Regarding the antivirus topic for Windows, (see comparison of the best 10 free antivirus) some people defend their favorite sword, others are convinced that a paid antivirus is better than a free one. For some years now Windows has been integrating a good antivirus solution, called Windows Defender (or Microsoft Security Essentials) which, if kept constantly updated, allows it to intercept all the main cyber threats without installing any other antivirus (paid or free).
In this guide we will show you how to update the Microsoft antivirus pre-installed on our system (Windows 8.1 or Windows 10) and also how to install Microsoft Security Essentials on Windows 7, so as to have a good level of security without weighing down the operating system.
READ ALSO -> How to use the "Windows Defender" antivirus
1) How to update Windows Defender on Windows 10
Windows Defender on Windows 10 is enabled by default from the first start of the operating system, so we won't have to install another third-party antivirus to be able to protect the system from the viruses we can run into.
To check the execution of the integrated antivirus, simply open the Settings menu -> Update and security -> Windows Security, then click Open Windows Defender Security Center .
If all the ticks next to the modules are green, it means that the system is protected and the antivirus running and updated; if interested, the module to check the actual antivirus is Virus and Threat Protection .
Updates for Windows Defender are automatically provided along with Windows updates (via Windows Update); so all we have to do is leave the PC on and it will retrieve updates automatically.
If for some reason the update should not be performed, we can force it by opening the Settings menu -> Update and security -> Windows Update and clicking Check for updates .
The PC will immediately start looking for updates for Windows, including Windows Defender (definitions and scan module).
Another method to update Windows Defender on Windows 10 is to open the Settings -> Update and Security -> Windows Security and press on Open Windows Defender Security Center -> Virus and Threat Protection .
In the anti- virus management menu, click Virus and threat protection updates, then select the Check for updates item .
A definition and scan engine update will be performed immediately to the latest version.
READ ALSO: Antivirus for Windows 10: better to install one or just Windows Defender ">
Immediately a window will open where you can check if the antivirus is active and updated.
If the definitions are old and an automatic update has not been performed for some time, the Update button will appear in orange: just press it to start the Windows Defender update.
Alternatively, we can also open the Update tab at the top and click on the homonymous button on the screen.
If we still want to keep the Windows 8.1 antivirus automatically updated, it is better to keep the automatic update of Windows Update active (which can still be disabled on this version of Windows): to do this we open the Start screen again and type Windows Update, so as to to be able to open the first item that will appear in the search window.
As soon as the Windows Update window is open, we click Check for updates to update Windows; to set the automatic update, click on Choose how to install the updates and activate the item Install updates automatically (recommended) .
From now on, Windows Defender updates will be automatically downloaded with Windows Update and will be more regular.
3) How to install and update Microsoft Security Essentials on Windows 7
Windows 7 unfortunately does not have any antivirus installed by default, in fact it is certainly the most exposed to the dangers as soon as it is finished installing (it is no coincidence that it shows an alarm window for the lack of protection).
On this system we can therefore install any antivirus we like (free or paid) but, if we want to maintain performance, we can install Microsoft Security Essentials, provided free of charge by Microsoft at the link here -> Microsoft Security Essentials .
Click on the Download button and start the downloaded installer at the end; in a few clicks we will be protected from any virus thanks to the antivirus provided by Microsoft.
At the end of the installation we can open the antivirus management window by opening the Start menu at the bottom left, looking for Microsoft Security Essentials and opening the item of the same name.
To update the definitions and to find new versions of the scan engine, simply click on the Update button on the main screen or take us to the Update tab, where you just need to click on the button of the same name to start the update.
As we have seen, the interface is very similar to the Windows Defender on Windows 8.1, of which it shares many parts.
In fact, to enable automatic updating, simply enable Windows Update to automatically search for updates when available.
To get this level of protection we click again on the Start button at the bottom left, look for Windows Update and click on the Change settings item, on the side.
In the screen that appears we enable the item Install updates automatically (Recommended) to enable maximum protection against viruses and threats on Windows 7.
READ ALSO: Guide to Windows 10 Security Settings
