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Microsoft Store, Windows Update and Windows Security

Get apps from trusted places, keep Windows up to date, and understand the built-in protection: Windows Security, the firewall and SmartScreen. You will know what each does and what to do when a warning appears.

25 minelementaryWindowsPractical task needs a laptop or desktop

Marking a lesson as read does not prove you can do it. Skills count as demonstrated when you pass the quiz (not yet) and complete the practical tasks (not yet).

By the end of this lesson you will be able to

  • Explain why the Microsoft Store is a safer first place to look for apps than a random website.
  • Check for updates in Windows Update and explain why restarts matter.
  • Open the Windows Security app and read its status icons.
  • Say what the firewall and SmartScreen each do, in plain words.
  • Decide what to do when SmartScreen shows a warning about a downloaded file.

A Windows laptop arrives with a lot of protection built in, but it only works well if you keep it updated and install software carefully. Most of the harm that reaches beginners comes through fake installers and ignored updates, not through clever hacking. In this lesson you will learn where Windows expects you to get apps, how updates keep problems closed, and what the built-in security tools do for you. Menu names can differ slightly between versions.

The Microsoft Store: a checked shop

The Microsoft Store is the shop built into Windows. Open it from Start, or press the Windows key, type store and press Enter. Apps in the Store go through a check by Microsoft before they appear, and Windows can update them automatically. That does not make every app perfect, but it is a much safer starting point than a website you found by searching. Think of it as the difference between buying from a shop on the high street and buying from a stranger's van.

To install an app, search for it, open its page, read the publisher name and the ratings, and click Get or Install. Free apps install with one click. If it asks you to pay, read the price and the terms carefully. You never need to enter any real card details to follow this academy. You can find installed apps again in Start under All apps. To remove one, open Settings, choose Apps, then Installed apps, click the three dots beside the app and choose Uninstall.

Diagram

Where to look for software first, from safest to riskiest.

Look here first

1. Microsoft StoreChecked and updated through Windows
2. The maker's official websiteType the address yourself; check spelling
3. Adverts, search ads, email links, download sitesDo not install from here
Where to look for software first, from safest to riskiest.
Read this figure as text

A layered diagram ranking sources of software: the Microsoft Store, the official website of the maker, and unknown websites.

Three levels from safest to riskiest. Level 1, the Microsoft Store: apps are checked and updated through Windows; the best first choice. Level 2, the official website of the maker, reached by typing the address yourself or from a link on the maker's own page: use it when the app is not in the Store, and check that the address is spelled correctly. Level 3, anywhere else, such as adverts, download sites, email attachments and links in messages: do not install from here. Fake installers are a common way to spread malware.

Windows Update: closing the doors

Windows Update downloads fixes and improvements for Windows itself. Many of these are security patches: they close weaknesses that attackers know about. An out-of-date computer is like a house with a window that the whole street knows is broken. Open it with Settings, then Windows Update (the last item in the section list), and click Check for updates. Windows downloads what is needed, and tells you if a restart is required.

Updates are installed after you restart, which is why a message such as 'Restart required' or 'Pending restart' appears. Do not ignore it for weeks. Choose Restart now when you have saved your work. If you are busy, use Schedule the restart to pick a quiet time, or set Active hours so Windows does not restart while you are working. While updating, keep the charger plugged in and never switch off by holding the power button, because that can damage the installation.

Check for updates safely

  1. Step 1: Save and plug in

    Save any open work and connect the charger if you are using a laptop.

  2. Step 2: Open Windows Update

    Press the Windows key and I, then choose Windows Update in the left list.

    You should see: You see a status such as 'You're up to date' or a list of available updates.

  3. Step 3: Click Check for updates

    Wait for the download. It may take several minutes and may show a percentage.

    You should see: Updates either install in place or show 'Restart now'.

  4. Step 4: Restart when ready

    Click Restart now. The screen may say 'Working on updates'. Wait, and do not switch off.

    You should see: Windows restarts, and the login screen returns.

