

Microsoft Defender has undergone various name changes since its first installment, known as Windows Defender Antivirus before the May 2020 Windows 10 update, Windows Defender after the Windows 10 Creator update, and Microsoft Defender Antivirus before Windows 11.

The software has evolved from only being able to detect spyware infections, replacing Microsoft Security Essentials in Windows 8 with a full-featured internet security suite in later Windows OS versions. Microsoft Defender, owned by Microsoft, first launched as a free downloadable anti-spyware tool for Windows XP systems in 2001 before Microsoft decided to integrate the software into Windows Vista and Windows 7 in later years.

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