Microsoft Defender for Business is now in preview, and will roll out gradually to customers and IT Partners who sign-up here to request it. We will onboard an initial set of customers and partners in the coming weeks and will expand the preview leading up to general availability. Note that preview will launch with an initial set of scenarios, and we will be adding capabilities regularly.
Some information in this article relates to prereleased products/services that might be substantially modified before they are commercially released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, for the information provided here.
Use this article to get answers to questions you might have about Defender for Business (preview).
I have Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Plan 2. Why am I not seeing Microsoft Defender for Business in my portal?
Currently, whenever a customer has multiple subscriptions, the highest subscription takes precedence. If you have Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 (purchased or trial subscription), and you get Microsoft Defender for Business (preview), Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 takes precedence. In this case, you will not see the Defender for Business (preview) experience.
What are the differences between Defender for Business and Defender for Endpoint Plans 1 and 2?
Defender for Business (preview) was designed for small and medium-sized businesses (up to 300 employees). With a simplified configuration process and device onboarding options, Defender for Business (preview) enables customers who do not necessarily have a security background to set up, configure, and use Defender for Business (preview).
Both Defender for Business (preview) and Defender for Endpoint provide strong threat protection capabilities for your company’s endpoints. To learn more about the differences, see Compare Microsoft Defender for Business (preview) to Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
How do I sign up for the preview of Defender for Business?
Visit https://aka.ms/MDB-Preview to apply for the preview program. To learn more, see How to get Microsoft Defender for Business (preview).
Are there any prerequisites for Defender for Business preview?
Your company should be one of the following:
- A partner who offers IT services to small and medium-sized businesses
- A small or medium-sized business with up to 300 employees
You do not already have to have another Microsoft 365 subscription.
What will the licensing model be at GA?
When Microsoft Defender for Business reaches general availability (GA), it will be included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
For customers who do not have Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Defender for Business will be available as a standalone plan.
If I am already using Microsoft 365 Business Premium, why do I need Defender for Business?
Microsoft 365 Business Premium currently includes Microsoft Defender Antivirus, next-generation protection for Windows devices. Defender for Business (preview) extends these capabilities with threat & vulnerability management, attack surface reduction capabilities, endpoint detection and response, and automated investigation and response.