How to use Microsoft Defender Antivirus with Command Prompt on Windows 10
You can use Command Prompt to control various aspects of Microsoft Defender Antivirus, and in this guide, we’ll show you how on Windows 10.
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OnWindows 10, Microsoft Defender Antivirus provides advanced real-time protection to protect your device and files against viruses, ransomware, spyware, rootkits, and other forms of malware, including hackers.
Although you can easily control the feature using theWindows Security app, you can also handle various aspects of the antivirus (updates, scans, and quarantined items) through Command Prompt. Usually, managing the experience with commands can be useful in many situations. For instance, when you need to use a script to automate some of the anti-malware tasks. You want to set a specific schedule to download updates or perform a quick, full, or custom scan. Or when you need to complete particular tasks on multiple computers.
In this Windows 10 guide, we will walk you through the steps to manage Microsoft Defender Antivirus with Command Prompt.
How to check for updates on Microsoft Defender
To check and download updates for Microsoft Defender, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the tool will check and download any update available for the built-in antivirus.
Uninstall definitions updates
You can also remove previously installed updates with these steps:
After you complete the steps, the definitions will be removed from your computer according to your configuration.
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How to perform quick virus scan with Microsoft Defender
To perform a quick Microsoft Defender scan, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the scan will begin, but it takes more than one day, the process will stop automatically.
How to perform full virus scan with Microsoft Defender
To perform a full Microsoft Defender scan with Command Prompt, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, the antivirus will perform a full malware scan on your device. Depending on the amount of data, this process can take a very long time.
How to perform custom virus scan with Microsoft Defender
To customize a malware scan using Command Prompt, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the anti-malware solution will only scan the location you specified. If you are using the “-Timeout” option, then if the scan is taking a long time, it will timeout once the time you specified has been reached.
How to perform boot sector malware scan on Microsoft Defender
On Windows 10, the boot sector is an essential section in the installation drive that stores the instructions on how to start the boot process. Sometimes, viruses can also attack the boot sector causing unwanted behaviors, which can be challenging to troubleshoot and fix. However, Microsoft Defender Antivirus includes an option to check and remove malicious code that may be residing in the boot sector.
To scan the boot sector for malware with Microsoft Defender, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, Microsoft Defender Antivirus will scan the boot sector for any malicious code that may be affecting the device.
How to restore quarantined items on Microsoft Defender
The Microsoft Defender Antivirus command-line tool also includes an option to view a list of quarantined items and another option to restore items that might have been detected as malicious when they are not harmful.
To view and restore quarantined items with Command Prompt, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the items will be restored in the original or alternate location, depending on the command.
This guide focuses on the more important commands you can use with Command Prompt, but the tool includes additional options, which you can view running the
command.
While you can manage a number of functions through Command Prompt, the tool is quite limited. For example, you cannot start an offline scan or change preferences. If you want to manage settings and control virtually every aspect of Microsoft Defender Antivirus with commands, you should be usingthe PowerShell modules instead.
Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.
