SOLVED: How to Make Windows Defender to Update Automatically

There are two ways to set Windows Defender (Security Essentials) to automatically update and the first is to set WINDOWS UPDATE to automatically install all updates.  The other way is to create a new SCHEDULED TASK:

  1. Click START and type TASK and then click on TASK SCHEDULER
  2. Right click on TASK SCHEDULER LIBRARY and select CREATE NEW BASIC TASK
  3. Type a name like UPDATE DEFENDER, and click the NEXT button
  4. Leave the TRIGGER setting to DAILY, and click the NEXT button
  5. Leave the DAILY setting to RECUR EVERY 1 DAYS, and click the NEXT button
  6. Leave the ACTION on START A PROGRAM, and click the NEXT button
  7. In the PROGRAM/SCRIPT field enter: “C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe” (the quotes ARE required)
  8. In the ADD ARGUMENTS enter -SignatureUpdate (no quotes), and click the NEXT button
  9. Click the FINISH button to complete the task
  10. Double click on the task and select from the GENERAL TAB, select RUN WHETHER USER IS LOGGED IN OR NOT, click OK and enter the password for your account.

Note that you can change the schedule of this task to more than once a day (or less I suppose) by double clicking on it and selecting the TRIGGERS tab.

View Comments

    • Hi Seth;

      In the WINDOWS SECURITY CENTER, click VIRUS & TREAT PROTECTION, then scroll to VIRUS & TREAT PROTECTION UPDATES and check the LAST UPDATE date/time. :)

    • Hi Roy;

      An admin account. We usually use a domain administrator account but you could use a local admin account.

    • Hi Suneetha; Two thing come to mind. 1: When you launch TASK SCHEDULER make sure you right click on it and select RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR 2: Go back into the task AFTER it is created and see if you can change the LOGGED IN OR NOT option is now available.

Published by
Ian Matthews

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