Unlock the Secrets: Manually Scan Files for Viruses on Windows 11 Like a Pro!

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On Windows 11, Microsoft Defender Antivirus serves as a continuous guard against harmful software like viruses, ransomware, spyware, etc., but it also allows users to perform manual scans of files and folders if desired. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the various methods to accomplish this task effectively.

Even though the antivirus software is always on guard, scanning your system for malware and automatically removing any detected threats, it’s wise to occasionally scan certain files or folders manually as an extra precaution, just to make sure they are virus-free and safe for your computer.

If you need to manually check various file types, Microsoft Defender offers at least four distinct approaches: File Explorer, Windows Security, Command Line (Command Prompt), and PowerShell.

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In this how-to guide, I’ll outline four ways to manually scan files for malware on Windows 11.

How to scan files manually with Microsoft Defender from File Explorer

On Windows 11, you can perform a manual scan for a particular file or folder using Microsoft Defender Antivirus by following these simple steps:

1. Click on the Start button.
2. Type “Defender Security Center” and hit Enter.
3. In the Defender Security Center window, click on “Virus & threat protection.”
4. Select “Scan options” from the menu.
5. Choose “Custom scan.”
6. Then, select either “File” or “Folder,” depending on what you want to scan.
7. Navigate to the location of your file or folder using the provided window and click “Scan Now.”

That’s it! Your chosen file or folder will be scanned for viruses and threats with Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

  1. Open File Explorer.
  2. Browse to the location containing the files and folder you want to scan.
  3. Select one or multiple items.
  4. Press and hold the Shift key, right-click the selection, and choose the “Scan with Microsoft Defender” option.
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  • Quick tip: You can always right-click the selection and click “Show more options.”

Once you finish the process, the Windows Security application will automatically launch on the “Virus and Threat Protection” screen, displaying your scan results along with any relevant details (should there be any).

How to scan files manually with Microsoft Defender from Windows Security

To scan files manually through Windows Security, use these steps:

  1. Open Start.
  2. Search for Windows Security and click the top result to open the app.
  3. Click on Virus & threat protection.
  4. Click the Scan options setting.
  1. Select the Custom scan option.
  1. Click the Scan now button.
  2. Select the folder location with the files to scan.
  3. Click the Select Folder button.

Once you’ve finished the steps, the antivirus system will automatically scan the chosen folder as it doesn’t allow for selecting individual files directly.

How to scan files manually with Microsoft Defender from Command Prompt

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To scan a specific file manually through Command Prompt, use these steps:

  1. Open Start.
  2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
  3. Type the following command to access the Platform folder and press Enter: cd c:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform
  4. Type the following command to identify the latest version of the antivirus command tool and press Enter: dir
  5. Type the following command to access the folder with the latest version and press Enter: cd 4.18.24090.11-0

In this instruction, update the mention “4.18.24090.11-0” with the most recent version of the folder that’s stored on your system instead.

  1. Type the following command to scan a specific folder and press Enter: mpcmdrun -Scan -ScanType 3 -File “C:\PATH\TO\FOLDER”

In the given command, replace “C:\PATH\TO\FOLDER” with the path to the folder you wish to scan. For instance, if you want to scan all contents in the “files” folder located in your Downloads of UserNAME, use this command:

mpcmdrun -Scan -ScanType 3 -File “C:\Users\USERNAME\Downloads\files”

  • Quick note: You only need to use quotation marks if the path contains a space.
  1. Type the following command to scan a specific file and press Enter: mpcmdrun -Scan -ScanType 3 -File “C:\PATH\TO\FILE.TXT”

In the given command, replace “C:\PATH\TO\FILE.TXT” with the location of the file you wish to scan. For instance, to scan a file named “image.jpg” located within the “files” folder, use this command: mpcmdrun -Scan -ScanType 3 -File “C:\Users\USERNAME\Downloads\files\image.jpg” Simply replace “C:\Users\USERNAME\Downloads\files\image.jpg” with the path to your desired file.

After finishing the process, Microsoft Defender will run a scan and display the scan results. If you see the message “no threats found”, it means that your files are safe.

How to scan files manually with Microsoft Defender from PowerShell

To scan files manually from PowerShell, use these steps:

  1. Open Start.
  2. Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
  3. Type the following command to scan a folder using Microsoft Defender Antivirus scan and press Enter: Start-MpScan -ScanType CustomScan -ScanPath “C:\PATH\TO\FOLDER”

In the command given below, remember to update “C:\PATH\TO\FOLDER” with the location of the folder you wish to scan. For instance, if you want to scan the “files” folder located in your “Downloads” directory within your user account, you would replace it as shown:

Start-MpScan -ScanType CustomScan -ScanPath “C:\Users\USERNAME\Downloads\files”

Simply change “C:\Users\USERNAME\Downloads\files” to the path of your desired folder.

  1. Type the following command to scan a file manually with Microsoft Defender and press Enter: Start-MpScan -ScanType CustomScan -ScanPath C:\PATH\TO\FOLDER\FILE.TXT

When using the command, don’t forget to swap out “C:\PATH\TO\FOLDER\FILE.TXT” with your desired file path. For instance, if you want to scan a file named “image-1.jpg”, you would replace the command as follows: “Start-MpScan -ScanType CustomScan -ScanPath “C:\Users\USERNAME\Downloads\files\image-1.jpg”

After you complete the steps, the antivirus will only scan the file you specified.

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2025-01-29 20:40