Windows 10: Can I schedule scans with Windows Defender?

In Task Scheduler click on Enable All Tasks History
Right click on the WD Scheduled Scan task and click Run
Wait 10 minutes or so, don't use the mouse or keyboard, the PC needs to be idle.
Click Refresh in Task Scheduler.
Select the WD Scan task and look at the History tab.
See if there are any messages in history showing an error (and that the task did run).

 

Under my HISTORY TAB was the message "DISABLED", I think I enabled it. Posted this in case Georgia has the same situation. Opening Windows Defender in the bottom left corner is the last scan run. That is how I know my Defender is running.

 

It's normal to see DISABLED, the Windows default is to have Scheduled Task History turned off.

When you enable it, the Enable All Tasks History text should change to Disable All Tasks History (and vice-versa).
Now that you have enabled History, you should see a log similar to what i posted, for any tasks that have run since you enabled it.

I always keep Task History enabled on all my systems.
It only keeps the last few months of history, and then auto-deletes old history.
It doesn't grow indefinitely, where space becomes an issue (for me).

 

Thanks my History Tab is displaying results now. Space is not an issue for me, 413 GB Free of 448 GB total.
If I ever get around to removing my "windows.old" file then I will have even more space.
I started this thread and always welcome anyone to post at any time.
I reconsidered about scheduling my own scan, and just let the automatic scan run.

I want to stress this next part is no a problem, just an observation.
I thought the auto-scan ran at 3 am mine runs at 2 pm. (2 pm actually works better for me).
Anyone have an idea why that is happening?

 

Hehe, yes, we are... in all ways, good and not so good *Smile))
But I have bad news... *Sad the scheduled scan is ok, but the annoying stuff goes on...
How can I stop the WD alert for scan?
Greetings and hugs!
mari

 

Are you saying the built in WD scheduled scan runs without errors, but you still get alerts that you need to run a scan ?
You enabled Scheduled Task History, and you see no errors for the WD Scan history ?
Does your WD GUI show the correct date/time for the last scan - the same date/time you see in task history ?

Are you running an upgrade OS, or did you do a clean install after upgrading ?
Are you running as an Insider, fast or slow ring ?

 

I need a few days to answer all the questions, except that I still get alerts that I need to run a scan; I am running an upgrade OS (from 8.1).
And I'm not definitetly an Insider. *Smile

 

No problem, take whatever time you need.
Sorry, i know i ask too many questions *Nerd *Redface

My main question is my first

 

Hello everyone,
This is my first post to tenforums and first of all I'd like to introduce myself.

I'm hoping someone can assist me with my issue. Basically I have created a scheduled task following the exact process in this thread for Windows Defender with the exception of the arguments; I have made mine perform a full scan rather than a quick scan.

For anyone who is unaware how to so this, you simply add '-ScanType 2' to the existing argument instructed in a previous post minus the quotation marks.

The issue I am having is when the task is executed, it works as expected given that Windows Defender is already open, it doesn't however appear to do anything if it is not. Please correct me if I am wrong but it was to my understanding the task script would start Windows Defender and perform a scan in the background, yet it only performs the latter. Does anyone know of a way I can schedule Windows Defender to automatically run and perform a full scan in the background?
Thanks in advance!

Regards