender will scan it to block any malicious software or virus-infected files from being installed on your system.

The current version of the product was upgraded to protect your computer against viruses, providing real-time protection, and protects your system from files downloaded with Internet Explorer or Edge. When it was first released, it was antispyware software, but evolved into protecting against a wider range of threats. Windows Defender is probably the first tool you’ll use to protect yourself from malware, because it comes installed with Windows 8 x and 10. John Sammons, Michael Cross, in The Basics of Cyber Safety, 2017 Windows Defender

Real time protection turned off