Further reading: Windows Security vs. Microsoft Defender A look back at the history of Defender. Defender originated from software developed by Giant, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2004.

Windows Defender comes with Windows 8.1 and 10 and can be disabled only by the installation of a third-party antivirus program, or, if you're brave, editing the Windows Registry.

Every Windows 10 PC has a registry and you can use it to change settings and disable Windows Defender. If you use this method, make sure you’re incredibly careful.

Windows Defender is a capable antivirus solution built into Windows itself. Unless you’ve installed a different antivirus program on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC, your PC is using it right now.

Windows Defender isn't Microsoft's first foray into the antivirus pool. The company had earlier failed with a paid product, Windows Live OneCare, that was discontinued in 2009.

Windows Defender is the default anti-virus on Windows 11/10. It’s good enough for most major cases. Therefore, you won’t need a third-party option unless for extreme cases which are quite rare.

Windows Defender has three modes. By default, it runs in active mode. If you have installed another antivirus program, it goes to disabled mode, but you can manually change it from disabled to ...

Windows Defender scans these files for viruses, but if the file contains malformed code, this automatic scan also ensures malicious code is executed as soon as it reaches a user's computer, ...

The Creators Update introduces the Windows Defender Security Center, which makes it easier to take control of your security settings. Here's everything you need to know about the tool.

Learn how to uninstall, remove, turn off or disable Windows Defender via Settings, Windows Security Center, PowerShell, Command Line, Registry Editor, Services Manager or Group Policy Editor.

When Microsoft Defender is mentioned, most users think of the antivirus software included in Windows (currently called Windows Security). On the one hand, this is correct, as the antivirus engine ...