How to Use Windows Defender to Scan Programs That Do Not Want

This updated guide examines How to Use Windows Defender to Scan Programs That Do Not Want and organizes the essential facts, background, and practical takeaways in clear American English.

However, Windows Defender has another feature that users are less aware of: scanning and removing unwanted PUP programs (browser tools, adware and crapware.). Although not considered a virus, PUP can wreak havoc on your computer system and cause some serious problems.

PUP - Potentially Unwanted Programs are unwanted programs and software but are categorized for some reason. One can call PUP with different names like Adware and Crapware.

1. Enable Windows Defender to scan unwanted PUP programs by editing the Registry

Warning:

Registry Editor is like the brain of Windows operating system. It is a huge, easy-to-access repository for saving system settings (and lots of other information).

However, if you intervene improperly, you may encounter serious problems. Therefore, you should perform a backup of the Registry (and your computer) before making any changes.

Steps to take:

First, open the Registry Editor by opening Start, entering the keyword regedit and pressing Enter.

On the Registry Editor interface, in the left pane, navigate to the following link:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows Defender

Next, create a subkey in the Windows Defender key. Right-click the Windows Defender icon and then select New => Key and name this key MpEngine.

Next proceed to create a new value value in the MpEngine key. Right-click the MpEngine icon then select New => DWORD (32-bit) Value . Name this new value value MpEnablePus .

The next step is to edit the value value. Double click on the value MpEnablePus and set the value in the Value data frame to 1 .

Finally click OK to exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

From now on when Windows Defender detects a program that does not want PUP, it will notify you on the pop-up window to alert.

If you want to dig deeper into these PUP programs, simply open Windows Defender and then switch to the History tab , scroll down and select the All detected items option.

If you want to disable Windows Defender from scanning PUP, follow the same steps and set the MpEnablePus value to 0 and restart the computer.

2. Use the 3rd application

If you don't want to edit the Registry, you can download the 3rd application to your computer and install it.

The third application we want to mention here is Windows Defender PUP Hacks.

Download Windows Defender PUP Hacks to your computer and install it here.

Windows Defender PUP hacks contains 2 ZIP files, a file to enable Windows Defender to scan PUP and a file to disable Windows Defender scanning PUP.

Just double click on one of the 2 ZIP files you want to use and follow the instructions, reboot your computer.

Refer to some of the following articles:

• How to schedule automatic scans for Windows Defender on Windows 8

• How to disable and completely remove Windows Defender?

• Your Windows 10-based computer has a virus, this is a fix

Good luck!