1. Locate the Windows Security icon on the task bar:
On Windows 10, Windows Security (Windows Defender) runs automatically in the background.
There is a small icon located at the lower right-hand corner of your task bar, near the clock, which indicates that Windows Security is running.
It looks like a shield and will have a green check mark or a red X superimposed on it depending upon its current state.
2. Launch the Windows Security user interface:
To bring up the Windows Security user interface, double-click your mouse on the Windows Security icon. The Windows Security user interface will then open.
3. Open up the "Virus & Threat protection" module:
Click your mouse on the Virus & Threat protection icon.
Select the "Scan Options" link just below the "Quick Scan" button.
4. Initiate a full system scan:
Select the "Full Scan" option and then click on the "Scan Now" button.
5. Allow the scan to complete:
If the scan completes without finding a threat, you'll see the following dialog box pop up in the lower
right-hand corner of the screen.
If you miss it, you can subsequently find it by opening the Windows
notification bar by clicking on the notification icon to the right of the clock on the task bar.
The Notification bar will open on the right-hand edge of the screen:
If a threat is found, you'll get this pop-up:
The Windows Security user interface will show more detail about the discovered threat(s):
6. Remove the threat.
To clear the threat from your system, click on the "Start Actions" button in the Windows Security user interface:
While Windows Security is clearing the threat, you'll see the following:
When the threat is cleared, you'll be returned to the normal Windows Security information screen:
Notice that Windows Security now reports "No current threats" and still shows you the results of the last scan that found the previous threat.
To see what Windows Security did to clear the threat, click on the "Protection History" link.
The Protection History will list all of the threats previosly found on your system. To see the details about any particular threat, click on the "V" symbol underneath the severity label for the threat:
You'll then see the details about the threat:
Note that the Status shows "Removed". Sometimes it might show the status as "Quarantined" instead. A file is quarantined if the exact threat cannot be determined by Windows Security. In these cases, it is up to you to decide the fate of the file. When in doubt, submit a service request asking for ITS to check the file for you.
If the threat was quarantined, but you are sure the file is actually safe, and the virus detection is false, you can click on the "Actions Button" and select "Allow"
This will allow you to access the file in question.
Process Complete.