Quick Guide: Windows Defender Offline

Windows Defender Offline is a powerful anti-virus tool built into Microsoft Windows 10. It detects and removes malware that can hide from conventional anti-virus software. This guide describes how to scan your computer with Windows Defender Offline.

 Please note that this includes restarting your computer.

Audience

This article is intended for students, faculty and staff.

Platforms

Microsoft Windows 10

Contents

Windows 10 Before Version 1703

  1. Open the Start Menu.
  2. Open the Settings menu.
  3. Click Update and Security.
  4. Click Windows Defender.
  5. Click Scan Offline.
  6. Wait for the computer to reboot.
  7. Follow the on-screen instructions to remove malware if any is found.

Windows 10 Version 1703

  1. Open the start menu.
  2. Start typing Windows Defender into the search textbox.
  3. When Windows Defender Security Center appears under Programs, click the application to open it.
  4. Click the Virus & threat protection icon, the leftmost option.
  5. Click Advanced Scan.
  6. Choose Windows Defender Offline Scan.
  7. Click Scan Now.
  8. Click Scan.
  9. Click yes in the User Account Control pop-up.
  10. Wait for your computer to restart.
  11. Enter the recovery key if your drive is encrypted with Bitlocker and click Continue.
  12. Wait for the scan to complete.
  13. Follow the on-screen instructions to remove malware if any is found.
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