If you suspect that your device may have malware you should have Microsoft Defender run a scan. Here's how to do that on Windows, Mac, or Android.

If you suspect there's malware or a virus on your device, you should immediately run a quick scan. In the Windows Security app on your PC, select Virus & threat protection > Quick scan or use the following shortcut:

Windows Security (Windows Defender Security Center in previous versions of Windows) enables you to scan specific files and folders to make sure they're safe. You'll be notified immediately if any threats are found.

In the Windows Security app on your PC, select Virus & threat protection, or use the following shortcut: Virus & threat protection. Current threats. Under Current threats you can: See any threats currently found on your device. See the last time a scan was run on your device, how long it took, and how many files were scanned

If you think your computer is infected, we recommend that you run the Microsoft Safety Scanner. The scan is free and will detect and remove many of the issues that customers frequently contact us about.

Use an anti-malware app - Installing an anti-malware app and keeping it up to date can help defend your PC against viruses and other malware (malicious software). Microsoft Defender is free anti-malware software included with Windows, and it's kept updated automatically through Windows Update.

Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials are powerful scanning tools that find and remove malware from your PC. Here's how to use Windows Defender in Windows 8.1 or Microsoft Security Essentials in Windows 7 to scan your PC.

To detect the latest threats, use a robust antimalware product, like Microsoft Defender Antivirus, which is built into Windows. Ensure that critical security features are turned on and that Microsoft Defender Antivirus is fully updated before scanning. Use Microsoft Defender Antivirus with cloud-based protection

A quick scan looks for viruses and other malware in all the places they are most likely to hide. It’s a good choice when you’re just checking on the health of your PC. If you think your PC is infected with malware, we recommend a full scan.

When you start up Windows 10 for the first time, Windows Security is on and actively helping to protect your PC by scanning for malware (malicious software), viruses, and security threats. Windows Security uses real-time protection to scan everything you download or run on your PC.