A few days ago, we came to learn about a new Windows Defender Preview app that Microsoft has been working on. It was speculated that the new application might be a new Defender version built specifically for Windows 11. However, that appears not to be the case.
Twitter leakster WalkingCat shared the Microsoft Store link for Windows Defender Preview two days ago on his handle. From the store, we come to know that the new app will run on Windows 10 too, as long as the build is 19041.0 or newer.
Microsoft Defender Preview https://t.co/fMpEnjJGwm pic.twitter.com/wocfu4FxcC
— WalkingCat (@_h0x0d_) October 27, 2021
As such, I fired it up on my Windows 10 PC but when trying to proceed from the initial Get Started screen (image at top), we are greeted with a message that reads "Your account isn"t authorized to use Microsoft Defender yet". This blocks us from proceeding further.
A Twitter user Ahmed Walid however was able to use a hack to bypass this block and has posted some screenshots of the user interface of the new Microsoft Defender Preview.
Microsoft Defender Preview
— Ahmed Walid (@AhmedWalid605) October 28, 2021
(Thanks to @_h0x0d_ & @ALumia_Italia for sharing the app info & link) pic.twitter.com/nDUyoGpiY8
The application is still a work in progress with more features like "Identity" and "Connections" labeled as Coming soon. Below is what the home screen of the new Defender app appears like:
Overall, the new Microsoft Defender Preview seems unfinished still with some work remaining to be done on it. After that, the application could begin rolling out to Insiders first before being generally available.