Microsoft Defender
Get trusted cybersecurity protection for your business and home with Microsoft Defender.
Subscription continues to be charged at the regular price and selected term, unless canceled in Microsoft account.
Why Defender?
Online security, simplified
Next steps
Get started with Defender
Download the Defender app
New to Defender? Download and purchase a Microsoft 365 subscription in the app.
Sign in to Defender
Already have a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription? Sign in with your Microsoft account to help protect yourself and your family online.
Frequently asked questions
- Microsoft Defender for individuals is available where Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and Premium are sold with a few exceptions. Identity theft and credit monitoring are only available in the US and US territories.
- Microsoft Defender for individuals includes the features below.
A dashboard where you can:- Monitor your online security status in a single, centralized view.1
- See your and your family’s devices, identity theft monitoring, and credit status all in one place.
- Add or remove devices.
- Helps prevent and detect malware.6
- Continuously scans for new and existing threats.
- Gives you control over what is scanned by enabling you to identify apps and files that you consider safe.
- Timely alerts4 about changes to your device status, threats to your personal identity, and changes to credit activity or score.3
- Recommendations to help keep your data and devices secure.
- Tips that help improve your overall security.
- Alerts you if your personal information is compromised online.
- Provides specialist recommendation support, anytime, day or night.
- Includes restoration services if an active identity theft is found, anytime, day or night.
- Enable family organizers to view their family members’ identity monitoring status.4
- Offers up to $1 million of restoration insurance.5
- Offers up to USD100,000 in lost funds reimbursement.5
- Alert you to any changes in your credit activity and score.
- Provide you with a monthly credit report email.
- Enable you to request a credit report as needed.
- 1. The app is available for download in the Microsoft Store, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store. Also available for direct download for Mac and can also be accessed from any device on the Microsoft Defender web portal.
2. A Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium subscription is required. Sign into the app with your personal Microsoft account.
3. If you don’t have a Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium subscription, you can purchase a subscription in the app or on the Microsoft 365 comparison page. - Yes, a Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium subscription10 is required to use Microsoft Defender. If you're already an existing Microsoft 365 subscriber, you'll gain access to Microsoft Defender upon sign in. If you're not currently a Microsoft 365 subscriber, you'll be required to purchase a plan to access Microsoft Defender upon sign in.
See Microsoft 365 plans. - Microsoft Defender for individuals is available with either a Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, or Premium subscription plan.7
- Yes, if you have a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription.7 Check your subscription status or purchase a Microsoft 365 subscription to get started with Microsoft Defender for individuals.
You can also find out more about using your personal Microsoft Defender on a device managed by your organization. - Windows: Windows 10 version 19041 or higher. ARM64 support on Windows 11 build 22621 or higher.
Mac: MacOS 11.0 and up, and both Intel and Apple Silicon CPU. Disk space required: 2 GB.
iPhone: iOS 14.0 or later
Android: Android OS 8.0 and up - No, Microsoft Defender for individuals is a Microsoft 365 app1 that can be downloaded from Apple, Google, and Microsoft app stores, as a direct download for Mac, or accessible via the Microsoft Defender web portal. Once downloaded, the Microsoft Defender app extends the device protection already built into Windows Security beyond your PC to your mac, iOS, and Android devices.6
- Microsoft Defender for individuals is a cross-device app that helps individuals and families stay safer online.1, Defender provides a simplified security dashboard, antivirus protection,6 anti-phishing protection, identity theft monitoring,2 and credit monitoring3. Defender for individuals brings device protection to iPhones and iPads, Android phones and tablets, PCs, and Macs.6 Defender for individuals is available in the Apple, Google, and Microsoft app stores, as a direct download for Mac, or accessible via the Microsoft Defender web portal. Defender for individuals requires a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription to use.
Windows Security (formerly known as Windows Defender Security Center) is security built into Windows to help protect your device and data. Windows Security is pre-installed and automatically enabled. Windows Security includes Microsoft Defender Antivirus software that helps protect your Windows device and data against viruses, ransomware, trojans, and other malware unless a non-Microsoft Antivirus solution is active. Windows Security virus and threat protection status is displayed within Microsoft Defender to provide a unified view of your security status, across all your devices. - Microsoft Defender for individuals provides anti-malware protection on Android and macOS devices and web protection on Android and iOS devices. Identity theft monitoring2 and credit monitoring3 is available for Android, macOS, Windows, and iOS devices and on the Microsoft Defender web portal.
