The version of Windows 8 has a built-in antivirus, which was probably noticed by most users. If you are hearing about this for the first time, then this article will be useful for you. We will look at ways to enable and disable an application designed to protect your computer from malware.
Enabling Defender in Windows 8
You could meet a similar utility earlier, but it had the name Microsoft Security Essentials. It could be downloaded from the developers' website and installed on your computer yourself. Owners of devices based on Windows 8 are more fortunate. This program is initially installed in the system.
Its advantages and disadvantages are debated. Some users consider the antivirus to be quite reliable and turn it on for protection. Others prefer to use third-party programs, especially since there are different ones. The most popular - Kaspersky, Nod 32 and others, motivate their installation by the fact that they are more efficient. If you want to try using the Windows Defender app, then let's look at how to turn on Windows Defender 8.
You can find this program if you use the search, in which we enter Windows Defender 8. After we have found the program, hover over it and press the right button. Select Create Shortcut. Now there will be an icon on the desktop, by clicking on which you can enter the application menu.
In the case when Windows Defender cannot be launched, we will use the Control Panel. If you do not know how to open the Control Panel, then you will find instructions. Next, go to Control Panel and select System and Security. In it, we are interested in the Support Center section. Next to the Security link, there is an arrow that, when clicked, will open a list of options. Opposite them, click the Enable Now button.
After the done manipulations, click on the program icon, after which it should start. The scan here can be performed in quick, full or special mode. The Defender interface is quite simple. Updates are downloaded automatically. If you go to the History tab, you can find data about malware that was removed by the antivirus. They can be permanently deleted or restored if the program accidentally deleted the necessary files.
Disabling Windows Defender
In the case when you decide to use not the built-in antivirus, but from third-party developers, you will need to know how to disable Windows 8 Defender, since two programs with the same function on the computer will not get along normally. The easiest and most reliable way is to use a system service. In order to start the operation, go to the Control Panel.
Next, go to the System and Security section. Here you need to select the Administration tab. Double click on Services. In the list that opens, find the Windows Defender Service. Click on the caption and go to properties. Opposite the inscription Startup type, mark Disabled, and also click on Stop and confirm your actions by clicking OK.
Note! You should not change the settings of other services. Especially if you don't have much idea what they are for. This can lead to instability in the system, and sometimes to much larger problems that can completely disable it, after which a reinstallation is required.
To enable or disable Windows Defender, use the methods above. But before you carry out any procedure, decide whether you need the work of the Defender or not. It is difficult to talk about its effectiveness, since this issue causes a lot of controversy among users. Although it is not worth leaving your computer completely unprotected, especially if you go online. So if you have not installed a third-party antivirus, use the built-in Defender.
How to enable Windows Defender in Windows 8 Or is it already up and running? How can they check a suspicious file or folder? There are many sites on the Internet that describe the operation of this antivirus built into Windows 8, but none of them can ask a question, comments are disabled everywhere. In short, this is my story. Recently I bought a laptop with Windows 8, immediately installed an antivirus program in it, then I learned from friends that Windows 8 already has Microsoft's Windows Defender antivirus program built in, I want to leave it and delete the one I installed, why do I need two antivirus programs on the computer. But I can’t enable Windows Defender in Windows 8, I just can’t find it anywhere, it seems to me that this built-in antivirus is completely absent in my eight. Sergey.
How to enable Windows Defender in Windows 8
In our article, we will tell you how to enable and disable, if necessary, the Windows Defender antivirus built into Windows 8.Enable Windows Defender very simple, but if you have a third-party antivirus program installed on your computer, then you must first remove it from your operating system, otherwise you will get an error when you turn on Windows Defender. " Windows Defender is disabled and does not monitor your computer. If you are using another application to monitor for malware or unwanted programs, use the Action Center to check its status."
Therefore, if after buying a computer with Windows 8 preinstalled, you installed an additional antivirus, uninstall it. Then enable Windows Defender.
So, the installed antivirus is removed, turn on Windows Defender. Right-click on the left corner of the desktop and select "Control Panel"
In the "Search" field, enter Windows Defender or Windows Defender
and here you are, our built-in antivirus is found.
Click on it with the left mouse and run. Or you can create a shortcut on the desktop for ease of launch. We click on our antivirus with the right mouse and select "Create Shortcut". If the antivirus does not start, read on.
Right-click on the right corner of the desktop and select "Control Panel"
then "System and Security"
"Support Center",
"Safety"
Virus Protection- click "Enable now".
That's it, our built-in Windows Defender Antivirus is now enabled and in production.
