- Microsoft launches its Defender app for its Microsoft 365 subscribers.
- The security app is available for Windows, Apple, and Android devices.
- Microsoft Defender offers a unified dashboard to manage protection for all your devices.
- The available features will depend on the platform and won’t replace existing protection on the device.
After many months of testing, Microsoft is finally releasing its new Microsoft Defender cross-platform app on Windows 11, 10, Android, macOS, and iOS.
Although the company already uses the “Defender” branding for its anti-malware protection, the new application isn’t meant to replace the default antivirus on Windows. Instead, the Microsoft Defender app provides a unified dashboard to manage your online security for a family of devices connected with the Microsoft account.
The app offers real-time protection, notifications, security tips, and recommended steps to protect your devices from hackers and malicious code. However, the set of features will vary per supported platform. For example, this solution won’t offer additional protection if the device (iOS and Windows) already has malware protection.
In the case that the app can’t provide malware protection, you will still get web phishing alongside the features available through the dashboard.
The Microsoft Defender app has antivirus protection for Android devices, and the solution will offer web phishing protection.
On Windows, if you have another antivirus (such as Norton, Bitdefender, McAfee, etc.), you can view their protection on the new Defender dashboard across devices.
The app isn’t something everyone needs since it doesn’t add significant value other than having a unified dashboard to stay aware of the protection of all your devices. It could be one of the reasons that Microsoft is making it available as an additional perk for Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers. On Windows 11 and 10, you can download the app from the Microsoft Store, on Android from the Google Play Store, and on iOS from the App Store. This is the direct link for macOS users.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].