To provide better security, the newest version of Windows comes with a solid antivirus program that helps you keep your PC secure from viruses, malware, and other threats. Windows 8 ships with an updated version of Windows Defender program that now includes all features of the Security Essentials program as well as its familiar interface.

In addition to spyware protection and other security features that it has offered since Vista, Defender now includes real-time protection, full scan, and rootkit protection as well.

While Windows Defender in Windows 8 includes almost all features of Microsoft Security Essentials, it doesn’t let you scan files and folders from the context menu. In simple words, Scan with Windows Defender isn’t present in the Explorer context menu.

Users who are relaying on Windows Defender need to open Windows Defender program and launch the custom scan option to scan a folder.

Windows 8 users who love the Windows Defender and want to add Scan with Windows Defender option to the folder context menu (right-click menu) will be glad to know that a simple workaround is now available to scan folders right from the context menu. The option is useful for users who often download files from the web and use the feature to quickly scan the downloaded files for possible threats.

Scan with Windows Defender option in the context menu

Here are the steps you need to complete to add Scan with Windows Defender to the context menu in Windows 8.

Step 1: Open Windows Registry. To do this, open Run dialog by pressing Windows + R hotkey, type Regedit.exe and then press Enter key. Click Yes for the UAC prompt.

Step 2: Navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\folder\shell

Step 3: Create a new sub key under Shell and name it WindowsDefender.

Step 4: Now, click on WindowsDefender key, and on the right-hand side create a String Value named Icon and set %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\EppManifest.dll as its value.

Create another String Value key named MUIVerb and set Scan with Windows Defender as its value data. Please note that you can replace Scan with Windows Defender text with anything that you want to see in the context menu.

Step 5: Create a key named Command under WindowsDefender. Click on Command key, on the right-hand side of Command key, double-click on Default key and then set the following command as its value data.

“C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe” -scan -scantype 3 -SignatureUpdate -file %1

(Replace “C” with your Windows 8 drive letter)

You are done! From now onwards, you will see Scan with Windows Defender option when you right-click on a folder. Please note that you a command window will appear whenever you click Scan with Windows Defender option.

Thanks to TheWindowsClub for the tip.