User opinions for Windows Defender powered by click for full size Windows Defender detects and removes adware and spyware from your computer, and also features real-time protection that alerts you when potential dangers arise, stopping most spyware before it can ev...   Avg. User Rating: Recommended by users 82% of the time (46 total) Write your own review at SnapFiles.com! The reviews and opinions below are posted by visitors. They do not necessarily reflect our opinion, and are solely based on the experience of individual users. Well, it`s Microsoft... 10/1/2008 02:25:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  gimpguy (310) Overall: Ok, for an MS product, it's not too bad, however, it seems to hog an awful lot of resources. I found I couldn't shut it off, I'd end task and it would pop right back up. What's up with that? Sure, if I want to go into services and all that, blah blah blah, but on the bright side, it's ok for those who may not know about getting something else that works far better and free. I noticed some apps wouldn't run with this installed, there was no blocking or anything, just wouldn't go. Once uninstalled, the apps were back! So all in all, I would recommend it over nothing and for MS, it's not bad. However, I removed it and will stay with what works. Final say? Some swear BY it, I swore AT it." 19829 Just average...many better ones available.... 2/3/2008 09:44:00 Recommended:   No  Posted by:  kol2008 (18) Overall: I have tried Windows Defender a few times over several years on different PCs/laptops. Like many other Microsoft freeware programs it seems somewhat mediocre -- there are quite a few better Adware/Spyware scanners to be found. Microsoft doesn't bother to improve or upgrade programs it offers as freeware even when more efficient, better ones become available. 18350 Typical Microsoft... 4/1/2007 19:46:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  Tooloose (2) Overall: I suppose Defender does an adequate job of guarding against adware and spyware. However, when used with Vista OS, it is also a nuisance. The options and menus are not at all user friendly, and in typical Microsoft manner, the "help" leads to dead ends. This is partially the fault of Vista, which sees Microsoft Defender as a threat. No kidding. You can imagine the difficulty of making Defender see a safe, non-Microsoft program as safe. I recommended it only because it was free. 16064 Most improved... 2/8/2007 15:03:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  Djohnfot (5) Overall: What was once subpar is now an average program that works as advertised. System impact is minimal. Scan speed is slow compared to some of the competition but acceptable. Basically, this is a good program but one with nothing to make it stand out from the crowd. 15608 Better than nothing... 10/23/2006 19:43:00 Recommended:   No  Posted by:  drfung (8) Overall: I ran this on a pc that was obviously affected by spyware and/or adware. It found nothing. I then ran ad-aware, the free version, which found 300 instances of malware (not including any cookies). Let's say I wasn't altogether impressed with the product. (Yes, I did update it before I scanned). 14494 Microsoft product... 7/13/2006 08:39:00 Recommended:   No  Posted by:  hrwasp (66) Overall: It is a MS product so it has built in problems. It missed HALF of spyware that other products caught with ease. Again, I did not expect much from MS and that is exactly what I got, not much! PASS! 13418 Performance going down hill... 5/16/2006 14:29:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  asdesign (4) Overall: Whilst it was effective a while ago, it is now starting to miss problems. Glad it was free when it worked certainly wouldn't pay for it now. 12878 Get worse... 5/15/2006 18:09:00 Recommended:   No  Posted by:  Ghost_ARCHER (12) Overall: I don't know what happened. The antispyware is pretty good and reliable. After microsoft makes modification, it begins to suck. The monitor for the registry was once very sensitive, now there is totally no response. It sucks. 12873 When is is to be become non beta version... 4/25/2006 06:00:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  ad_mac Overall: Windows Defender (previously Windows Anti-spyware) has been in Beta mode for a long time for 2 beta's in fact so when are we going to see a full version no beta of this product released where Microsoft takes responsibility for this product. I would not recommend this as a stand alone product or as a good starting point for people new to anti spyware software. However it is not bad for some things but it is not meant to keep you protected from everything and it is definitely not the fastest scan i have seen done taking an hour to complete on my P4 processor. 12651 A very good program!... 3/5/2006 17:36:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  ccouch82 (2) Overall: This is a very good program! The updates are easy to install. Second, the program runs in the back ground, and there is no icon in the system tray, oh well. A lot of features too! 12172 Give and take... 2/28/2006 11:59:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  Leendert (34) Overall: As always, Microsoft protects your home... if you give the keys. Defender reacts to system modifications only if it considers there is a threat, not otherwise. Should you install a software which decides to launch at Windows startup, Defender will notify you only if it considers the software is a threat, not otherwise. Concerning malware itself, Defender remains one of the best analyze engines. Finally, I personally do not appreciate at all the fact updates require Windows Update to be installed, but this is a pure tradition of the company: take and give, or forget it. I would advise Defender as an extra scan system, not on a monitoring basis. 