If you want to install Microsoft Defender Antivirus on your Windows or Apple computer, then this article is for you. Sometimes, the process can get critical but, if you follow the right method as described on devicessetup then you won’t have much trouble.
We have covered the whole process of installation, trial run and review settings in this writeup for both Operating system. This will help you give a proper insight into the real process of using the Microsoft Defender Antivirus as well. So, without wasting time, let’s get started.
How to install and enable Windows Defender in Windows 10?
Microsoft Defender is a part of Windows 10 that provides ongoing, enhancing, and built-in security protections. Your computer’s security is protected by its firewall, anti-virus, and anti-malware components. Additional note: When another antivirus program is installed, Windows Defender cannot be enabled.
- Microsoft Defender does not need to be downloaded and installed separately on your Windows PC or laptop. It already comes with the installation of Windows 10 and higher versions. Visit the Windows logo in the bottom left corner of the screen to enable Windows Defender. The “Start” menu will then appear. To launch the application, scroll down and select “Windows Security.” Verify that an antivirus program is installed and running on your computer on the Windows Security screen.
- Your computer’s antivirus program will begin to run if it displays a “Green tick.” Because Windows Defender safeguards your computer, activating it is not required. Windows Defender is not enabled on your computer and no antivirus software is installed if there is no tick. For “Real-time protection,” activate the “Virus & threat protection” icon.
IMP:-Review the Windows Security app’s virus and threat protection settings. The settings described in this section will be greyed out and unavailable for use on individual endpoints if these settings are configured and deployed using Group Policy. Before a setting can be updated in Windows Settings, changes made through a Group Policy Object must first be applied to individual endpoints. Local policy override settings can be set up in the manner that is described in the topic titled “Configure end-user interaction with Microsoft Defender Antivirus.”
3. Use the Windows Security app to run a scan. Choose “Quick scan.” Alternatively, if you want to run a full scan, select Scan options and choose what you like. Additionally, the most recent security intelligence update versions can be downloaded from the Windows Security app.
4. Select updates for threat and virus protection. The version that is currently installed is shown, as well as some details about when it was downloaded. You can look at the change log for that version or compare your current version to the most recent version that is available for manual download. To download new security updates, select “Check for updates.” However, learn how to disable Microsoft Defender on your Windows system.
How to download and install Microsoft Defender Antivirus on MacOS?
If you have an Apple computer, the process is different than that of Windows. Be aware that Microsoft Defender for Endpoint MacOS cannot be installed until any other antivirus software on your computer has been removed. (Take note: Rosetta 2 must be installed before MSDE can be installed on the brand-new Apple M1 processors).
- Visit this page to obtain the MSDE installer. To begin the installation, double-click the icon labelled “Install MSDE.pkg.” Click the “Continue” button on the page with the introduction. After making your selection, click the “Continue” button to proceed with the installation. To begin with the installation, click the “Install button.
- On your computer, enter the administrator account’s username and password. After that, click the Install Software button. The software installation will take a few minutes. During the installation, a notification window titled “System Extension Blocked” will appear. First, click the “Open Security Preferences” button to enable this extension.
- The preference panel for macOS Security & Privacy will open. “System software from developer ‘Microsoft Corporation’ was blocked from loading,” is displayed next to the “Allow” button. Before you can click the “Allow” button, you may need to click the lock icon in the Security & Privacy window’s (bottom left corner) and then enter the administrator account’s username and password.
IMP:-You will no longer be able to see this message after clicking the “Allow” button. Click the red icon to close the macOS Security & Privacy preference pane. During the installation, a second notification window titled “System Extension Blocked” will appear. Because this system extension is a crucial part of Microsoft Defender, activating it will require your permission. First, click the “Open Security Preferences” button to enable this extension.
- The preference panel for macOS Security & Privacy will open. You need to click the lock icon in the Security & Privacy window’s and then enter the administrator account’s user ID and password. After that, click on the “Details” button. After checking the box that says “Microsoft Defender ATP.app,” click the “OK” button. Click the red icon to close the macOS Security & Privacy preference pane. “Microsoft Defender ATP would like to filter network content” will appear as a prompt. Select “Allow” from the menu.
- When the window that says “The installation was successful” appears, click the Close button. Click the Microsoft Defender ATP icon and select “Action recommended” from the menu that appears. Microsoft Defender ATP can also be launched from the Applications folder. A white banner with the message “Microsoft Defender ATP needs attention” will appear at the top of the window when the Microsoft Defender ATP application opens. Click the blue “Fix” button to proceed.
- The preference pane for macOS Security & Privacy will open. Microsoft Defender will require full disk access to your computer. Put a checkmark next to “Microsoft Defender ATP” to accomplish this. Before you can grant full disk access, you may need to click the lock icon in the Security & Privacy window’s bottom left corner and then enter the administrator account’s username and password. The setup for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is now complete. To conduct a review and determine whether the antivirus is operating properly, you can follow the standard procedures for your Windows PC. To know how to disable Microsoft Defender on your Mac system, click here.