How to view malware history in Microsoft Defender Antivirus on Windows 10

You can always view the Microsoft Defender Antivirus protection history on Windows 10, and here’s how to complete the task using Windows Security and PowerShell.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

Microsoft Defender Antivirus is one of thebest antivirus for Windows 10, which offers real-time protection against viruses, spyware, ransomware, and many other forms of malware. Although the security feature works in the background automatically and usually notifies you of any suspicious or unwanted activities, it also provides a protection history report to help you stay informed and take action on the device security as necessary.

The protection history is part of theWindows Securityapp, and it shows a list of recent malware detections with information that allows you to determine if the threat has been cleaned, removed, or quarantine until an update arrives toWindows 10to resolve the problem.

If you’re using theanti-ransomware feature, the history will also show blocked actions, which you can review and allow if the default action was a false-positive.

In this Windows 10 guide, we’ll walk you through the easy steps to view the malware detection history by Microsoft Defender Antivirus using the Windows Security app and PowerShell commands.

How to view malware protection history using Windows Security

How to view malware protection history using Windows Security

To see all the malware detections on your device, use these steps:

Once you complete the steps, you’ll have a better understanding of your device’s current security.

How to view malware protection history using PowerShell

How to view malware protection history using PowerShell

Alternatively, you can also get a history list of the malware that Microsoft Defender Antivirus has detected with PowerShell commands.

Get the Windows Central Newsletter

All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.

To query a list of detected threats with PowerShell, use these steps:

After you complete the steps, you’ll be able to determine the malware that Microsoft Defender was able to detect on Windows 10.

In the above steps, we’re mentioning to commands, and if you’re wondering the difference between the two. The

command is meant to show a history of threats, while the

command can list active and past malware detections by the antivirus.

You can learn more ways to manage the antivirus on Windows 10 using PowerShell withthis comprehensive guide.

Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.