Defender icon now shows in System Tray - Windows 8 and 8.1

[Ink]

I am not sure when and what update this occurred during, but the Windows Defender icon now appears in the system tray, under 2 systems:

• Windows 8 Core
• Windows 8.1 Pro

To make the icon appear, simply launch Windows Defender from the Start Start.

During a system scan.

During an update.

Mouse-over, during update.

There is currently no context menu added by Microsoft, for Windows Defender on Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Secondmineboy]

I hope they will add a context menu entry and will improve Defender further, many people rely on it as AV
its right behind Avast according to OPSWAT

 

[Kate_L]

It doesn't show on my PC (I have Windows Defender turned off, Windows Updates turned off).

 

[Ink]

Windows Defender turned off

That's self-explanatory.

If you don't use Windows Defender, then yes, I don't expect this to work on your system.

 

[Kate_L]

Even after I turned on still doesn't show. I guess it's an update thing.

 

[Moose]

> Right Click
> Run
> Control Panel
> Windows Defender

 

[jamescv7]

@Secondmineboy : Well for the meantime, you may use registry tweak to have your own context scan for Windows Defender. They implemented this before way back on Windows 7 but not in 8 to 10.

 

[Deleted member 178]

That's self-explanatory.

If you don't use Windows Defender, then yes, I don't expect this to work on your system.

Mwahahaha , this one made me laugh ^^

 

[Deleted Member 333v73x]

@Huracan How do I get the icon to start at boot, I need to execute it for the icon to appear.

 

[Deleted member 178]

the icon never start at boot.

 

[McLovin]

Hmm, have to see if the update has been applied at work. I think it's good to show in the taskbar as it gives you more security/peace of mind that you have it running and it's doing something.

 

[jamescv7]

That icon to show may done through registry hacking. (Link)

But the good thing is you don't need to do that as its already running on startup invisible and any notification occur will just show immediately without user options.

 

[Ink]

@Huracan How do I get the icon to start at boot, I need to execute it for the icon to appear.

You can't. Once you open WD user interface, only then it appears. It's the same as on Windows 10.