PowerShell: Run a Quick Windows Defender Scan
Need to trigger a quick malware scan without opening the Windows Security app - as part of a script, scheduled task, or manual check? This one-liner starts it directly from the terminal.
Prerequisites:
- Privileges: None
- Module: Built-in, no import needed
Quick Command:
Start-MpScan -ScanType QuickScan📦
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How It Works:
- Start-MpScan triggers a Windows Defender scan directly through PowerShell, without needing to open the Windows Security GUI.
- -ScanType QuickScan specifies a quick scan - which checks the most common locations malware is likely to hide (running processes, startup folders, registry) rather than the entire disk.
- By default, this produces no output while running - use Get-MpComputerStatus afterward to confirm the scan completed and check the updated QuickScanEndTime.