Use Windows Defender with Command Prompt on Windows 10

Windows Defender is a free antivirus software that Microsoft has created to combat malware on computers. This security software is integrated on Windows 10 and Windows 8.1. Windows Defender will find and remove viruses, spyware (spyware), rootkits and bootkits and some other malicious code on your computer.

In the following article, Network Administrator will guide you how to use Windows Defender with Command Prompt on Windows 10.

1. Manipulate Windows Defender with Command Prompt

The following commands use MSASCui.exe to allow you to update or run different scan modes of Windows Defender.

First press Windows + I key combination to open Power User Menu, then click Command Prompt (Admin).

To activate the next update, enter the following command into the Command Prompt window and press Enter:

"% ProgramFiles% Windows DefenderMSASCui.exe" -UpdateAndQuickScan

To download and install updates (update) of Windows Defender, enter the command below and press Enter:

"% ProgramFiles% Windows DefenderMSASCui.exe" -Update

To use Windows Defender to scan the system quickly, enter the command below and press Enter:

"% ProgramFiles% Windows DefenderMSASCui.exe" --QuickScan

To scan the entire system , enter the following command into the Command Prompt window and press Enter:

"% ProgramFiles% Windows DefenderMSASCui.exe" -FullScan

Also you can -hide at the end of each command to prevent Windows Defender from opening.

For example: "C: Program FilesWindows DefenderMSASCui.exe" -UpdateAndQuickScan -hide.

2. Use Windows Defender to run in the background with Command Prompt

Windows Defender also integrates the utility MpCmdRun.exe, you can use to automatically run or run Windows Defender " silently " without having to launch the Desktop Client.

First press Windows + I key combination to open Power User Menu, then click Command Prompt (Admin).

To activate the update, enter the following command into the Command Prompt window and press Enter:

"% ProgramFiles% Windows DefenderMpCmdRun.exe" -SignatureUpdate

To use Windows Defender to scan the system quickly, enter the command below and press Enter:

"% ProgramFiles% Windows DefenderMpCmdRun.exe" -Scan -ScanType 1

To scan the entire system, enter the following command into the Command Prompt window and press Enter:

"% ProgramFiles% Windows DefenderMpCmdRun.exe" -Scan -ScanType 3

To customize scanning a file or a folder instead of scanning the entire system, enter the following command and press Enter:

"% ProgramFiles% Windows DefenderMpCmdRun.exe" -Scan -ScanType 3 -File PATH-TO-FILE-OR-FOLDER

Suppose to scan all files and directories in the Public folder, use the following command:

"% ProgramFiles% Windows DefenderMpCmdRun.exe" -Scan -ScanType 3 -File C: UsersPublic

In addition, you can scan and remove malicious code that attacks the boot sector using the command:

"% ProgramFiles% Windows DefenderMpCmdRun.exe" -Scan -ScanType -BootSectorScan

Refer to some of the following articles:

1. Here's how to completely disable Windows Defender on Windows 10, 7 and Windows Vista

1. Windows Defender is disabled or inactive, this is a fix

1. The cause of the error cannot open Windows Defender on Widows 7/8/10 and how to fix it

Good luck!