

Malware can interfere with the media creation process if it’s running in the background, so if you’re concerned your current PC might be infected, use another PC to download Microsoft Defender Offline and create the media. Microsoft recommends creating bootable media on a known-clean computer. This works identically to the Microsoft Defender Offline feature on Windows 10, but requires you create the bootable media and boot it up yourself. Restart your computer and boot from the offline scanner.įor previous versions of Windows, you can download Microsoft Defender Offline, create a bootable USB drive, CD, or DVD, and boot the Microsoft Defender Offline tool on the PC.Run the executable and create your bootable media (a USB drive or CD/DVD).Go to Microsoft website and download the offline scanner.RELATED: How Do I Know if I'm Running 32-bit or 64-bit Windows? How to Run Microsoft Defender Offline on Windows 7 and 8.1 If no malware is found, your computer will automatically boot back into Windows once the scan is complete. The scan may take up to fifteen minutes. If any malware is found, you’ll be prompted to clean it up from within the Microsoft Defender Offline interface.

RELATED: What's the Best Antivirus for Windows 10 and 11? (Is Microsoft Defender Good Enough?)Īfter you click this button, your computer will automatically reboot and begin scanning your PC for malware. No need for installation.Select “Microsoft Defender Offline scan” to choose an offline scan. The solution is built on the same antimalware platform as Microsoft Security Essentials. It generates alerts when known malicious or unwanted software tries to install itself or run on your Azure systems. Next, double-click on the downloaded program and run it. Microsoft Antimalware for Azure is a free real-time protection that helps identify and remove viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. However, if you are confused, open Windows Settings and navigate to System -> About. Most modern computers are built on 64-bit architecture, so go ahead and download the 64-bit program.

First off, go to this page and download Microsoft Safety Scanner for free. That’s because the new tool brings engine and virus definition updates to catch newly-found malware.ġ. Once the 10-day validity expires, you need to download the latest version from Microsoft’s website. Keep in mind, unlike Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Safety Scanner only has a validity of 10 days. It also offers you to remove them with a single click.

Microsoft Safety Scanner scans the whole system and looks for malware, spyware, viruses, and all kinds of junk software. In this scenario, you can no longer trust the system and require an external program to review your PC’s security. Programs like Microsoft Safety Scanner come in handy when a PC is compromised, including major system components, and you are not allowed to install any software to check the security status.
