

Some features are reserved for Enterprise editions of Windows 10 but some are also available in Home editions. Microsoft even published Windows Defender Browser Protection for Google Chrome. The company added features such as Windows Defender System Guard and Application Guard, Network protection, Controlled Folder Access, or Exploit protection in recent years to the tool. Microsoft improved the defensive capabilities of the built-in antivirus and security tool Windows Defender significantly for Windows 10. It does not provide real-time protection when another antivirus solution is already installed on the device.Note: Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) and Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs) refer to the same type of potentially unwanted software. Microsoft Defender Antivirus periodic scanning only adds an extra layer of security to make Windows 11 more secure. Turn off the Periodic scanning toggle switch.Īfter you complete the steps, Microsoft Defender Antivirus will not scan your computer periodically for malware when a third-party solution is on the device. To disable Defender Antivirus periodic scanning on Windows 11, use these steps: Once you complete the steps, the Windows 11 antivirus will use the “Automatic Maintenance” feature to run the scans at optimal times to minimize the impact on performance and battery life. Turn on the “Periodic scanning” toggle switch. To enable “periodic scanning” on Microsoft Defender Antivirus for Windows 11, use these steps:Ĭlick the Microsoft Defender Antivirus options setting. Disable periodic scanning on Windows 11.This guide will teach you the steps to enable periodic scanning on Windows 11.

When you enable periodic scanning, Microsoft Defender will remain disabled, but it’ll periodically scan for threats that your current solution may not be able to detect. However, since no single program can guarantee one hundred percent protection, Microsoft Defender Antivirus provides the periodic scanning feature to add a second line of defense. Microsoft Defender Antivirus includes a feature known as “periodic scanning” that periodically scans and removes threats that other antivirus software may have missed, and in this guide, you’ll learn the steps to enable it.Īlthough Windows 11 has a robust antivirus to scan, detect, and remove malware from your device, many users prefer different solutions, such as Symantec’s Norton Antivirus, AVG, Avira, BitDefender, and McAfee. To enable periodic scanning on Windows 11, open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection, click “Microsoft Defender Antivirus options,” and turn on “Periodic scanning.”.