Launch Windows Defender. The main window of the program. Home.
In this window, you can check your Windows 8 for malware. Check Options:
Fast - during a quick scan, the areas that are most often infected with malware are scanned, these are startup objects, temporary files.
Full - all files on your hard drive are checked.
Special - selected files and folders are checked for the presence of viruses. Select the folders you want to scan. I advise you to always check the disk (C:) for viruses.
Updates. Windows Defender is updated automatically.
Here you can see all malware detected by Windows Defender Antivirus. You can remove them permanently, tick all viruses and click "Delete".
If suddenly the antivirus made a mistake (which is extremely rare), you can restore the file you need, mark it with a checkmark and click Restore.
Options.
In order for your antivirus to always protect you, I advise you to check the box “Enable real-time protection”.
Windows Defender will constantly reside in RAM and watch everything that happens in your Windows 8. How it happens.
For example, you tried to copy a file infected with malware from a flash drive, the built-in Windows Defender antivirus will automatically remove the virus from your computer and from the flash drive too.
If you are interested in more complete settings, you can read our article "".
The developers of the Windows 8 operating system included the built-in Windows Defender antivirus in the system. With it, an ordinary user can not worry about a virus threat and install a third-party antivirus, since the computer is safe with Windows Defender. Defender checks all files downloaded from the Internet for viruses, it also allows you to check the system for viruses and performs a number of important functions that increase the security of personal data.
Initially, Windows Defender in Windows 8 is enabled, but if it is not, or for other reasons, it can be easily enabled.
To enable Windows Defender in Windows 8, follow these steps:
1. While in the Metro environment, press the Win+Q key combination on your keyboard. A search bar will appear on the right, in which you need to type Windows Defender + the Enter key. A link to launch the program will appear on the left.
2. Start Windows Defender.
3. In the Windows Defender window that opens, go to the "Settings" tab by clicking on the corresponding tab.
4. In the settings, check the "Enable real-time protection" checkbox.
5. Here, in the settings, select the "Administrator" item from the list on the left and click on it, then check the "Enable Windows Defender" box, click on the "Save Changes" button.
If everything went well, then Windows Defender was able to turn on and your Windows 8 system is protected.
Attention! If this does not happen when you try to start the Defender (paragraph 1 of this manual), the system displays a warning message. You need to check if other antivirus software is running on the system. If a third-party antivirus is present, then to enable Windows Defender in Windows 8, you must first uninstall the third-party antivirus.
After disabling or uninstalling a third-party antivirus, to enable Windows Defender, do the following:
1. While on the desktop, press the key combination Win + X and select "Control Panel".
2. In the "Control Panel" that opens, go to "System and Security", then "Action Center".
3. In the "Action Center" expand the "Security" subsection and pay attention to the notifications marked with red vertical bars.
4. Enable "Protection from spyware and unwanted programs" and "Protection from viruses" by clicking on the corresponding "Enable Now" buttons next to each notification.
5. Windows Defender is enabled.
For reference. There are several ways to get to the "Support Center", for example, you can click on the icon in the form of a triangular flag in the system tray (on the panel at the bottom-right) and open the "Support Center", follow steps 3 to 5 of this manual.
Not having time to leave, Microsoft's Windows 8 OS has become the subject of real network battles. Forum participants poured every possible kind of substance on each other, trying to prove their point of view.
Someone compared the "Eight" with the failed Windows Vista, while others argued that the new operating system is perhaps the best product of Microsoft. Be that as it may, but today it is spreading more and more confidently on the computers of users around the world.
One of the reasons for the popularity was the “defender” of Windows 8. How to enable it on a newly installed system and is it necessary to do this in principle? Let's find out.
A bit of history
Back in 2001, simultaneously with the official release of Windows XP, Microsoft began work on creating a new system. Users were promised a real paradise on earth: a new file system, a complete rejection of the tree structure of directories, as well as a built-in antivirus with a firewall.
Vista came out (by the way, it has almost nothing to do with those developments), after which it suddenly turned out that the promises were not kept. There was a UAC function (which was terrible in Vista), as well as Windows Defender, the functionality of which was questioned by all authoritative computer publications.
With the release of Windows 7, the “defender” was patched up a little, but it was still extremely unpopular. Then in Redmond they made a “feint with their ears” by releasing It was already an almost full-fledged antivirus, when installed, the standard Defender automatically turned off.
Why are we telling you all this? The fact is that Essentials is just the standard "defender" of Windows 8. How to enable it?
