
You can manually run the full scan when you want. Since it takes a long time, Microsoft doesn’t recommend scheduling a full scan. It runs a quick scan and then continues running a sequential file scan of all mounted disks.ĭepending on the amount and type of data that needs to be scanned, the full scan could take longer than one hour, a few hours, or a whole day to complete. The Full Scan mode checks all files and running programs on your hard disk. If you want to run a deep scan of your system, you can use the Full Scan option of Microsoft Defender Antivirus. If you don’t see a shortcut, you can press Windows + S to open the Windows Search box, type Windows Defender, and select the Windows Defender or Microsoft Defender or Windows Security app to open it.Īfter you open the Windows Defender app, you can click Virus & Threat Protection in the left panel to access the Windows Defender scan settings screen. If you have a Windows Defender shortcut on your desktop screen, you can double-click the shortcut to quickly launch Windows Defender. This post mainly teaches you how to run Windows Defender quick scan, full scan, custom scan, or offline scan on Windows 10/11 computer. Microsoft Defender Antivirus offers 4 scanning options. You can open and use Windows Defender to scan and remove malware or virus on your PC. Microsoft includes a free antivirus tool named Windows Defender (also Microsoft Defender or Windows Security) in Windows operating system to help protect your computer’s safety. Free PC Data Backup Tool for Windows 10/11.


