Google Chrome’s “Enhanced Protection” feature provides real-time protection from threats like unsafe downloads, infected websites, malware, viruses, harmful extensions, and phishing scams.
While Windows has its built-in antivirus (Windows Security), adding an extra layer of defense directly within your browser is a smart move. In this context, you can think of it as a first line of defense that works in tandem with the existing antivirus software in Windows. The best thing about Chrome’s real-time protection is that it actively scans websites and downloads for potential threats before they can reach your system.
In this quick guide, I’ll show you how to enable real-time protection in Google Chrome (Enhanced Protection), so you can browse with greater peace of mind. Let’s get started.
Steps to Enable Real-Time Protection in Chrome (Enhanced Protection)
- Open the Chrome browser.
- Click the “Menu” (three vertical dots) icon.
- Click the “Settings” option.
- Go to the “Privacy and Security” > “Security” page.
- Select the “Enhanced protection” option.
- With that, you’ve enabled real-time protection in Chrome.
Good to know: Important Chrome settings every user should change
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
First, open the Chrome browser if it’s not already. To do that, press the “Windows key” to open the Start menu, search for “Chrome”, and click “Open”.
Once it opens, click the “Menu” icon (three dots) on the top right corner and select the “Settings” option. This opens the Chrome settings tab where you manage your browser’s functionality.
Next, go to the “Privacy and Security” tab on the sidebar and click the “Security” option on the right panel.
Here, select the “Enhanced Protection” option to enable real-time protection. Once enabled, it actively scans for harmful websites & extensions and performs in-depth scans for suspicious downloads to protect your browser and system from malware and virus infections.
That’s it. It’s that simple to turn on Enhanced Protection for real-time protection in Chrome.
Wrapping Up: Enhancing Browser Security With Real-Time Protection
As you can see, it’s easy to turn on real-time protection in the Chrome browser, thanks to the “Enhanced Protection” feature. Keep in mind that it is not an alternative to good antivirus software and you shouldn’t rely on it for complete protection. It’s only a first line of defense that can work together with your existing antivirus software to better protect you. To further enhance your Chrome browser’s security, you can also enable other built-in security settings detailed in this guide: Chrome security settings to enable.
Enabling Enhanced Protection sends URLs, some page content, downloads, and extension activity to Google’s servers. If you have privacy concerns, you can choose “Standard protection” or “No protection” on Chrome’s Security page.
If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.
