Need help installing MS Defender for users (Licenses are active)

Question

Hello,

I have 5 employees that I need to install MS defender. I have verified all have active licenses. I download Defender, try to login, and error states "You must use a personal or school account."

I have been trying this for hours now. I have even signed in as a user under myapps.microsoft.com

My goal: Install MS defnder on each persons laptop. 4 macs, and one Windows 11 computer. Please help!

[Moved from Microsoft 365 and Office | Microsoft 365 Defender | Other | MacOS]

Answer 1

Hey there, Mykel G

Please be aware that there are two different versions of Microsoft Defender products that are available. One is for consumers and school accounts and the other is Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, which is for businesses and organisations.

I have 5 employees that I need to install MS defender. I have verified all have active licenses. I download Defender, try to login, and error states "You must use a personal or school account."

From the message you have written above, it shows you have been trying to get your employees to sign into the consumer Microsoft Defender product with their organisational account. This is why they are getting the error you referenced above.

Instead, please can you sign into your account here: https://security.microsoft.com

You will need to onboard the devices and download the correct defender for the device. This article explains how you can do this: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-endpoint/onboard-client

For the Windows 11 device, please be aware that Windows 11 already has Microsoft Defender installed already which will use their Microsoft personal account used to set up Windows 11. You can learn more about what is included in this version here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/account-billing/stay-protected-on-windows-11-with-smart-security-features-5965fb4f-7a5a-418f-95a7-2fc2e63ecb5a

These two versions are similar and there is more protection in the enterprise version you want them to download. So once you have onboarded the device through the portal, there is nothing more that needs to be done. The user doesn't need to download anything.

For the users using Mac's, once you have enrolled their device, they must download the Defender for endpoint installer from the onboarding page. Once they have installed it onto their device, they can then set up Microsoft defender.

Please be aware this workflow has changed and is now in public preview.

Hope this information helps,
Nathan