How To Check If Microsoft Defender For Endpoint Is Running?

Do you want to keep your business and its data safe? Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a powerful security tool that can help protect your business from threats. But how do you know if it’s running and doing its job? In this article, we’ll provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running, so you can rest assured that your business is secure.

Checking If Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is Running

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is an advanced security and threat protection platform that helps protect your business from cyber threats. It provides a comprehensive set of capabilities to detect, investigate, and respond to potential threats. It also helps you manage risk across your organization. In this article, we’ll show you how to check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running on your system.

Using the Task Manager

The easiest and most reliable way to check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running on your system is to use the Windows Task Manager. To access the Task Manager, press the “Ctrl + Shift + Esc” keys simultaneously. Once the Task Manager window appears, select the “Processes” tab. In the list of processes, look for the “Microsoft Defender for Endpoint” process. If it is running, the process will be listed in the list of processes.

Using the Command Line

Another way to check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running on your system is to use the command line. To access the command line, open the “Run” window by pressing the “Windows + R” keys simultaneously. In the Run window, type “cmd” and press “Enter.” In the command prompt window, type “tasklist” and press “Enter.” In the list of tasks, look for the “Microsoft Defender for Endpoint” process. If it is running, the process will be listed in the list of tasks.

Using PowerShell

You can also check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running on your system using PowerShell. To access PowerShell, open the “Run” window by pressing the “Windows + R” keys simultaneously. In the Run window, type “powershell” and press “Enter.” In the PowerShell window, type “Get-Process | Where-Object {$_.Name -eq ‘Microsoft Defender for Endpoint’}” and press “Enter.” If the process is running, the output will be “True”.

Using the Event Viewer

You can also check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running on your system using the Event Viewer. To access the Event Viewer, open the “Run” window by pressing the “Windows + R” keys simultaneously. In the Run window, type “eventvwr.msc” and press “Enter.” In the Event Viewer window, select the “Windows Logs” tab and then select the “Application” log. In the list of events, look for the “Microsoft Defender for Endpoint” event. If it is running, the event will be listed in the list of events.

Using the Microsoft Defender Security Center

You can also check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running on your system using the Microsoft Defender Security Center. To access the Microsoft Defender Security Center, open the “Run” window by pressing the “Windows + R” keys simultaneously. In the Run window, type “MSDefenderSecurityCenter.exe” and press “Enter.” In the Microsoft Defender Security Center window, select the “Endpoint Protection” tab. If the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running, the “Protection Enabled” status will be displayed.

Using the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Client

You can also check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running on your system using the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Client. To access the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Client, open the “Run” window by pressing the “Windows + R” keys simultaneously. In the Run window, type “MSDefenderClient.exe” and press “Enter.” In the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Client window, select the “Status” tab. If the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running, the “Protection Enabled” status will be displayed.

Using the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Service

You can also check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running on your system using the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Service. To access the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Service, open the “Run” window by pressing the “Windows + R” keys simultaneously. In the Run window, type “services.msc” and press “Enter.” In the Services window, look for the “Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Service” in the list of services. If the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running, the “Status” will be “Running”.

Using the Registry Editor

You can also check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running on your system using the Registry Editor. To access the Registry Editor, open the “Run” window by pressing the “Windows + R” keys simultaneously. In the Run window, type “regedit” and press “Enter.” In the Registry Editor window, navigate to the “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MsDefender” key. In the right pane, look for the “Enabled” value. If the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running, the value will be set to “1”.

Using the PowerShell Script

You can also check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running on your system using a PowerShell script. To check the status of the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, open the “Run” window by pressing the “Windows + R” keys simultaneously. In the Run window, type “powershell” and press “Enter.” In the PowerShell window, type “.\Check-MSDEndpoint.ps1” and press “Enter.” The script will check the status of the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and display the results.

Using the System Information Tool

You can also check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running on your system using the System Information tool. To access the System Information tool, open the “Run” window by pressing the “Windows + R” keys simultaneously. In the Run window, type “msinfo32” and press “Enter.” In the System Information window, select the “Software Environment” tab. In the list of software, look for the “Microsoft Defender for Endpoint” entry. If the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running, the “Status” will be “Enabled.”

Using the Windows Defender Security Center

You can also check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running on your system using the Windows Defender Security Center. To access the Windows Defender Security Center, open the “Run” window by pressing the “Windows + R” keys simultaneously. In the Run window, type “MSDefenderSecurityCenter.exe” and press “Enter.” In the Windows Defender Security Center window, select the “Endpoint Protection” tab. If the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running, the “Protection Enabled” status will be displayed.

Using the Windows Security App

You can also check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running on your system using the Windows Security app. To access the Windows Security app, open the “Run” window by pressing the “Windows + R” keys simultaneously. In the Run window, type “WindowsSecurity.exe” and press “Enter.” In the Windows Security app window, select the “Virus & threat protection” tab. If the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running, the “Protection Enabled” status will be displayed.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Microsoft Defender for Endpoint?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a cloud-based security platform designed to protect businesses from malware, viruses, and other cyberthreats. It combines traditional antivirus capabilities with advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence to detect and respond to threats in real time. It also integrates with other security solutions, such as firewalls, to provide an additional layer of protection.

2. How do I know if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running?

The easiest way to check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running is to open the Windows Security app. If you see the Microsoft Defender icon in the app, it means that the service is running. You can also search for “Microsoft Defender” in the Start menu to open the Windows Security app.

3. What is the Windows Security app?

The Windows Security app is an integrated security suite that is included in Windows 10. It provides an easy-to-use interface to manage your security settings and check the status of your system. In the app, you can view the status of your antivirus protection and other installed security solutions. It also provides security alerts and notifications about malware, viruses, and other threats.

4. Are there other ways to check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running?

Yes, there are other ways to check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running. You can open the Task Manager to check if the service is running in the background. You can also use the command-line tool “sc.exe” to check the status of the service. Additionally, you can use the PowerShell cmdlet “Get-MpComputerStatus” to check the status of the service.

5. What should I do if the service is not running?

If the service is not running, you should first make sure that you have the latest version of Windows 10 installed. You can do this by checking the Windows Update settings. If the latest version is not installed, you should update your system. After that, you can open the Windows Security app and check if the service is running. If it is not, you should restart your computer and check if the service is running.

In conclusion, knowing how to check if Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running should be a priority for any business user. Whether you’re using the built-in Windows security software or a third-party solution, it’s important to stay informed and ensure your system is always secure. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily check whether or not Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is running and take the necessary steps to protect your system.