How to Apply Malicious Software Removal Tool in Windows

The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) is a post-infection removal tool that helps remove malicious software from your computers that are running Windows 10, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012, or Windows 7.

Starting May 2020, Microsoft releases the MSRT on a quarterly cadence as role of Windows Update or as a standalone tool. You can use this tool to find and remove specific prevalent threats and opposite the changes they have fabricated (run across covered malware families). For comprehensive malware detection and removal, consider using Microsoft Safety Scanner.

The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool does not replace an antivirus product. It is strictly a post-infection removal tool. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you install and employ an up-to-date antivirus product. If you like, Windows 10 already has Windows Defender Antivirus included for antivirus.

The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool differs from an antivirus product in three key ways:

  • The tool removes malicious software from an already-infected reckoner. Antivirus products cake malicious software from running on a computer. It is significantly more desirable to block malicious software from running on a computer than to remove information technology after infection.
  • The tool removes only specific prevalent malicious software. Specific prevalent malicious software is a small subset of all the malicious software that exists today.
  • The tool focuses on the detection and removal of active malicious software. Active malicious software is malicious software that is currently running on the computer. The tool cannot remove malicious software that is non running. However, an antivirus production can perform this task.

The MSRT focuses on the detection and removal of malicious software such equally viruses, worms, and Trojan horses merely. Information technology does non remove spyware.

You do not have to disable or remove your antivirus program when y'all install the MSRT. Nevertheless, if prevalent, malicious software has infected your calculator, the antivirus programme may detect this malicious software and may prevent the removal tool from removing it when the removal tool runs. In this example, you tin can use your antivirus program to remove the malicious software.

Because the MSRT does non comprise a virus or a worm, the removal tool alone should non trigger your antivirus program. Yet, if malicious software infected the computer earlier y'all installed an up-to-date antivirus programme, your antivirus program may non detect this malicious software until the tool tries to remove information technology.

If MSRT is downloaded from Windows Update, the tool runs only one time each month. To manually run the tool multiple times a month, download the tool from the Download Center.

The MSRT tool runs in tranquillity mode unless information technology finds an infection. If it detects malicious software on your computer, the next time that you sign in to your computer equally an administrator, a balloon appears in the notification expanse to make you aware of the detection. If you have non been notified of an infection, no malicious software has been institute that requires your attending.

Performing a full scan

If the tool finds malicious software, you may be prompted to perform a full browse. Nosotros recommend that y'all perform this browse. A full browse performs a quick scan and then a full scan of the reckoner, regardless of whether malicious software is plant during the quick browse. This browse tin can take several hours to complete because information technology volition scan all stock-still and removable drives. All the same, mapped network drives are not scanned.

Removing malicious files

If malicious software has modified (infected) files on your computer, the tool prompts you to remove the malicious software from those files. If the malicious software modified your browser settings, your homepage may be changed automatically to a page that gives you directions on how to restore these settings.

You can clean specific files or all the infected files that the tool finds. Be aware that some information loss is possible during this procedure. Also, be enlightened that the tool may be unable to restore some files to the original, pre-infection country.

The removal tool may asking that yous restart your computer to consummate the removal of some malicious software, or information technology may prompt you to perform transmission steps to complete the removal of the malicious software. To complete the removal, you should use an upwardly-to-engagement antivirus product.

Reporting infection information to Microsoft

The Malicious Software Removal Tool will ship bones information to Microsoft if the tool detects malicious software or finds an fault. This information volition exist used for tracking virus prevalence. No identifiable personal data that is related to yous or to the computer is sent together with this report.

This tutorial will show you how to open and use the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) to scan and remove specific prevalent malicious software in Windows.

The Malicious Software Removal Tool scan log is located at: C:\Windows\Debug\mrt.log


Contents


  • Option One: To Open and Use Malicious Software Removal Tool
  • Option Two: To Run Malicious Software Removal Tool in Command Prompt

Pick ONE

To Open and Use Malicious Software Removal Tool

1 Type mrt ("C:\Windows\System32\MRT.exe") in the search box (Windows+S) on First bill of fare or taskbar, and printing Enter to open up Malicious Software Removal Tool.

2 Click/tap on Side by side. (meet screenshot below)

Malicious Software Removal Tool in Windows-microsoft_windows_malicious_software_removal_tool-1.png

3 Practice pace step iv (quick), stride 5 (total), or step six (custom) below for what type of scan you want to run.

 four. To Run a Quick Scan with MSRT

This will scan areas of the system near probable to comprise malicious software. If malicious software is constitute, you may be prompted to run a full browse.

A) Select (dot) Quick scan, click/tap on Next, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Malicious Software Removal Tool in Windows-microsoft_windows_malicious_software_removal_tool-q-1.png

 v. To Run a Full Browse with MSRT

This will scan the entire system. This scan can accept upwardly to several hours depending on how much data yous take to scan.

A) Select (dot) Total scan, click/tap on Next, and go to stride 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Malicious Software Removal Tool in Windows-microsoft_windows_malicious_software_removal_tool-f-1.png

 6. To Run a Customized Scan with MSRT

This will run a quick scan first, and so will scan the contents of the folder or drive you specified.

A) Select (dot) Customized scan, and click/tap on Cull Folder. (encounter screenshot below)

Malicious Software Removal Tool in Windows-microsoft_windows_malicious_software_removal_tool-c-1.png

B) Browse to and select a folder or bulldoze y'all want to browse, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

Malicious Software Removal Tool in Windows-microsoft_windows_malicious_software_removal_tool-c-2.png

C) Click/tap on Next, and go to step seven below. (see screenshot below step A)

7 MSRT volition now first scanning your figurer. (come across screenshot below)

Malicious Software Removal Tool in Windows-microsoft_windows_malicious_software_removal_tool-2.png

eight When the scan finishes, you lot will run across the results, and can click/tap on the View detailed results of the scan link. When finished, click/tap on Stop. (see screenshots beneath)

Malicious Software Removal Tool in Windows-microsoft_windows_malicious_software_removal_tool-4.png Malicious Software Removal Tool in Windows-microsoft_windows_malicious_software_removal_tool-3.png

OPTION 2

To Run Malicious Software Removal Tool in Command Prompt

1 Open and elevated command prompt.

two. In the elevated control prompt, copy and paste the command in bold below y'all want to utilize, and press Enter.

MRT /F = Opens MSRT UI, and performs a forced total browse.

MRT /F /Q = Performs a forced total scan without opening MSRT UI.

MRT /F:Y = Opens MSRT UI, performs a forced full scan, and automatically clean infected files.

MRT /F:Y /Q = Performs a forced full scan, and automatically clean infected files without opening MSRT UI.

Malicious Software Removal Tool in Windows-command.png

That's it,
Shawn

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