Lesson 2 of 7

The protection your device already has

Before looking at any product you might add, it makes sense to find out what you already have. Most devices sold in the last several years come with some malware protection built in. This lesson explains what each major platform includes and how to check it is working.

Why this lesson comes before any product

A common mistake is to buy antivirus for a device without first checking what is already on it. Sometimes the built-in protection has been turned off by an old trial product that was never fully removed. Sometimes it is working perfectly and the purchase adds less than expected. Either way, you can only make a fair comparison once you know your starting point.

Each section below describes, in general terms, what the platform's maker says its built-in protection does, with a link to the maker's own documentation. Device makers update these features regularly, so treat the linked pages as the authority if anything here has changed.

Windows 10 and Windows 11

Windows includes Microsoft Defender Antivirus, which you manage through the Windows Security app. Microsoft describes it as providing ongoing protection against malware, with regular updates delivered through Windows Update. Microsoft's own explanation is on its Windows Security support page.

One detail is worth knowing. When you install another antivirus product, Microsoft Defender Antivirus normally steps aside so the two do not both act as the main scanner at once. Microsoft explains this behaviour in its documentation on compatibility with other security products. It also means that if you later remove the other product, you should check that Defender has switched back on.

How to check Windows protection

1. Open the Start menu, type Windows Security and open the app.
2. Choose Virus & threat protection. The page shows which antivirus product Windows currently considers active.
3. Look for a green tick or a message saying no action is needed. If something needs attention, the page will usually say what it is in plain words.
4. Open Settings, then Windows Update, and check that updates are installing. Antivirus definitions and security fixes both arrive through this route.

macOS on a Mac

Apple builds several layers into macOS. Apple's own platform security guide describes them, including Gatekeeper, which checks apps downloaded from outside the App Store before they are first opened, and XProtect, which detects and blocks known malware. These features update in the background and have no separate app to open.

How to check a Mac

1. Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
2. Choose General, then Software Update. Turn on automatic updates, including the option for security responses and system files if it is shown.
3. Choose Privacy & Security and look at the setting for which apps are allowed to open. Leaving it on the App Store and identified developers is the usual choice for most households.

Android phones and tablets

Most Android devices that include the Google Play Store also include Google Play Protect. Google explains on its Play Protect help page that it checks apps for harmful behaviour and can warn about or remove them. Some phone makers add their own security tools on top.

How to check an Android device

1. Open the Play Store app.
2. Tap your profile picture in the top corner, then Play Protect.
3. Check that scanning is turned on. The page also shows when apps were last checked.
4. Open the phone's Settings and look for system or security updates. Install any that are waiting.

Menu names vary a little between phone makers. If you cannot find an option, searching the Settings app for "Play Protect" or "update" usually works.

iPhone and iPad

Apple's mobile systems are designed so that each app runs in its own restricted space, and apps are normally installed through the App Store, where Apple reviews them. Apple describes this approach in its platform security guide. Because of that design, products sold as "antivirus" for iPhone generally cannot scan other apps in the way desktop antivirus does. They tend to offer other features, such as web filtering or account monitoring, instead.

How to check an iPhone or iPad

1. Open Settings, then General, then Software Update.
2. Turn on Automatic Updates, including security responses if the option is shown.
3. Under Settings, tap your name and review which devices are signed in to your Apple Account. Remove any you do not recognise.

What "built in" does and does not mean

Built-in protection is not a cut-down extra that exists to sell you something better. It is maintained by the company that makes the operating system, updated alongside it, and designed to work with it. For many households it is a sound foundation.

It is also true that built-in tools are deliberately simple. They usually offer fewer settings, fewer extras and less hands-on support than a paid product. Whether those extras matter to you is a separate question, and it is the subject of lesson three.

Problems people often find when they check

When people go through the steps above for the first time, a few situations come up again and again.

Checking a device for someone else

If you are helping a family member, go through the checks with them rather than for them, if you can. Sitting beside them while they open Windows Security or the Play Store settings means they will know where to look next time, and they will recognise the genuine screens, which is useful protection against the fakes described in lesson six.

Ask before changing anything, and explain what each setting does in a sentence. If they use a password or passcode, let them type it themselves. When you have finished, a short written note of what you checked and when is a helpful record for both of you. It also makes the next annual check much faster, because you will know exactly where you left things.

Before you move on

By now you should know what your device includes and whether it is switched on and up to date. Write down anything you found that needs fixing and fix it first; that alone often makes the biggest difference. In lesson three we turn to the question most people arrive with: would a separate product add anything for you?