Guides / Protect
Microsoft Defender Scan
Gets a second opinion from Microsoft Defender: updates its virus definitions and runs a quick, full or offline scan, then says what it found.
When to use it
- You think something may have got onto the PC.
How to use it
- Open Brightfix and go to Protect.
- Choose Microsoft Defender Scan.
- Pick quick, full or offline. Offline restarts the PC and asks a second time.
- Read the result and any past detections.
What it changes
Updates Defender's definitions and runs the scan you pick.
What it never does
- Never changes Defender's settings.
Undo
Updates and scans cannot be undone, and do not need to be.
Advanced details
- Uses Defender's own interface (MSFT_MpSignature and MSFT_MpScan).
- When another antivirus is in charge, Defender may be in passive mode, and Brightfix says so.
Every action is logged with the time, the command, the result and the exit code.