Free antivirus software that provides an adequate level of protection
Windows Defender is a built-in anti-malware program that comes with every Windows 10 or 11 device. It is rated highly in tests by three independent organizations and comes with a number of key features to make it stand out from the crowd, including cloud backup and parental controls. It’s not a single-stop solution to protect against all threats, however. There are other top antivirus applications that provide extra features like password management and VPN along with a wide range of device protection and malware.
Windows Security Dashboard shows you what your system is doing. The green ticks mean that everything is working fine and red ticks indicate things that require attention. It’s easy to see the things you need to take care of but navigating the various settings screens can be difficult.
Microsoft Defender offers a range of protection options that are standard like real-time scanning and blocking suspicious connections. It can also prevent malicious applications from changing settings of the system and prevent malware from launching from memory. It can also provide guidance on changing passwords and account issues. There are some under-the-bonnet OS security measures too, such as virtualisation-based hardware and code isolation protections.
The Windows Security app also includes an information base with solutions for common issues as well as the ability to search in case you are unable to find what you’re looking for. Community videos are available to demonstrate how to make the most of each feature. Two incidents of technical support are included for free and can pay more if needed.
