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Ever since Windows 8, Microsoft's control console and software settings accept been carve up between the erstwhile Windows 7 Command Panel-mode interface and the newer Settings pages that debuted in Windows viii and Windows ten. The visitor has slowly been working to unify these disparate pages and options for adjusting system settings. Windows 10'southward upcoming Creators Update volition accept this a step further, with the introduction of a new Windows Defender Security Center. It's designed to simplify and unify all the diverse security settings of Windows in the same place. In that sense, it's somewhat analogous to the Activeness Center that Microsoft debuted back in Windows XP SP2.

The new security eye volition include the post-obit settings:

Virus and threat protection: All antivirus product data will be handled from the Windows Defender Security Center, whether you utilise Microsoft's ain Windows Defender or a third-party application of your own choosing.

Device performance and health: This section volition give you a single-page overview of installed Windows updates, drivers, battery life, and storage capacity. It will also offer an selection to restore or refresh Windows (keeping some personal files, but dumping applications and non-personal data to provide a "fresh" Windows installation). Once upon a time, this was practically mandatory to keep Windows working well, only information technology'due south still overnice to have the choice if you need it.

Firewall & Network protection: Information about network security, Windows Firewall settings, and network troubleshooting will all be linked hither. It'south not clear if this straight replaces the "Networking" button in the older Control Panel settings or if it offers a different style of accessing the same data.

App & Browser Command: This allows for manual tuning of SmartScreen settings. SmartScreen is skillful, simply it isn't perfect — this section allows yous to conform settings on a case-by-case basis.

Family Options: Parental controls, screen time timers, and reports on kid's online action will all be gathered hither. Health and condom of family devices can also be viewed here (Information technology's not clear which devices are covered by this option).

A cursory video of these options and the new application's layout is beneath:

The merely quibble I accept with Microsoft's UI and layout is the company'south stubborn insistence on low-density information displays. There'due south zippo incorrect with displaying large icons and low-density data when you're working with tablets or smartphones. But it would exist nice if Windows had some kind of feature to discover when the stop user was working with a traditional monitor and could be configured to brandish information in a manner that makes more sense for that display scenario. Bold that the screenshot is authentic, the app wastes huge amounts of screen space.

That said, pulling security features into their ain primal location does make sense, and it should brand managing these options easier. Device security is always-more of import these days, thank you to the onslaught of badly secured Internet of Things hardware and manufacturers who can't resist slapping "smart" functionality into every production they encounter.

The Creators Update of Windows 10, aka Redstone 2, is expected to debut in April.