Is Windows 11 defender enough?
Olivia Owen
Updated on January 05, 2026
If you're comfortable with all this — and in our experience, Edge is lighter and faster than Chrome — then Microsoft Defender Antivirus and the related protections built into Windows 10 and 11 should absolutely be good enough to protect you from malware infection, and give you a few useful extra security features as ...
Do you need antivirus with Windows 11?
Does Windows 11 have its own virus protection? Yes, both Windows 10 and 11 have a built-in anti-malware tool called Microsoft Defender. Yet, it's not as good at malware detection as the top antiviruses in the industry. Microsoft Defender is also known for blocking trusted applications.Is Windows Defender good enough 2021?
Microsoft Defender scores 9.6, which is quite a good score. It's better than any other free product tested with this same sample set. Adaware, Avast, and Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition all score 9.2, while Kaspersky, Panda, and Avira score still lower.Is Windows Defender enough for protection?
Microsoft Defender is better than some free antivirus services, but not all. It includes several features that many free AVs don't provide, like real-time malware protection, a firewall, and parental controls. For a pre-installed free service, Microsoft Defender does an adequate job of securing your Windows PC.Is Windows 11 Defender an antivirus?
Microsoft Defender Antivirus (formerly known as Windows Defender) is a built-in free anti-malware program included with Windows 11 that protects the computer from viruses and malware.Is Windows Defender Good Enough?
How do I scan for viruses on Windows 11?
Run a full virus scan on Windows 11Search for Windows Security and click the top result to open the app. Click on Virus & threat protection. Under the “Current threats” section, click on Scan options. Select the Full scan option to check the entire system for viruses and any other type of malware.