12111 Microsoft could have done better!... 2/26/2006 21:10:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  guy9663 (8) Overall: First, anyone reading these reviews should be aware that only this and the 2 reviews before it appear to refer to Defender. The others I believe are for the program Defender has replaced (Microsoft Windows AntiSpyWare). How can a review posted in 2005 refer to a program released in 2006? Snapfiles should address this matter A.S.A.P. That said Defender has a very poor interface and to put it mildly updating is dreadful. Expect to spend quite some time on computer help forums asking how to ensure that updating works. Given the size, knowledge and experience of Microsoft, the potential for this program to be both effective and easy to use was huge. Sadly I feel it falls short particularly for novice users. Given that this is a Beta version lets hope the full version remains freeware and improves. At the moment other freeware programs do a similar job but with much less hassle. 12097 No recommendation... 2/17/2006 17:15:00 Recommended:   No  Posted by:  Mike98 (12) Overall: Looks nice and simple. Uninstalls easy. I did have to look at the forum (and release notes) many times, because of problems of installation (error 1609) and updating not working after second install. The updates are not incremental and cannot be removed, so you loose a lot of space of your hard disc drive. 12004 Excellent... 2/14/2006 08:01:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  barzvi Overall: This anti spyware is excellent!!! 11949 I am surprised!... 11/30/2005 20:06:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  platform7 (4) Overall: I have tried and tested almost all anti-malwares available... I have to admit, This is effective. 11002 Great big program... 11/12/2005 03:31:00 Recommended:   No  Posted by:  alnjk01 (136) Overall: Impressive with all its bells and whistles. However I would like to see an anti-spyware program Keep Out spyware instead of cleaning up spyware that it let in. Huge footprint which takes up a good amount of system resources. Slow to load,launch and to update. Lots of tweak like features which makes ease of use a mute point. Detection and cleanup were bettered by three other free antispyware programs that I tested it against. Programs with one third of the footprint this has! There are lots of other free anti-spyware programs out there which are based upon simplicity and effectiveness. The whole idea behind a program like this is not show off how it can cleanup after the fact or how many individual tweaks(sections of the system) it can protect but to prevent intrusion of the spyware in the first place. For marketing I give this software 5 stars but for overall complexity and effectiveness 2. 10785 For the right users this is great stuff!... 8/17/2005 15:40:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  Griffin (42) Overall: This is insanely great software for the technically adept. Closes a lot of doors when run with Real-Time protection. Gives you lots of options to find that last critter and kill it when using Advanced Tools in conjunction with Safe Mode. It is worth the CPU cycles if you have a college student who is likely to use unsafe practices on the web. It is also worth using for experts to stop some of those pesky bits of spyware that just keep re-inserting themselves into the Startup and BHO areas. Does it miss some adware - no doubt, none of the scanners are perfect, but this one is topnotch. 9891 Don't rely on ms antispyware only!... 7/27/2005 20:14:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  Bobb999 (9) Overall: I just re-installed MS Antispyware again today after being without it a while. Earlier this year I was using the program and was assuming it was protecting me adequately.One day I decided to run my AdAware program for a change. I expected it would find nothing. Instead, it found half a dozen or more ad/spyware programs MS's program had missed! I was disgusted enough, feeling I'd been duped by Mr. Softee, that I uninstalled MS's. After reading the many positive reviews here, I've relented, because I want a free monitor program to augment my 3 scan programs, and it sounds like the MS one must be doing something useful. I will never again trust it exclusively. I will continue to run AdAware, Spybot and my new A-Squared one. Keep in mind that Microsoft itself plants tracking cookies on users' computers at various times.After browsing MSN Symatico's internet radio stations this week, my A-Squared scan turned up a tracking cookie from MSN Sympatico! Beware! 9654 Microsoft windows antispyware... 7/20/2005 18:45:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  Donald1 (2) Overall: Microsoft has great intentions-- decent software and fair usefulness... Yet, be careful: some of the settings and functions are dangerous and can ruin your PC. Explanations for functions are at times vague. Good software, memory hog and at times, slow. The update feature is slow or doesn't work well, or are too sparse. Rating: 4/5 9559 An ok program... 7/7/2005 03:03:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  rajesh (4) Overall: A good program....but the only bad thing is tat it takes too much resources......your computer crawls if you have an old processor......and for p4 guys,this is a great program! 