Windows computers have a built-in tool to safeguard against viruses and malware. It’s known as Microsoft Defender, or Windows Security, and it offers a unified experience to manage antivirus, firewall and performance features. It also allows you to keep track of the condition of your device and protect your data by using hardware encryption and password management. Installing third-party antivirus programs will disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus engine, however, it won’t affect the capabilities of Windows Security itself.
One of the most important features of Windows Security is Microsoft Defender’s real-time protection. This feature scans your system and blocks malicious software in real-time. It also allows you to identify and restore malicious applications that were incorrectly blocked. It is important to remember that the Microsoft Defender scanner relies on online and cloud-based malware definitions. This could make it lag behind paid competitors in malware and virus detection rates in some instances.
Other settings that you can access from Windows Security include User Account Control, which warns you whenever someone or something attempts to change the system-level settings by locking the screen until an administrator is able to confirm the change. You can also decide the frequency that Windows Security Center will conduct a background scan and scan for updates.
You can also create backups of important files from the Microsoft OneDrive folder using Windows Security, and you can use it to safely erase your hard drive to start with a new one. It’s a handy way to keep your computer’s operating system and your personal data secure, and it’s a good option for people who don’t wish to pay for a security program that isn’t included.