Applies to: Sophos Home for Windows
Computers running Sophos Home are protected by its real-time features, which will detect and stop threats as they try to access the system. User can also run a manual scan to ensure the system is healthy if an infection is suspected.
A full system scan inspects all files and folders in your computer, this could take a while depending on how many files you have. If using external drives, consider removing them, and scanning them with a right-click scan.
A Fast Scan inspects system files , and will focus on system integrity.
Scans can be started in different ways. See below for options:
Instructions
Fast Scan via Sophos Home Dashboard
- Access your Sophos Home Dashboard
- Click the computer that you wish to scan.
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Click the Scan button to start the scan on the computer, and then click Scan again when presented with the device offline message.
Sophos Home Dashboard - Computer view:
Offline message (this appears by default):
Note: The message "If the device is offline it will be scanned when it is back online." is a static message and will not change. It is there to let you know that "IF" your device is offline when you press the scan button, the scan will start once your computer is back online.
If your device is currently online the scan will start after a few seconds. You can verify this by clicking on the Sophos Home shield in the system tray.
- Upon completion, the scan will appear on your Sophos Home Dashboard under New Activity tab:
Full Scan via the Antivirus
The Scan Computer button performs a full scan that inspects all files and folders in your computer.
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Double-click on the Sophos Home shield on the system tray.
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Click on Scan computer button.
- A scan progress window will appear and provide details of completion when finished
Right-Click Scan
A right-click scan allows to perform on-demand scans on files, folders and drives, including external drives.
- Open File Explorer or Navigate to the Folder location you want to scan
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Right-click on This PC to scan your system, OR on any file or folder you wish to scan in the left panel then select Scan with Sophos Home.
IMPORTANT: Windows 11 users must click Show More options (or Shift-Right-Click on the file/folder) to find the option. - Accept the user account control message:
- A scan progress window will appear and provide details of completion when finished
Scheduling scans
- Sign in to your Sophos Home dashboard.
- Click the computer that you wish to scan.
- Navigate to PROTECTION ---> General --> Scheduled scan
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Click on the slider to enable the scan and choose the desired date/time.
- Upon completion, the scan will appear in your Sophos Home Dashboard
Note: Scheduled scans will show on the Sophos Home dashboard on completion - The computer must be connected to the internet and not asleep for the scan to take place. If the machine is offline/asleep, then the scheduled scan will not run. Another scan will be attempted on the next scheduled day/time.