Malware scanning is an essential task for maintaining the security and integrity of your Windows system. This article will guide you through the process of performing malware scans using both built-in Windows tools and popular third-party software. We will cover how to use Windows Defender via the graphical interface and the command line, as well as how to utilize third-party tools like Malwarebytes.

Using Windows Defender

Graphical Interface

1. Open Windows Security:

   • Click on the Start menu and type "Windows Security" in the search bar.
   • Click on the "Windows Security" app from the search results.

2. Navigate to Virus & Threat Protection:

   • In the Windows Security window, click on "Virus & threat protection".

3. Run a Quick Scan:

   • Click on the "Quick scan" button to start a quick scan of your system.

4. Run a Full Scan:

   • Click on "Scan options".
   • Select "Full scan" and click on the "Scan now" button.

Command Line Interface (CMD)

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator:

   • Click on the Start menu, type "cmd" in the search bar.
   • Right-click on "Command Prompt" and select "Run as administrator".

2. Run a Quick Scan:

   • Type the following command and press Enter:

     "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe" -Scan -ScanType 1

3. Run a Full Scan:

   • Type the following command and press Enter:

     "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe" -Scan -ScanType 2

Using PowerShell

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator:

   • Click on the Start menu, type "PowerShell" in the search bar.
   • Right-click on "Windows PowerShell" and select "Run as administrator".

2. Run a Quick Scan:

   • Type the following command and press Enter:

     Start-MpScan -ScanType QuickScan

3. Run a Full Scan:

   • Type the following command and press Enter:

     Start-MpScan -ScanType FullScan

Using Third-Party Tools: Malwarebytes

1. Download and Install Malwarebytes:

   • Visit the Malwarebytes website and download the installer.
   • Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install Malwarebytes.

2. Run a Scan:

   • Open Malwarebytes.
   • Click on the "Scan" button on the dashboard.
   • Choose between a "Threat Scan" (recommended), "Custom Scan", or "Hyper Scan" (for premium users).
   • Click "Start Scan" to begin the scanning process.

3. Review and Quarantine Detected Items:

   • After the scan completes, review the detected items.
   • Click on "Quarantine" to move the detected threats to quarantine.

Scheduling Regular Scans

Using Task Scheduler for Windows Defender

1. Open Task Scheduler:

   • Click on the Start menu, type "Task Scheduler" in the search bar, and open it.

2. Create a New Task:

   • In the Task Scheduler window, click on "Create Basic Task" in the right-hand Actions pane.
   • Follow the wizard to set up a new task:
     • Name your task (e.g., "Daily Quick Scan").
     • Choose a trigger (e.g., daily at a specific time).
     • Select "Start a program" as the action.
     • Browse to "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe" and add -Scan -ScanType 1 as the argument for a quick scan.

3. Finish and Save:

   • Review your settings and click "Finish" to create the task.