9422 It is now beta1 and will it still be free???... 7/1/2005 10:38:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  SkippyMaroo (6) Overall: Ms Anti spy was made by giant software and the program is great. I m sure MS has made some additions to it but it is great and its free. Everyone is saying MS is going to charge for it when the expires at the end of the year.... Well for what I got back (after contacting MS )is it will remain free....oh yippee...... PS look at counter spy... isnt it the same interface as MS anti-spy.. hummm. And if MS decides to charge money I think ill buy Counter Spy See ya .... Skippy 9362 Very good... 6/5/2005 14:20:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  R2-D2_ (16) Overall: One of the bests, has deteced all of the spywares i tested, i tested 25. There also a realtime protection that works fine. 9082 My computer feels brand new again!!!... 4/24/2005 09:22:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  Parker Overall: Finally a program that really works. The program alerts you when spyware attacks. I had no idea so many programs were attacking my computer. This program is a must have for every windows user. I hope they keep this for free. Its wonderful. I highly recommend it. 8589 Very effective... 4/18/2005 00:56:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  Sweetme (4) Overall: This program does just what it says it will do. i really like it simply because it works. i hope they keep it free. 8524 Very good!... 2/9/2005 13:35:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  SusanA (10) Overall: This is an excellent and quite thorough antispyware program. Very impressed! 7734 If you have to be legal to use it...... 2/2/2005 19:04:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  homeflash (64) Overall: If you are using illegal copy, forget about it... it is good for now... wait until July, hope they keep it free like IE6, MSN messenager and other free products... 7651 Use caution here....... 2/2/2005 07:37:00 Recommended:   No  Posted by:  kpaddler (6) Overall: I also had a big problem running this program on XP SP 1 the program worked great for the first few minutes, then it slowed my computer down to where I wish i had the adware back. The next day my computer would not boot, and I had to bring my machine in for repair. Evan when SP2 was installed by the service tech, when he loaded this program back on to my computer, it started to slow way down again, so I just removed the program when I got home. 7638 Good spyware remover... 2/1/2005 14:18:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  Tornados Overall: I like this spyware remover because it has two scan options. The first one takes 2 mins, and the other one you can choose how long it should go on for. I think this is the best spyware remover i have ever had. Plus it removes all sorts of nasties and it quarantines them as well. 7632 Micro-doesnt stink... 2/1/2005 01:45:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  DanaVT (15) Overall: For once I am really pleased with a Microsoft product , However I wish the program wasn't going to expire ( expire date is July 31 05 ) . Until I am sure of the products future I am holding on to my other anti spyware software. 7627 Microsoft makes good software???... 1/31/2005 01:51:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  Zues1333 (4) Overall: I can't believe it but Microsoft actually come around and made some decent software this time. I was cleaning up a customers computer that had loads of spyware and something of the terms of demon and then numbers after that was crashing spybot. So I tried this software out and I was really surpised; It found stuff spybot couldn't, and fixed/erased it all within about a matter of 10 minutes! By the way he had 1667 traces/files and 254 different types. 7619 Props... 1/30/2005 20:46:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  internet_help_online (3) Overall: Works great and its FREE! Stops the Popup window from coming up even on downloads but I can live with that. 7611 I love it at first sight... 1/30/2005 07:47:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  IkZelf Overall: Recently installed, Antispyware does a noiseless and (hopefully) complete job. I wonder, however, in what way it could be tested ; I don't have spyware to put it to the test. 7603 Something's missing... 1/29/2005 11:17:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  bluenote72 (31) Overall: Previously I had used this software, but I dont believe that the software has improved itself any from when it was known under a different name. Well after installing and running the program, I did notice a few things have been added to the interface, so that had my vote so far. After running it and letting it do its "stuff", I decided to run Ad-Aware. Thats where things changed, as Ad-Aware found over a dozen registry keys that this program missed. Which is also why I have to give it such a poor rating as far as its features go. Since its a beta, I am assuming that Microsoft is ironing out the bugs and there will be a new version coming. 7583 Awesome anti-spyware software... 1/29/2005 01:44:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  AnonymMan (35) Overall: This thing is great. It caught stuff missed by others such as adaware ans spybot ans mcafee 8i You got to try it. 7577 Download now, if you have spyware... 