If you suspect that a virus or another malware has entered your computer (or you want to perform a maintenance run), Microsoft Defender Antivirus allows you to perform three types of manual scans on Windows 10, including quick, custom, and full scans using the Windows Security app, Command Prompt, and PowerShell This guide will teach you the steps to perform a complete virus scan using the built-in anti-malware program on Windows 10.
Run full virus scan from Windows Security Run full virus scan from Command Prompt Run full virus scan from PowerShell
Run full virus scan from Windows Security
To run a full virus scan on Windows 10, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, Microsoft Defender Antivirus will scan your device for viruses and many other types of malware, and if anything is detected, the antivirus will remove (or quarantine) the threats automatically.
Also, depending on the amount of data, this process can take a long time. If you have a lot of files, it is recommended to start the scan when you are done using the device for the day and let the scan run overnight.
Run full virus scan from Command Prompt
To run a Microsoft Defender Antivirus full scan from Command Prompt, use these steps: After you complete the steps, the anti-malware solution will scan the device for any kind of malware. You will notice the “Start scanning” messages as you run the command. Once the scan is complete, you will see the “Scan finished” message.
Run full virus scan from PowerShell
To start a full scan with Microsoft Defender Antivirus from PowerShell, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, Microsoft Defender Antivirus will perform a full scan to check, detect, and remove viruses and any other type of malware it might be able to find.
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