Simulated interface: not a real screenshot

An illustration of the Windows Update page with its key buttons numbered.

Settings - Windows Update
System
Apps
Windows Update

You're up to date

Last checked: today, 09:15

Pause updates

Update history

Check for updates
  1. Marker 1: Status
  2. Marker 2: Check for updates
  3. Marker 3: Pause updates (short delay only)
  4. Marker 4: Update history
An illustration of the Windows Update page with its key buttons numbered.
Read this figure as text

A simulated Settings window showing the Windows Update page with a status message and buttons.

A simulated Settings window on the Windows Update page. Marker 1 is the status message, You're up to date, with the time of the last check. Marker 2 is the Check for updates button. Marker 3 is a Pause updates option, which delays updates for a short time. Marker 4 is the Update history link, which lists what was installed. Exact wording and layout can differ between versions.

Windows Security: your built-in guard

Windows includes a free protection suite. Its control panel is the Windows Security app: press the Windows key, type windows security and press Enter. Its home page shows tiles with coloured icons. A green tick means no action is needed. A yellow warning means a recommendation. A red cross means you need to do something. You will see areas such as Virus & threat protection, Firewall & network protection, App & browser control and Device security.

Virus & threat protection is Microsoft Defender Antivirus, the part that scans for Malware and removes it. It runs automatically, and you can also click Quick scan to check now. A Firewall is a guard at the door of the network: it decides which connections may come in and go out. Windows turns the firewall on by default, and you should leave it on. SmartScreen checks the websites and files you open against a list of known unsafe ones, and warns you before you run something suspicious.

Simulated interface: not a real screenshot

An illustration of the Windows Security home page with status tiles.

Windows Security (illustration)
Home
Virus and threat protection
Firewall and network
App and browser control
Device security
Virus and threat protectionNo action needed
Firewall and network protectionNo action needed
App and browser controlNo action needed
Device securityStandard hardware security
  1. Marker 1: Antivirus status
  2. Marker 2: Firewall status
  3. Marker 3: SmartScreen lives here
  4. Marker 4: Hardware protections
An illustration of the Windows Security home page with status tiles.
Read this figure as text

A simulated Windows Security window with four protection areas, each with a status.

A simulated Windows Security window titled Security at a glance. It lists four areas. Marker 1: Virus and threat protection, status No action needed. Marker 2: Firewall and network protection, status No action needed. Marker 3: App and browser control, which includes SmartScreen, status No action needed. Marker 4: Device security, status Standard hardware security. A green tick would mean fine, a yellow triangle a recommendation, and a red cross something to fix. This is an illustration, and the real app may differ slightly.

When SmartScreen warns you

Sometimes, after you download a file and try to run it, a blue box appears with the title Windows protected your PC and says Microsoft Defender SmartScreen prevented an unrecognised app from starting. It shows the app name and publisher, and a link called More info. This does not always mean the file is harmful. It means Windows does not recognise it. The correct response for a beginner is simple: stop, and ask yourself where the file came from.

Diagram

A simple decision path when Windows warns about a file you downloaded.

  • Did the file come from the Microsoft Store or the maker's real website, typed by you?
    • YesWere you expecting exactly this program?
      • YesDo thisYou may open More info and decide. If you are still unsure, do not run it.
      • NoDo thisClose the box, delete the file and ask someone you trust.
    • NoDo thisClose the box, delete the file and do not run it.
A simple decision path when Windows warns about a file you downloaded.
Read this figure as text

A decision tree starting with a SmartScreen warning and ending with either delete the file or proceed with care.

Start: Windows protected your PC appears for a downloaded file. Question 1: did you choose this file from the Microsoft Store or the official website of the maker, typed by yourself? If no, the result is: close the box, delete the file and do not run it. If yes, question 2: were you expecting exactly this program? If no, the result is: close the box, delete the file and ask for advice. If yes, the result is: you may use More info and decide, but if you are still unsure, do not run it.

Common mistakes

  • ✖ Instead of: Downloading an app from the first search result without looking at the address.

