Microsoft Releases Its Defender Antivirus App for Android
While not everyone can use Windows Defender on Android, it’s a sign of things to come.
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| The Google Play app icon |
Microsoft has put a lot of work into making Windows Defender a viable contender in the antivirus market, and now the company is expanding its reach. While not everyone can use it yet, the company has released Windows Defender onto Android.
Windows Defender Makes The Jump To Android
You can find the Defender app on the Google Play store, although it’s published under the name “Microsoft Defender” as it’s not for Windows specifically.
As explained in the listing, despite the app having no price tag, it’s not free. You need a Microsoft 365 E5 license to use it, as it’s designed to protect business users from online threats.
The description then lists the features the app has:
1. Automatically warns users of malicious, potentially unwanted apps and APKs that may get installed or copied on to the user’s device
2. Automatically block malicious web pages that may be clicked from SMS/WhatsApp/Browser/E-mail
3. Built-in integration with Microsoft Defender ATP to provide single pane of glass reporting in Microsoft Defender Security Center portal, which enables Security Operations teams
4. Conditional Access integration based on device risk level with Intune
If you try to download and use the app, it will give an error message saying you need to use Intune Company Portal to enroll your device into an organization.
Microsoft’s Push For People To Use Defender
While Microsoft Defender for Android is only for business use right now, there’s a good chance that the company will expand its userbase to ordinary consumers in the future. After all, Microsoft is currently pushing to implement its antivirus onto as many systems as possible.
For instance, as the company stated on the Microsoft Tech Community, you can now use Microsoft Defender on Linux. We also saw Microsoft launch Windows Defender for macOS.As such, if you want to give Microsoft Defender a try on your Android phone, it’s likely only a matter of time until a full public release arrives.
A Second Chance For Windows Defender
With Defender now making an appearance on the Google Play store, we can see how Microsoft wants to make its antivirus program available on all systems. While it’s not available for general use, it likely will be at some time in the not-too-distant future.It’s not a huge surprise that Microsoft wants to try its luck in other markets. After all, Defender has arisen from its troubled past to become one of the best antivirus programs for Windows.