Please can you follow the instructions below and run a virus scan on your laptop, and let us know if it finds anything.
First, open the Start menu and type “Windows Security.” Click on the “Windows Security” app icon that pops up.
In the sidebar, click “Virus & Threat Protection.”
It’s possible to do a quick scan from here by clicking the “Quick Scan” button. If you haven’t scanned recently, you might want to consider doing a deeper scan. In the area below the “Current Threats” heading, click “Scan Options.”
In the “Scan Options” menu, you will see a list of four different types of scans you can perform on your computer using Microsoft Defender.
- Quick Scan: Scans folders in your system where threats are usually found, such as the Downloads and Windows folders. This usually only takes a few minutes to complete.
- Full Scan: This scans every file on your computer and all running programs as well. The scan may take longer than an hour to complete.
- Custom Scan: If you choose this option, Windows Security will ask you for a specific file or folder location that you’d like to scan.
- Microsoft Defender Offline Scan: This option restarts your machine and scans system files and programs while they are not running, which is useful if a piece of malware is currently running and potentially interfering with the scan.
If you haven’t tried Defender before or if your computer is acting funny and you’re worried about an obvious threat, it’s best to start with a Full scan. Select the radio button beside “Full Scan” and click the “Scan Now” button.
