staff@slashgear.com (Patrick Phillips)
2024-04-29 12:00:31
www.slashgear.com
If you are considering turning your Android device’s security over to Microsoft Defender, you should know that an active Microsoft 365 account is required to use it. Defender is also a subscription-based service, meaning you’ll need to pay $6.99 per month for coverage on a single device or $9.99 per month for a family plan that covers up to 5 devices. So, please take that cost into account before signing up. If you are still interested in Microsoft Defender, ensure you have a current Google Play account, then follow these steps to install it on an Android device.
- Open Google Play on your Android device and search for Microsoft Defender.
- Select the Microsoft Defender: Antivirus option and click “Install.”
- Once Defender is installed, click the widget on your Android device’s screen.
- With the app open, follow the prompts to set up Defender and begin your subscription.
As Defender is a security application, the setup process will be thorough since you’ll need to provide some personal and payment information to get started. The app will also need permission to run in the background and access other programs on any device it’s safeguarding. Once installed, Defender will scan said devices to see if any imminent threats are present. Assuming your Android devices are not already compromised, Microsoft Defender will quietly continue running in the background as long as your subscription is active. That is, of course, until a malware attack or data breach occurs, in which case the software should immediately take action to make you aware of the threat.