Microsoft Defender Antivirus is a powerful tool that finds and removes malware from your PC. Here's how to use it in Windows 10 or 11 to scan your PC. Important: Before you use Microsoft Defender Offline, make sure to save any open files and close apps and programs. Open your Windows Security settings.

Microsoft generally releases the MSRT on a monthly cadence as part of Windows Update or as a standalone tool. (For exceptions, see Skipped releases.)Use this tool to find and remove specific prevalent threats and reverse the changes that they made (see Covered malware families).For comprehensive malware detection and removal, consider using Windows Defender Offline or Microsoft Safety Scanner.

Uninstall from Control Panel. In search on the taskbar, enter Control Panel and select it from the results. Select Programs > Programs and Features. Press and hold (or right-click) on the program you want to remove and select Uninstall or Uninstall / Change. Then follow the directions on the screen. Need more help?

Select Start > Settings > Personalization > Themes > Desktop icon settings. Make sure the check box for Recycle Bin is checked, then select OK. You should see the icon displayed on your desktop. Note: If you are in tablet mode, desktop icons are not displayed.

Recover lost files on Windows 10. If you can’t locate a lost file from your backup, then you can use Windows File Recovery, which is a command line app available from the Microsoft Store. Use this app to try to recover lost files that have been deleted from your local storage device (including internal drives, external drives, and USB devices ...

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.Or, if you are using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, and then click Search.Type Command Prompt in the Search box, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.

Restart your computer. When you see the computer's manufacturer's logo, repeatedly press the F8 key. When you are prompted, use the arrow keys to highlight Safe Mode with Networking, and then press Enter. Tip: Safe Mode starts Windows with only the minimum number of drivers and services necessary for operation.

If you can't find a file on your computer or you accidently modified or deleted a file, you can restore it from a backup (if you're using Windows backup) or you can try to restore it from a previous version. Previous versions are copies of files and folders that Windows automatically saves as part of a restore point.

Windows 11 Windows 10. PC Health Check app brings you up to date info on your Windows device health, helping you take action to improve your device performance and troubleshoot performance problems. It is periodically updated based on customer feedback to help you make the most of your Windows PC. How to open PC Health Check.

Find the Recycle Bin. If your desktop shows no icons at all, right-click (or press and hold) the desktop and select View. If Show desktop icons has no checkmark, click it to add one. If that doesn't work, try this: Select Start > Settings > Personalization > Themes > Desktop icon settings. Make sure the check box for Recycle Bin is checked ...