Enhancing Security with Controlled Folder Access
All Windows PCs come equipped with Microsoft’s antivirus by default. Unless you’ve opted for a different antivirus program on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC, your system is currently protected by it. The good news is that Microsoft’s Defender antivirus is designed to “just work” without requiring much tweaking, featuring sensible defaults. However, there are still various settings you might want to adjust in your PC’s built-in antivirus program.
One setting you no longer need to change is the blocking of “potentially unwanted apps” (PUAs). Windows Defender now automatically blocks spyware, adware, and other unwanted software out of the box, eliminating the need to manually activate this additional protection.
Turn Off Unnecessary Notifications
While Microsoft Defender typically operates quietly in the background, there’s one unnecessary notification it sends. Defender performs a full system scan daily when you’re not using your computer and notifies you if “No new threats were found.” While Microsoft wants to reassure you that Defender is active, these notifications can be more of an interruption than a reassurance.
Ditch the System Tray Icon
The Windows Defender antivirus includes a blue, shield-shaped system tray icon to indicate it’s running. This icon can add extra clutter to your system tray, which you might find unnecessary. If you subscribe to Microsoft 365, you could end up with two blue shield-shaped icons: one for Windows Security and another for Microsoft Defender, part of Microsoft 365.
Set Up Exclusions to Speed Things Up
Most PC users won’t need to set up exclusions in Windows Defender or any other antivirus program. However, if your workload benefits from setting up exclusions, this becomes a crucial setting to adjust. Defender and other antimalware tools perform real-time scanning of files on your PC. While modern antivirus tools are generally fast and don’t significantly slow down a modern PC with a typical workload, setting up exclusions can further optimize performance.
Consider Core Isolation
The Windows Security app offers numerous security settings worth exploring. Launch the “Windows Security” app from your Start menu and take a look around. One controversial setting available in the Windows Security interface is core isolation. Although not strictly a Windows Defender feature, core isolation uses hardware virtualization features from your CPU to isolate system processes from the rest of your PC. Its memory integrity feature provides enhanced protection for system processes during malware attacks.
Prefer Another Antivirus? No Need to Turn Off Defender
Windows Defender is a robust antivirus tool that functions effectively without extensive configuration. Even if you prefer another antivirus program, there’s no need to disable Microsoft’s Defender antivirus. Once you install another antivirus program, Defender will detect it and cease its real-time scanning. If you later uninstall the other antivirus program, Defender will automatically resume its protective duties.