Microsoft Defender is the built-in anti-malware bundle that’s included with trendy Windows working methods. It’s alternatively referred to as Windows Security (it exhibits up below Settings as Windows Security) or Windows Defender (typically with Antivirus on the finish of the title, as on this Microsoft Docs web page). But no matter you need to name it, for a lot of Windows customers, this software is the go-to default for dealing with safety on their PCs.As with Windows Update typically, typically Microsoft Defender updates could not work. Normally, Defender updates are dealt with as a part of routine Windows replace conduct, run every day as a scheduled activity. But typically, Windows Update itself runs into issues and doesn’t do a lot (or something).Should this occur, there are different methods to maintain Defender up to date, sidestepping any points strictly associated to Windows Update itself. (See the be aware at finish of story for extra recommendation on this subject.)1. Use Microsoft Defender’s personal replace facilityWithin the Settings app, you possibly can entry a Windows Security facility with this choice sequence: Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security in Windows 10 or Start > Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security in Windows 11. There you’ll discover a button labeled “Open Windows Security” as proven in Figure 1. Alternatively, you possibly can open the app immediately by typing “Windows Security” into the Start menu. IDG
Figure 1: You can entry Windows Security by way of the Settings app.
The Windows Security app consists of quite a few entries, together with the “Virus & threat protection” merchandise that additionally seems in Figure 1. Clicking this produces an app pane just like the one proven in Figure 2. Note the entry below “Virus & threat protection updates” close to the underside. You can click on the Check for updates hyperlink proven on the backside of the picture to instruct Defender to verify for updates. If any can be found, it’ll obtain and set up them. IDG
Figure 2: Click Check for updates to instruct Defender to obtain updates.
Note that this obtain course of goes via Windows Update within the background. I’ve seen it work typically when WU is caught on some particular replace. At different instances, it too fails to obtain updates when WU is totally caught and received’t obtain something in any respect. In such circumstances, there’s one more strategy to forcibly replace Microsoft Defender, coated within the part that follows. 2. Update Defender signatures utilizing Update-MpSignatureThere’s a particular PowerShell command for updating Defender safety definitions (also called signatures). The easy, primary syntax for this command is to easily kind the command title in PowerShell. This command works on Windows 10 and 11 variations alike (as proven in Figure 3 for Windows 11). Although it doesn’t seem to do a lot inside PowerShell, the command does certainly replace the Defender signatures. IDG
Figure 3: The Update-MpSignature command will replace Defender definitions, however doesn’t produce a lot output.
You can at all times verify the safety replace data by clicking Virus & risk safety inside Windows Security, then scrolling right down to “Virus & threat protection updates,” then clicking on Protection updates. As proven in Figure 4, I up to date the signatures (known as “security intelligence version”) to model quantity 1.351.225.0 via the command line at 3:44 PM on October 11, 2021. Note that the “Check for updates” button additionally seems on this display screen seize; you could possibly additionally use this to implement the previous replace technique. IDG
Figure 4: “Security intelligence version” exhibits the model quantity and creation time for present signatures.
3. Update all Defender parts by way of MicrosoftMicrosoft maintains an online web page particularly for Defender updates entitled “Microsoft Defender update for Windows operating system installation images.” It mentions that there are three parts that make up the Defender atmosphere, all of that are topic to periodic updates.Because they alter each day (or extra usually), the signatures get up to date on a regular basis. But the anti-malware shopper (that a part of Defender that coordinates checks on particular person PCs) and the anti-malware engine (that a part of Defender that handles defensive maneuvers and cleanups on particular person PCs when malware is detected) are additionally topic to periodic updates. These usually occur anyplace from one to 4 instances a month, relying on malware exercise and severity.Using one of many strategies under, you possibly can replace all three parts of Defender.Using set up photographs for offline updatesFrom the afore-linked internet web page, customers should choose a ZIP file obtain for both 32-bit or 64-bit methods. (The latter is much extra frequent than the previous. Windows 11 is just not out there in a 32-bit model.) Note additionally that this web page is up to date consistently, so be sure you get any such updates from the latest model of the web page. Step 1: Unzip the contents of the obtain (e.g., defender-update-kit-x64.zip) to a listing. For instance, I created a DefUpd folder on my D: drive because the goal (D:DefUpd). This created a file construction just like the one proven in Figure 5. It exhibits a PowerShell script that handles the .CAB file for the Defender updates for all three parts. IDG
Figure 5: The contents of the ZIP file downloaded for the 64-bit replace. (Click picture to enlarge it.)
Step 2: Invoke the PowerShell script so as to add the replace to an offline Windows picture. That similar script additionally helps take away/rollback and record particulars operations. (See the beforehand talked about system set up photographs web page for particulars.)Working with on-line photographsThe Microsoft Update Catalog maintains Defender updates for Windows 10 in x86, x64 and ARM variations; seek for “Microsoft Defender” there to search out them. For 64-bit methods, you need the one which exhibits properties like these in Figure 6 and has (amd64fre) on the finish of its file description. The others embrace (x86fre) for 32-bit processors and (arm64fre) for 64-bit ARM CPUs. These are self-installing executables, so you possibly can run them towards a Windows 10 machine at any time. (As I write this story, the catalog doesn’t seem to supply Windows 11 equivalents.) IDG
Figure 6: Properties for the 64-bit Windows 10 AntiMalware Platform Update file.
Where there’s a will there’s a wayGiven the assorted strategies to obtain Microsoft Defender signatures and executables, there’s at all times a way to deliver issues updated. My recommendation is to let Windows Update do issues mechanically at any time when it will possibly. If that doesn’t work, attempt the “Check for updates” button within the Windows Security app. And lastly, if that fails, you possibly can flip to PowerShell to replace signatures (Update-MpSignature), to the Defender set up photographs help web page, or to the Microsoft Update Catalog for antimalware platform runtime parts. Hopefully you received’t should go that far in any respect, or not fairly often. But it’s good to know there’s one other manner when one is required.
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