Automatic update without scan?

[Guest]

The only automatic update configuration setting I can find is the one that
says to check for updates before running a scheduled scan. Can Window
Defender be configured to update automatically without scheduled scanning
enabled?

BrianG

 

[Bill Sanderson]

It uses the Windows Autoupdate mechanism--so if AutoUpdate is turned on, it
should update. And, if an update is waiting, but not yet installed, the
process before the scheduled scan should install it.

You can also force an update several ways:

1) help, about, check for updates.

2) (this is how it is done before a scan)--there's a command line app in
\program files\windows defender

mpcmdrun.exe

the syntax

mpcmdrun.exe signatureupdate

will initiate a check for signatures, and monitor to completion.