For Windows PC and devices, anti-malware and web protection is provided by Windows Security. - Yes. Because our priority is to ensure your PC has protection, the Microsoft Defender app1 works with built-in Windows Security or your third-party antivirus solution—rather than replacing it. You can extend Microsoft Defender for individuals protection to your Mac, iOS,7 and Android devices and get a unified, at-a-glance view of your device’s protection status on the Defender dashboard, including that gathered from other antivirus solutions you may be using. To manage your security settings further, you can launch either your Windows or third-party security solution from within Microsoft Defender for individuals.
- Identity theft monitoring2 includes:
- Advanced online scanning for your identity and personal data (See “What information is monitored?” below).
- Alerts and recommendations if your personal data and identity is compromised.
- Specialist support, available anytime, day or night, to help you restore your personal data and identity if compromises occur.
- Up to USD1 million of identity theft insurance5 (See “Who provides the identity theft breach data and insurance? What does the insurance cover?” below).
- Credit monitoring3 includes:
- Timely alerts of any changes in your credit activity and score.
- Monthly credit report.
- Credit report requests as needed.
Credit score is a single bureau VantageScore 3.0 provided by Experian®. The monthly credit report is provided by Experian® using single bureau data. - Identity theft monitoring2 can search for personal information you provide such as the following:
User IDs, passwords, email addresses, first/middle/last names, date of birth, residential addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, national IDs, driver’s license information, medical IDs/providers, mother’s maiden name, passport information, bank information, credit/debit card information, retail card numbers, and eBay/PayPal information. - Microsoft is partnering with Experian® to provide identity theft monitoring,2 credit monitoring,3 and support within Microsoft Defender for individuals.
If your identity gets stolen, the up to USD1 million insurance5 can help cover the cost of identity restoration and expense reimbursement. Up to USD100,0005 of direct damages are covered as well, including cash recovery. - Yes, within the Microsoft 365 Family subscription, organizers within the family can add their own personal information for identity theft2 and credit monitoring.3 Family organizers may also add the personal information of additional family members for identity and credit monitoring if permission is granted.4 (See "What Microsoft 365 subscription option is best for me when using Microsoft Defender for individuals?" below.)
If the family member is over the age of 13, the organizer will need the member’s consent to either manage or monitor their information. Family members over the age of 13 can change the organizer’s access at any time. - If your personal information is compromised online, Microsoft Defender for individuals will alert you and provide guidance on what action to take to resolve the problem. If you need further support, you can call an identity theft restoration expert to receive personalized recommendations or restoration support services.
- Check out Microsoft Support for help getting started, or go to the Help and Feedback menu in the Microsoft Defender app.
How do I share feedback? We encourage you to share feedback in the app by going to the Help and Feedback menu in the Microsoft Defender app.
To find Help and Feedback:
- From within Windows, select the ? button near the top right of the window
- On your Android or iOS device, tap your account avatar at the top left of the screen
- [1]A Microsoft 365 Family, Personal, or Premium subscription is required. Note that Microsoft Defender is not available in certain Microsoft 365 Personal or Family regions.
- [2]Feature is available in the United States and US territories.
- [3]Feature available in the United States and US territories. Credit score is a single bureau VantageScore 3.0 provided by Experian®. The monthly credit report is provided by Experian® using single bureau data. For users under the age of 18 or those without a credit history, credit score not included. Family organizers will not have the ability to onboard, view, and receive alerts related to family member credit monitoring. Your device's primary display language must be set to English.
- [4]A one-time parent or legal guardian verification is required to receive dark web threat alert details for children. If the organizer’s family member is under 13, consent is not required to create and/or monitor a child’s identity. Consent is required to create and/or monitor the identity of family members over 13 years of age.
- [5]The identity theft insurance is underwritten and administered by American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, an Assurant company. Please refer to the actual policies for terms, conditions, and exclusions of coverage. Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions. Review the Summary of Benefits.
- [6]Does not replace existing malware protection on iOS and Windows devices.
- [8]A credit card is required. After your trial, you will be charged the regular price each year to continue your subscription (see current prices). Turn off recurring billing on the Manage subscription page at least two days before the end of your trial to avoid being charged.
- [9]Copilot in Excel requires AutoSave to be enabled, meaning the file must be saved to OneDrive; it doesn't function with unsaved files.
- [10]Copilot features in Outlook apply to accounts with @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com, or @msn.com email addresses and are available in Outlook.com, Outlook built into Windows, Outlook on Mac, and iOS and Android apps.
- [11]AI features only available to subscription owner and cannot be shared; usage limits apply. Learn more.
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