Windows Defender What is it, what is it for and how do I activate it?

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By default, Windows is the most in use in the world and is therefore used by billions of users. In view of the fact that its dominance has been so remarkable in the computer world that the Most programs have been developed with this system in mind .

For its part, Windows also stands out for providing different native applications to its users, among which: Internet Explorer in as a web browser, Windows Media Player and a safety program called Windows Defender . The latter was included in due to the existence of many threats viral .

Therefore, this OS has its own security system for guarantee the protection of its users in real time . Thus, it is a fast and efficient tool that is worth knowing in depth, so we are going to explain here to you about what it is, what are its functions, pros and cons, as well as how you can turn it on and off .

What is Windows Defender and what is this Microsoft program for?

Basically it is security software which has been designed to detect viruses and, therefore, has the functions of antivirus and antispyware . In this way, it is a tool that serves to protect and monitor active system locations .

Thus, its main objective is to prevent, remove and / or quarantine any threat, spyware or ransonware present in Microsoft Windows . Thus, it is used, specifically, to detect these types of threats in real time and thus, monitor the optimal functioning of the system and equipment in real time .

For its part, Windows Defender is a program which, by default, is pre-installed and activated in Windows Vista, W7, W8, W8.1 and W10 . Therefore, this software is completely free and thanks to the fact that there is no paid version, it Do not put fortunately no unnecessary pop-up ads .

In this sense, although it is not a completely foolproof tool, it is considered sufficient for normal computer use . In other words, it is recommended to access blogs, social media platforms, shop online on secure portals, download content from trusted sources, etc.

What are all the tools we can find in Windows Defender?

In general terms, the main function of this safety program Windows is D' analyze capabilities similar to other free products on the market . For this, it has a number of security agents who patrol the different common parts of the system in order to be aware of any changes caused by virus or spyware . It is also software that has the ability to Supprimer easily them ActiveX applications installed in Internet Explorer .

On top of that, he supports Microsoft's SpyNet network , with which the users themselves can inform the company of possible spyware attacks. However, to carry out this management, offer optimal protection to its users and ensure proper operation, Windows Defender relies on certain tools that it can work well with .

Then, we specify which are the main of them:

Protection against viruses and threats : it consists of the main program window and from there, the main options based on threat management will be broken down .
Firewall and network protection : this is the parent - fire Windows and represents the networks available on the computer and the configuration options for allow apps to run and configure notifications .
Application and browser control : With this utility, the program can analyze, in real time, each of the applications that you download and try to install on the computer . So, it works as a security filter.
Device security : It is a tool which offers the possibility of configuring the protection of physical elements so that viruses do not lodge there . As, for example, in RAM .
Threat history : with this option, users will be able to observe all threats detected by antivirus Windows . Thus, it provides the convenience of restore files to their original location and if you find a threat that isn't really a virus, you can allow access.
Ransomware protection : as its name suggests, it is responsible for set up protection against ransomware viruses . Which can hijack your computer to demand payment of an economical amount in order to unlock it.
Integration with Internet Explorer : Thanks to this tool, it allows to analyze the files during their download, in order to ensure that it is not malware . Therefore, it is similar to real-time analyzers.

Advantages and disadvantages Is it practical to activate Microsoft antivirus?

Given that Windows Defender is a utility that protects the system from any threats, prevents loss of your files and helps keep useful computer functions active, it of course reveals some advantages that you should know . However, it also contains some peculiarities for which it is not recommended to use it , which is translate into disadvantages .

In this sense, we proceed to specify the most important reasons why you should activate this Windows antivirus and use it permanently:

Unlike many solutions available on the market, it is a completely free program even if its operation is similar to that of other well-known antiviruses on the market.
Windows Defender does not display pop-up ads and therefore reveals an optimal user experience.
It is considered a tool offering excellent performance . This means that he does not consume a lot de RAM on the machine and it does not slow down when accessing popular websites, downloading heavy programs, or running software.
It guarantees protection in the cloud and in real time , therefore, each user can be fully protected while surfing the network. Even if there are risks, you will receive alerts at the right time.
Many antiviruses are designed for advanced users and, therefore, reveal complications when using them. But that doesn't happen with Windows Defender , Because he is easy to use and very easy to read .
He has the ability to perform really fast scans , simply by using the caching technology of the operating system.
In addition to offering optimal analysis, it allows you to specify in which areas of the system you want to scan .
It manages to monitor all activities such as alerts and deletion or installation of new definitions, thanks to the event log it has .

However, as we stated above, Windows Defender is not a completely foolproof tool and hence, it has some drawbacks or drawbacks that you should be aware of as well.

