What Is Windows Defender?

It’s very easy to use a Windows computer without knowing what Windows Defender is.

The operating system’s built-in antivirus program comes free with every modern Windows operating system.

windows defender home page options

AV-TEST

How Good Is Windows Defender?

So, is Windows Defender secure?

Research teams specialize in antivirus and supply the public with data on which suite is the best.

Mockup of a Laptop Showing the HackTool:Win32/Keygen Malware in Windows Defender Protection History

One of my favorite sources isAV-Test’s Windows antivirus list.

At the time of writing, the most recent AV-Test report isWindows Defender December 2023.

While the industry average caught 97.6% of all zero-day attacks, Windows Defender caught every single one.

av test windows defender results dec 2023

AV-TEST

It also had a perfect track record of protecting people from well-known viruses.

Still, a good antivirus isn’t useful if it causes performance issues with your PC.

Fortunately, Windows Defender managed to get under industry averages for performance hits.

windows defender running quick antivirus test

The only factor it lacked was checking the installation of well-known apps, which isn’t a big deal.

Windows Defender also had a perfect record when it comes to false positives.

Fortunately, you canuse DefenderUI to tweak Windows Defenderto your liking.

Is Windows Defender Enough?

you could’t go wrong with Windows Defender if you’re looking for a secure antivirus.

However, that’s not to say that all third-party antivirus apps are useless.

For instance, while Windows Defender is very efficient, it’s not open-source.

As such, people who like the trust that open-source software provides them will find better antivirus apps elsewhere.

Other suites will offerantivirus with an integrated VPN, which is tempting for the more privacy-minded person.