How to Run Windows Defender Scan on Schedule in Windows 10
75How to Run Windows Defender Scan on Schedule in Windows 10
Program/Script: %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe
Add Arguments:
-Scan -ScanType 2 (for malware scan)
-Scan -ScanType 1 (for quick scan)
Windows Defender’s command-line utility MpCmdrun.exe is used for scheduling scans or updating definition files or signature using command-line. This post tells you how to setup Windows Defender to scan the computer daily at a specified time using Task Scheduler and MpCmdrun.exe in Windows 10.
Windows Defender automatically performs background scans during your PC’s idle moments, but doesn’t include an easy way to schedule a full scan. There is a way to do it, though.
Starting with Windows 8, Windows Defender came as a built-in antivirus app, replacing the standalone Microsoft Security Essentials that came before. Security Essentials provided an easy way to schedule a scan through the app’s interface, but that ability went away in Windows Defender. Instead, Windows Defender performs partial scans during times when your PC is idle. If you keep your PC turned off when you’re not using it—or you put it to sleep and have it set to not wake up for regular maintenance—you can still schedule a scan using the Windows Task Scheduler. And you can make that scheduled scan a one-off or regular thing.
Windows Defender Antivirus is the security solution available on every installation of Windows 10 to protect your device and files from unwanted viruses, spyware, ransomware, and other types of malware and online threats.
The antimalware offers real-time protection functionality to detect and remove malware proactively, and you even get the option to start a scan manually. You can also schedule a Windows Defender Antivirus scan at your preferred day of the month and time to create an extra layer of security. However, it's not an option that you can enable through the Windows Security app. Instead, it's something that you have to configure manually using the Task Scheduler.
Note: Windows 8 and 10 already include the Automatic Maintenance feature which runs many scheduled tasks including Windows Defender daily scan, but the task runs only if the system is idle. Moreover, Automatic Maintenance stops running once it detects user activity in the system. If you can let some idle time slot daily for Automatic Maintenance, you don’t have to schedule it manually. Creating a scheduled task manually surely runs the scan, regardless of whether your system is idle or not.
This tutorial will apply for computers, laptops, desktops,and tablets running the Windows 10 operating system (Home, Professional, Enterprise, Education) from all supported hardware manufactures, like Dell, HP, Acer, Asus, Toshiba,Lenovo, and Samsung).