Understanding the issue
In general, when installing a clean system, you do not need to include anything. The fact is, by default, everything is already activated initially. Thus, if you have not installed some third-party antivirus software, then you have nothing to worry about.
Thus, you will need to turn on the "Defender" only after removing antiviruses from other manufacturers.
How it's done
So, if third-party antivirus protection is still installed on your computer, then Windows 8 "defender" will not start. How to enable it in this case? You will have to remove this program, if possible using a special uninstall utility from its manufacturer. This is due to the fact that its slightest remnants in the registry or on the hard drive will lead to a message about the impossibility of launching the Defender.
In the lower left corner, right-click, and then select the "Control Panel" item in the context menu that appears.
The same name will open in the upper right corner of which there is a search field. We enter the phrase “Windows Defender” there, and then press the “Enter” key. That's all. Click on the link that appears, after which the program will be included.
Everything would be fine, but ... But how to turn on the "defender" of Windows 8, even if after that it refuses to start?
Another variant
Go back to the Control Panel. We are looking for the item "System and Security" there. In the dialog box that opens, there is an item "Action Center". Having opened it, it is necessary to open the drop-down list "Security". In the "Virus protection" field, click on the "Turn on now" button. As a rule, the "defender" of Windows 8 is immediately activated. How to enable it, even if this measure does not help?
Last measure
In rare cases, it happens that a disabled service prevents the launch, without which this important program simply cannot work normally.
To eliminate this trouble, right-click again in the lower left corner. When it opens, select "Run". In the field that appears, we drive in the services.msc command.
A long list of all the services available on the computer opens, in which you need to find the item "Windows Defender Service". Next, double-click on it with the left mouse button, and then in the “Startup type” item, set it to “Automatic”. After that, in the same list, look for the item "Security Center".
In the same way, we click on it with the left mouse button, assigning the "Automatic" attribute. That's it, the program is running.
How to disable Defender?
How to disable Windows 8 Defender? After all, there are directly opposite situations when some third-party antivirus refuses to continue the installation because of the running service of this program. It's easy to do.
Launch the "Defender", select the "Settings" tab in the main working window, and then uncheck the "Enable real-time protection" box in it. Save the settings, exit the program.
Application characteristics
By the way, how did the "defender" of Windows 8 show itself in the case? The recall of any computer publication indicates that the basic protective functions of the application work flawlessly. Simply put, if you live in social networks, occasionally browse news sites and listen to music on your computer, you will have enough of its capabilities in abundance.
So if you bought a new computer with the "Eight", then it does not always make sense to rush to install an antivirus there. After all, it is already in the basic delivery of the system!
Initially, with the Windows 8 operating system, there is a special utility that allows you to protect yourself from spyware if another one is not installed on your computer. This utility is called Windows 8 Defender. Moreover, it will not protect against other types of malware. Therefore, you should additionally install other security software for better protection. After installing the antivirus, the defender is disabled. And if you remove the antivirus program, then it will turn on again and continue to fulfill its purpose. But sometimes, it happens that the defender does not turn on. In such cases, you must turn it on yourself. About how to enable windows defender and will be discussed in today's article.
Enable Windows 8 Defender
To do this, you need to open the Action Center. This can be done by clicking on the message icon in the notifications panel and clicking on "Open Support Center".
There is another way to get there through the Start menu by entering the name of the center in the search that is located there.
And now, you need to expand the tab related to security and click on all the "Enable Now" buttons.
After these steps, Windows 8 Defender will be activated immediately. It is recommended to update it later so that the protection is more up-to-date.
How to use Windows Defender?
In general, the defender independently checks files and performs timely updates. The user can only periodically run a selective scan of individual folders, flash drives and other storage media, as well as perform a full scan of the computer.
Also, initially, Windows Defender 8 takes part in the MAPS service. Sending all information about detected malicious code to the accounting system. That helps to regularly update protection to combat new threats. If you would like to help MAPS, you can choose the advanced level of participation.
To make it more reliable, open the settings tab and in the "Details" item, check the boxes next to: "Scan removable media" and "Create a system restore point".
This will help, in case of some critical problems, to roll back to a restore point that was automatically saved earlier.
Install Windows 8 Defender on Start Screen
To make it more convenient, in the future, to refer to this program and not look again, you can pin it to the home screen. To do this, in the start menu, in the search, type in “defender” and right-click on the desired icon. In the expanded context menu, select "To the home screen".
Then drag the program icon to where it will be convenient for you to open it.
In the case when it is not possible to turn on the Defender, you can try the system files and try again. And if that doesn't help, try starting the Windows Defender service.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments. Good luck!