1/28/2005 05:59:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  DinoBajric Overall: Free and gooood 7553 Include this program too... 1/26/2005 23:03:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  free2nm (69) Overall: Today installed Microsoft Windows Antispyware program in my system and it found 13 spyware threats, 72 spyware infected files and 35 infected registry keys which are all not detected or blocked using other top listed spyware programs. So I recommeded Microsoft Windows Antispyware to be installed in computers with other top listed spyware programs. 7528 Get it... 1/26/2005 10:50:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  beversol (2) Overall: Recommending it & installing it on all my clients computers. Got rid of registry entries and files that Ad-aware missed. Stops BHO's in their tracks. Hope MS keeps it free or at least affordable when the beta expires. 7522 Very effective... 1/25/2005 17:50:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  Andrew (10) Overall: I found this software works well with Spysweeper and does as very good job at keeping spyware out. Acts as a kinda, Firewall for spyware threats. Possibly not quite as good as Spysweeper, but there isn't much init. 7505 What a great program... 1/22/2005 13:29:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  WoodyJRJ Overall: I tried everything under the sun to get rid of a nasty adware threat that bound itself to my registry keys. I downloaded this program and ran it once. I was amazed it found not only this threat, but also another one that Norton didn't pick up. It deleted these files and now my computer is running like is suppose to. Thanx to Microsoft for developing a really great product. This is a must have for anyone that is annoyed by spyware/adware. 7443 Microsoft windows antispyware... 1/17/2005 13:44:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  Kennysimpp (27) Overall: This program is great and it's help me to detect some spyware that ad-aware can't detect and it's also come with a realtime protection which run on you're system tray whenever you're computer boot from stopping the spyware that try to installed itself into you're computer. It's also provide a very detail information on the spyware that it is being detected and it's also come with a automatic update of the spyware definition. In addition, this program will remain until 31 July 2005, so I hope Microsoft will have a better program than this for the next generation of windows(windows longhorn). 7367 Microsoft anti spyware... 1/13/2005 23:06:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  achevyman (9) Overall: This is a great program from Microsoft. Amazingly enough it is free. I ran a deep scan on my system and found three different spywares that Adaware had missed. Mine said the program would expire in 199 days but I could download another one at that time. I give it 5 stars and think it is a program that everyone should have on their system. 7300 Use caution... 1/13/2005 17:47:00 Recommended:   No  Posted by:  Tommmg Overall: My problems with MS AntiSpy may have stemmed from using XP Pro SP1 instead of SP2. It took two attempts to install the software and took about 15 minutes for the installation to finally run. Once installed, my USB hub no longer worked. Although I specified that I didn't want AntiSpy to automatically run, it did anyway, even after removing it from selective startup. MS AntiSpy did find two toolbars that Spybot and Adaware did not. MS AntiSpy was also very difficult to uninstall, taking three attempts and and one half hour. I haven't had any of these problems with other anti-spayware programs. Overall, a good program but quirky on my computer. 7293 Best in the world... 1/12/2005 09:43:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  Benedict Overall: In fact, I already using some others anti-spyware software in the markets. None can beat this one. It features is marvellous. After installing this superb software, it managed to filter out 2 spywares in my system whereas the other already installed anti-spyware missed it. I fully urged each and everyone to install this BEST anti-spyware immediately. But you must have an original Windows XP installed. 7269 Works ok, but it won't be free for long ...... 1/11/2005 21:59:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  TeXMeX (27) Overall: I'm not a Microsoft fan, but this program definitely is worth the download, mainly because it detects things Ad-aware and Spybot don't and it can actually remove most of them. Unfortunately, in my opinion, which is based on real data, this beta will be the one and only free version, and it will expire in July. Please tell me if I am wrong, but I'm almost positive that I am right, or will be in the end. 7265 Ms cough up something good... 1/11/2005 09:57:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  thegeed (5) Overall: Ran the scan and it picked up a handful of items not detected by Spybot and Ad-Aware. On top of that, it's free...from MS! Where's the catch. Anyhow, any product that removes junk gets a thumbs up from me. With all the grief going on with IE lately, this free download is a no-brainer. Get it and run it right away. 7263 Great, but may not remain free... 1/11/2005 08:29:00 Recommended:   Yes  Posted by:  JediSB (7) Overall: This product is great. It found some things on my machine that Ad-Aware and SpyBot missed. However, this is a beta that expires in July and there is no guarantee that it will remain free after that time. Microsoft basically purchased GIANT antispyware, and GIANT wasn't free. I'm hoping that Microsoft will offer this free as a way to overcome the problems it has with IE security. 7262