    ✔ Do this: Search results can start with adverts. Use the Store, or type the maker's official address yourself.

  • ✖ Instead of: Turning off Windows Security or the firewall because an installer asked you to.

    ✔ Do this: A genuine program never needs this. Treat such a request as a warning sign and cancel.

  • ✖ Instead of: Clicking Pause updates repeatedly to avoid restarts.

    ✔ Do this: Pause is for short delays only. Set active hours or schedule a restart instead, so patches are not left out.

  • ✖ Instead of: Believing a pop-up on a web page that says 'Your PC is infected'.

    ✔ Do this: Real warnings come from Windows Security. Close the tab and, if worried, run a Quick scan.

If something goes wrong

Windows Update seems stuck at a percentage for a long time.
Wait at least an hour while the charger is plugged in. If nothing changes, restart normally from the Start menu, then try Check for updates again. Do not hold the power button unless the computer is completely frozen.
The Store will not open or will not download an app.
Check that you are connected to the internet and that the date and time are correct. Restart the computer and try again. If it still fails, check Windows Update for a pending update.
Windows Security shows a yellow or red tile I do not understand.
Click the tile and read the message. Most suggestions have a single button such as Turn on or Restart now. If it names a third-party antivirus, ask the person who installed it.

Key terms

Microsoft Store
The built-in Windows shop where you can find and install apps checked by Microsoft.
Windows Update
The part of Windows that downloads and installs fixes and improvements.
SmartScreen
A Windows safety check that warns you before you open files or sites that look unsafe.
Firewall
A security feature that blocks unwanted network connections to or from your computer.
Malware
Any software made to harm your device, steal your information or spy on you.
Security patch
A small update that fixes a weakness attackers could use to break into your computer.

Practise it for real

Reading is not the same as being able to do it. Complete these on your own computer, then tick only what you have actually done. These ticks are your own honest record: nothing checks them for you.

Guided exerciseNeeds a laptop or desktop

Check your update and security status

Open Windows Update and click Check for updates. Note whether it says you are up to date. Then open Windows Security and write down the status of each tile (tick, warning or cross). Open Virus & threat protection and note when the last scan was. Do not click any button marked Turn off. Do not install anything.

You have succeeded when:
Independent challengeNeeds a laptop or desktop

Challenge: install and remove a free Store app

In the Microsoft Store, search for a simple free app such as a calculator or note-taking app, read the publisher name, and install it. Find it in Start under All apps and open it. Then uninstall it from Settings, Apps, Installed apps. Write down the publisher and what you checked before installing. Do not sign in with a real payment method.

You have succeeded when:

Knowledge check

6 questions. You need 80% to pass. Mistakes here are part of learning, and you can retry as often as you like.

  1. Question 1.Which place should you look first for a new app?
  2. Question 2.Match each protection to its job.
  3. Question 3.It is fine to ignore 'Restart required' for months, because the update is already working.
  4. Question 4.Wanjiru downloads a free photo editor from an advert. When she opens the installer, Windows shows 'Windows protected your PC'. The installer's name does not match the advert.What should she do?
  5. Question 5.On the Windows Security home page, what does a red cross on a tile mean?
  6. Question 6.Put these steps for updating Windows in order.
    1. Save work and plug in the charger
    2. Restart when it asks
    3. Open Settings and Windows Update
    4. Click Check for updates

Summary

  • Look for apps in the Microsoft Store first; otherwise use the maker's official website that you typed yourself.
  • Windows Update delivers security patches. Check regularly and restart when asked.
  • Windows Security covers antivirus, the firewall and SmartScreen. A green tick is good; yellow or red needs attention.
  • If SmartScreen warns you about a file from an untrusted place, delete it. Do not turn security tools off.

Checklist: can you do these?

Marking a lesson as read does not prove you can do it. Skills count as demonstrated when you pass the quiz (not yet) and complete the practical tasks (not yet).

Related lessons

References and further reading

Official sources for details that can change between versions.

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