Windows Defender review – Is It Good Enough to Protect Your PC?


Windows Defender is an antivirus that comes pre-installed with the latest Windows 8.1 and 10 operating systems. It runs by default unless the users start using some other third-party antivirus solution. However, many users around the world still have a very basic question – Is Windows Defender good enough as a standalone antivirus program? 

If you have the same question as that of many other people using Windows 8.1 and 10 operating systems, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss whether it is good enough to ensure the privacy of your information, along with its protection, user interface, system impact, and customer support. 

Is Windows Defender Good Enough to Protect Your PC?

For many years, Windows Defender (Microsoft Security Essentials) wasn’t considered good enough to protect your system on its own. However, over the last few years, the antivirus solution has improved a lot and can offer a good security solution for your data and sensitive information stored inside your computer system. 

This has been proven by the independent lab results of AV-Tests, which tested the software solution on three different factors – Protection, Performance, and Usability. The antivirus solution received a score of 5.5 out of 6 in terms of Performance and Usability. Additionally, the software was able to detect 99.6% of malware attacks in real-time. 

On the other hand, the AV-Comparatives results confirmed that the antivirus program had a 99.1% blocking rate and had 106 positives. Keeping these results in mind, the numbers prove that Windows Defender is surely a good enough antivirus solution to be used on your Windows operating system.

Features and Benefits

One benefit of using Windows 10 on your computer system is that you get a pre-installed copy of Windows Defender. Whether you want it or not, it will always be there on your system, running in the background quietly. You cannot uninstall the antivirus solution, but you get the ability to disable it. 

By default, the antivirus program is enabled on your system and only gets disabled when you install some other third-party solution. The thing about Windows Defender is that it will never ask you to become a paid member or upgrade to a different package because there is nothing else to offer. 

Windows Defender is all there is that you will ever come across and it is completely free to be used. In addition to basic security, you will also get access to features such as a one-way firewall, gaming mode, and parental controls. If you need more added features, you have got to look somewhere else.

Antivirus Protection

It is one of the quietest antivirus solutions that we have come across in the market. It will silently run in the background, without you even noticing it. That being said, the protection offered by the Windows Defender antivirus program has improved tremendously over the years. It will scan your entire computer system for any known malware signatures and monitors the behavior of your system for any signs of malware infection. 

In addition to this, they also offer network protection features to ensure that none of your data gets stolen out from the system. Windows Defender scans any USB device when attached to your system and scans all of its content automatically to ensure the safety of your system. 

User Interface

The user interface of Windows Defender antivirus solution is simple and easy to use. All of the icons on the main dashboard are placed properly with clear instructions as to what they are used to perform. You can run scans directly from the main dashboard, as and when required. However, if you are trying to schedule your system scans, Windows Defender does not allows you to do so. 

System Impact

As stated previously, Windows Defender does not use much of your system resources, thus ensuring maximum CPU power to you all the time. It is a lightweight antivirus solution that creates a low impact on the performance of your system. The scans of your system can be completed quickly and with better precision. 

Customer Support

Being integrated into the operating system itself, one thing Windows ensured that people never have to worry about the installation and setup part of the antivirus solution. However, if in case you run into some problems with your use of Windows Defender antivirus, they offer comprehensive customer support solution. 

Some of the support options include phone, live chat, forums, and email. You can reach out to them with any of the above methods and get your queries resolved quickly. Windows customer support executives are well-versed in what they are doing and know exactly how to impress their users. 

Final Thoughts

Though the Windows Defender antivirus program is not perfect yet, it is still better than most of the other free antivirus solutions available in the market. It has improved considerably over the past few years, with improved malware detection rates. Apart from its improved performance and protection, it also offers you basic features such as a firewall and game mode. 

Though you do not get the ability to schedule scans, you can perform quick scans as and when required through the Windows Defender dashboard. You can use Windows Defender on your system without worrying about the safety of your privacy and information. And since it is free for a lifetime, with constant updates, you do not have to worry about any of those at all.