Here we specify the most relevant of all:

It is considered to be an ideal program for basic users. Since, if you are browsing potentially dangerous websites , download files from unsecured sites or use P2P applications, this does not reveal correct operation .
It is almost impossible to uninstall this program from a PC . Which is a ridiculous feature for users who want to completely disable the program for install a paid antivirus or just because they don't like how it works, for example .
Sometimes he can generate some delays in terms of reliability and power.

Steps to Enable and Disable Windows Defender Antivirus Easily and Quickly

Despite the fact that this antivirus Windows cannot be uninstalled from computers, the truth is that, whether it supports its activation or deactivation by each user, according to their preferences .

Fortunately, it is very quick and easy to do so, here we show you what these step by step procedures are:

Enable

In the event that this software pre-installed in Windows is not enabled by default or has already been temporarily disabled, you should know how you can enable it.

Therefore, first of all, we explain what you need to do to activate Windows Defender without further complications:

Initially, click on the button Start on office , located in the lower left corner and click on the gear icon that belongs to the Settings menu .

Then, among all the options available, select the one that says "Update & Security" .

Then it's time to access "Windows Defender" or "Windows Security" to proceed to activation of the switch that indicates "Real-time protection" . While the other two options are not mandatory.

But, in case these switches are grayed out and cannot be changed, you will have to do another way to activate this Windows tool .

Thus, the process consists of:

Go to the start menu of the computer and in the search bar, enter and select the term "Execute" .
Now in the space displayed in the lower right corner of the panel, type "regedit" , press the Enter key and confirm the warning in question .
Later you will go to the Windows registry and on the left side you will see a series of folders where you will need to click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE then, in the available subfolders, do the following: Software -> Policies -> Microsoft -> Windows Defender .
Then double click on the key to the right "DisableAntiSpyware" . In addition, directly in "Value information" , enter the number 0 to press OK and close the recording.
Finally, access the configuration menu, select "Update and security" to click on "Windows Defender" or "Windows Security" and activate the option shown above.

deactivate

On the other hand, if you want deactivate how this works antivirus and antispyware , you can also do this. In view of this, the system only allows you to do this for a certain time because it can be activated automatically.

After clarifying the above, we proceed to explain the steps to be followed to be able to disable windows defender , easily and correctly:

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As in the previous case, click on the system Start menu and select the Settings icon .
Then, among all the options in the configuration window, click on the "Update and security" category .
Then, in the options bar, choose "Windows Defender" or "Windows Security" .
Then you need to disable the three available switches which are: "Real-time protection", "Cloud-based protection" and "Sample submission" .
To save the changes, you enough close the configuration window .

It should be noted that, unlike the previous case, at this stage, it is essential to deactivate the three switches shown. Since then, in outside the option of "Real - time protection " , the alternatives must also uncheck compulsory . As a result, if you leave them enabled, the program will not be disabled properly .

List of the best antivirus alternatives to Windows Defender you should know

If you choose to disable windows defender , it's better to download and install another antivirus in order to protect the operating system and your computer while you browse the net or download files .

For this reason, below we highlight five of the best alternative solutions for Windows Antivirus:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Of course, it is compatible with different versions of Windows and consists of a program capable of fight viruses, spyware and other potential threats that may affect your online work . Thus, it is software that offers a free version and a paid version . Taking into account that although its free version does not guarantee real-time protection , it is useful for scanning computers on demand.

For its part, the functioning of Malwarebytes relies on scanning for or detecting viruses, worms, spyware, keyloggers, rootkits, unwanted programs and any other such threat in order to to proceed with their elimination. It even offers two types of analysis: the "Threat Scan" which examines the areas where se hide generally the malwares and "Custum Scan" which performs custom scans on the system.

In addition to this, this program has an analysis engine which is characterized by a rapid analysis , in all situations. In addition, it allows you to create inclusion lists and quarantine suspicious files for more security. Moreover, he has a heuristic search engine and its interface promotes great user-friendliness.

Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Windows

Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware MacOS

IObit Malware Fighter

Available for Windows and completely free, we highlight this software anti-malware and antivirus , here has the ability to offer absolute protection to your PC against malicious files of any kind . Taking into account that, thanks to the fact that it works from a constantly updated database, it can guarantee optimal and powerful security .

In addition to this, it is distinguished by intelligent use of computer resources and, thanks to this, it does not cause any type of slowing down during operation . Moreover, he has a scanning speed up to 130% faster than other conventional antivirus , so it is really effective.

Thus, it also reliably protects the security and privacy of users' confidential data, because its execution system is running in the background . Among other details, it has excellent antispam and antispyware protection filters, presents a very simple and manageable user interface , has a according to "Deep scan" and has other additional functions.