Quick, Full, or Offline Scan – Which to Use in Windows Defender

Security and privacy on our computer are two fundamental aspects, especially since the Internet began to be part of our lives. The advantages offered by the Network of networks are undeniable but misuse of it can cause problems in the form of viruses or malware on our PC. To avoid having to resort to third-party software, Microsoft included Windows Defender in the applications that Windows 10 includes, an efficient software that is sufficient for many users.

Microsoft’s antivirus has active and real-time protection, so it is alert to possible threats. Likewise, it is also possible to configure antivirus scans, for which it has a quick mode, a complete one, and an offline mode, for those viruses that attack and infect the system’s boot record.

Quick, Full, or Offline Exam

Quick scan, the one recommended by Microsoft

Windows Defender Quick Scan is characterized by, as its name suggests, quickly scanning all locations where malware could have been registered to start working on the system. These key sites are primarily the Windows registry and startup folders.

Windows Defender examen rápido

This type of analysis is the one that Microsoft offers as recommended. This scan checks the processes, memory, profiles, and device locations. Combined with the always-on and real-time protection, it checks all kinds of files every time they are opened and closed, just like when we open a folder. It is a quick plug-in that helps provide secure protection against system and kernel-level malware.

It is likely that, in most cases, a quick scan will suffice to ensure that our system is free of threats and it also becomes a good option to configure as a scheduled scan. That is why it is ideal to use it regularly .

Full scan, to scan in detail

When we talk about a full scan, we are talking about a type of scan that starts with running a quick scan but continues with a sequential scan of all files on all disks and drives , both internal and external. Depending on how much data there is to examine, these types of scans can take hours or even days to finish.

A full scan has the ability to detect malicious files that could not be detected by quick scans. However, consider how long a full scan can take to complete your work, wasting energy and using valuable system resources.

Windows Defender examen completo

Since a quick scan coupled with active real-time protection should be sufficient to keep you safe from any malware, frequent full scans or scheduling in advance is not recommended. Its use must be based on our being very sure that a malicious file is negatively affecting our system and we have enough time to carry out the task.

Offline scan, scans for hidden viruses at startup

The offline scan is an effective tool that detects viruses offline, as the scan is performed from a trusted environment and without having started the operating system . This scan is done from outside the Windows kernel, in order to find malware that tries to bypass the Windows Shell, something that occurs with viruses that infect the master boot record (MBR).

This type of scan can be useful if we suspect that our PC is infected by a hidden virus, but on the other hand, neither the quick or full scan modes fail to detect anything. If necessary, we can choose to start the Windows Defender Offline scan from the Windows Security settings. Once Windows is executed it restarts to start in a special recovery mode from which it updates the virus database, it will scan our system and detect and eliminate hidden malware.