Microsoft Security Essentials is an anti-malware program created by Microsoft, and designed to remove malware from your computer and prevent malware from infecting your computer in the first place. Microsoft Security Essentials should not be confused with Windows Defender, which is only designed to remove one particular type of malware.

Malware

Malware is short for malicious software. Malware is defined by Microsoft as any unwanted software that is installed without your consent. Generally, malware is designed to perform a malicious task, such as deleting your files, stealing your personal information, recording your keystrokes or hijacking your web browser. Types of malware include computer viruses, worms, Trojans, keyloggers and spyware.

Update Microsoft Security Essentials

To remove malware from your computer, Microsoft Security Essentials must be equipped to detect the latest malware. To ensure that Microsoft Security Essentials is equipped to detect the latest malware, you must install the latest virus definitions. To do so, open Microsoft Security Essentials, click the "Settings" tab, and check the box next to "Check for the latest virus and spyware definitions before running a scheduled scan." Microsoft Security Essentials will now install the latest virus definitions next time you run a scan.

Run Scan

To remove malware from your computer, Microsoft Security Essentials must first scan your computer in order to detect the malware that has infected your computer. To do this, click the "Home" tab. In the Home tab, you have the option of choosing a Quick Scan or a Full Scan. A Full Scan will take longer, but will scan your entire computer for malware. A Quick Scan will not take as long, but will only scan the areas of your computer where malware is most likely to be found. Once you have decided what type of scan you want to perform, check the box next to the appropriate scan type and click "Scan Now." Microsoft Security Essentials will scan your computer and automatically remove any malware that it detects. This may take anywhere from several minutes to several hours.

Warnings

Some computer viruses, often called rogue security software or scareware, are designed to look like legitimate anti-malware programs, including Microsoft Security Essentials. These scareware programs launch fake system scans and fake system alerts in an effort to trick you into purchasing the "full version" of the program. Fortunately, there is an easy way to distinguish between scareware programs and Microsoft Security Essentials. Microsoft Security Essentials is free and will never ask for your financial information.