Help protect my PC with Windows Defender Offline

Applies to: Windows 7Windows 8.1Windows 10

Windows Defender Offline is a powerful offline scanning tool that runs from a trusted environment, without starting your operating system. This topic describes how to use Windows Defender Offline in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7.

When should I use Windows Defender Offline?

Run Windows Defender Offline if:

Windows Security (named Windows Defender Security Center in previous versions of Windows) detects rootkits or other highly persistent malware on your PC and alerts you to use Windows Defender Offline. You might see a message stating that malware was found on your device, or receive a message in Windows Security notifying you that additional cleaning is required.
You suspect your PC might have malware that's hiding on it, but your security software doesn’t detect anything. In this situation, you can start a Windows Defender Offline scan from Windows Security settings. Here's how:

Select Start , and then select Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection .
On the Virus & threat protection screen, do one of the following:
- In an up-to-date version of Windows 10: Under Current threats, select Scan options.
- In previous versions of Windows: Under Threat history, select Run a new advanced scan.
Select Windows Defender Offline scan, and then select Scan now.

You'll be prompted that you're about to be signed out of Windows. After you are, your PC should restart. Windows Defender Offline will load and perform a quick scan of your PC in the recovery environment. When the scan has finished (after about 15 minutes), your PC will automatically restart to Windows.

Notes

Before you use Windows Defender Offline, make sure you save any open files and close all apps and programs.
You typically need administrator rights on the PC on which you plan to run Windows Defender Offline.
If you experience a Stop error on a blue screen when you run the offline scan, force a restart and try running a Windows Defender Offline scan again. If the blue-screen error happens again, contact Microsoft Support.

Where can I find scan results?

To see the Windows Defender Offline scan results:

Select Start , and then select Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection .
On the Virus & threat protection screen, do one of the following:
- In an up-to-date version of Windows 10: Under Current threats, select Scan options, and then select Threat history.
- In previous versions of Windows: Select Threat history.

Using Windows Defender Offline on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1

If you're running Windows Defender Offline on Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, follow these four basic steps:

Download Windows Defender Offline and install it to a CD, DVD, or USB flash drive.
Restart your PC using the Windows Defender Offline media. This means having the CD, DVD, or flash drive you created in step 1 inserted in the PC when you restart it. Follow the prompts to boot from the drive containing this media.
Scan your PC for viruses and other malware.
Remove any malware that's found from your PC.

Windows Defender Offline will walk you through these four steps when you're using the tool. If you've been prompted in Microsoft Security Essentials or Windows Defender Security Center to download and run Windows Defender Offline, it's important to do so. Doing this helps make sure that your data and PC aren't compromised.

To get started, find a blank CD, DVD, or USB flash drive with at least 250 MB of free space, and then download and run the tool. You'll be guided through the steps to create the removable media.

Note

We recommend that you download Windows Defender Offline and create the CD, DVD, or USB flash drive on a PC that isn't infected with malware—the malware can interfere with the media creation.

Download the 32-bit version

Download the 64-bit version

If you're not sure which version to download, see Is my PC running the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows?

Last Updated: Feb 12, 2019