Windows Defender or Windows Security is an antivirus program that is included with every installation of Windows 11/10. While Windows Defender constantly monitors and scans your files to automatically detect and remove unwanted malware, there may be times when you need to manually check a particular file or folder to make sure it’s free of viruses or other malware, which may damage your computer or your device. files. Check out these many ways to manually scan files and folders to protect your computer.
Note. Windows Security is the modern name for Windows Defender.
How to scan a file or folder with Windows Defender or Windows Security
There are three ways to scan a suspicious file or folder with Windows Defender.
- Directly with Windows Security
- Using File Explorer
- Using the command line
These options are available to all users. If you can’t find these options, make sure Windows security is enabled on your PC.
1] Directly via Windows Security
Windows Security will now run a selective folder scan. It will show the current number of files being scanned and the estimated time remaining until the scan is completed. If any threats are detected, they will be displayed on the screen. If not, you can view the scan summary and close the window.
The above method cannot scan files. So if you only want to scan one file, go to a new folder and then scan the folder.
2] Using File Explorer
You can follow these simple steps to select the files to be scanned from File Explorer.
3] Using Command Line
Anyone can use Microsoft Defender or Microsoft Security from the command line to scan a file or folder. We will need to use the MpCmdRun program, which is available at C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform\<Folder with highest version>\
To scan a folder, use the following command from an elevated command prompt, Windows terminal, or PowerShell:
mpcmdrun -Scan -ScanType 3 -File "<Путь к папке>"
In the command, replace “<folder path>”with the path to the folder you want to scan. You only need to use quotes if the path contains a space.
So, if the folder name is C:\Downloads, then the command will be
mpcmdrun -Scan -ScanType 3 -Файл C\Загрузки
To scan a file, use the following command from an elevated command prompt, Windows terminal, or PowerShell:
mpcmdrun -Scan -ScanType 3 -File "<путь к файлу>/имя файла.exetension"
So if the location and filename is C:\Downloads\filename.txt, the command will be
mpcmdrun -Scan -ScanType 3 -Файл C:\Downloads\имя_файла.txt
After the scan is completed, you will receive the result.
Conclusion
Windows Security keeps your PC as secure as possible, and you can always use it to check folders or files manually. The main role of Windows Security is to protect your computer from virus threats, protect your account, firewall and network protection, as well as protect applications and browsers, ensure device security, good performance and uptime. Plus, updates are automatically downloaded to your device in addition to this real-time protection to keep your files and folders safe.
Why should you use Windows Defender or Windows Security?
Microsoft Windows Security does an excellent job of identifying malicious files, stopping network attacks and exploits, and alerting you when it detects fraudulent websites. Even simple PC health and performance statistics are included, as well as parental controls with usage restrictions, content filtering, and location monitoring. So, here are the reasons why you should use Windows Security.
Should I use Windows Defender and no other antivirus?
Although Windows has built-in antivirus protection in the form of Windows Defender, additional software such as Endpoint Defender or a third-party antivirus is still required. This is due to the lack of endpoint protection in Windows Defender, full analysis and remediation of threats.
Is Windows Defender the best antivirus for Windows PC?
While Windows Defender is a solid antivirus with a high malware detection rate, all antivirus programs like Norton, McAfee, Avira, etc. have higher malware detection rates, especially when it comes to advanced trojans, spyware, and programs. – extortionists.