Turn off Defender antivirus protection in Windows Security (2024)

Security Windows 11 Windows 10 More...Less

Follow these steps to temporarily turn off real-time Microsoft Defender antivirus protection in Windows Security. However, keep in mind that if you do,yourdevice may be vulnerable to threats.

  1. Select Start and type "Windows Security" to search for that app.

  2. Select the Windows Security app from the search results, go to Virus & threat protection, and under Virus & threat protection settings select Manage settings.

  3. Switch Real-time protection to Off. Note that scheduled scans will continue to run. However, files that are downloaded or installed will not be scanned until the next scheduled scan.

Notes:

How malware can infect your PC

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Turn off Defender antivirus protection in Windows Security (2024)

FAQs

Turn off Defender antivirus protection in Windows Security? ›

In Safe mode, rename the registry key

Once you have entered Safe mode, open the registry editor – press WinKey + R , type regedit and hit Enter . Right-click the HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinDefend key and rename it to WinDefend-BLOCKED!! . That's it!

How do I disable Windows Defender in Windows 10 Safe Mode? ›

In Safe mode, rename the registry key

Once you have entered Safe mode, open the registry editor – press WinKey + R , type regedit and hit Enter . Right-click the HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinDefend key and rename it to WinDefend-BLOCKED!! . That's it!

Why does Windows Defender keep turning on? ›

But Windows Defender may automatically turn on when your PC is idle or when an external malware threat inbreaks your machine. To stop Windows Defender from turning back on, the best way is to install third-party antivirus software to replace Windows Defender.

How to turn on Windows Defender in Windows 10? ›

Turn on real-time and cloud-delivered protection
  1. Open the Windows Security app.
  2. Select Virus & threat protection.
  3. Under Virus & threat protection settings, select Manage settings.
  4. Flip each switch under Real-time protection and Cloud-delivered protection to turn them on.
May 15, 2024

How to turn off real-time protection permanently in Windows 10? ›

To permanently disable real-time protection:
  1. Open Local Group Policy Editor (type gpedit in the search box).
  2. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Defender Antivirus > Real-time Protection.
  3. Enable "Turn off real-time protection".
  4. Reboot.
Nov 30, 2022

Can you completely turn off Windows Defender? ›

Microsoft Defender can be disabled in Settings, but will turn back on automatically when you restart your computer. If you want to turn off Defender permanently, you'll need to install a different antivirus program.

What is the command to disable Windows Defender? ›

Disabling Windows Defender Manually

If you have PowerShell, run the following command: Uninstall-WindowsFeature -Name Windows-Defender.

How do I stop Windows Defender from running constantly? ›

  1. Run Settings > Privacy & security > Windows Security.
  2. Click "Virus & threat protection"
  3. In the Virus & threat protection window, under "Virus & threat protection settings" click "Manage settings"
  4. In the Virus & threat protection settings window, set "Real-time protection" and "Dev Drive protection" to Off.
Jan 7, 2024

How to stop Windows Defender pop-up? ›

Remove Windows Defender pop-up from Chrome
  1. Click on the three dots at the top right corner.
  2. Choose “Settings”.
  3. Click “Advanced ” in the bottom left of the window.
  4. Press ”Reset and clean up”.
  5. Choose “Restore settings to their original defaults”.
  6. Click “Reset settings”.
Nov 15, 2023

Why do I keep getting Windows Defender security warning? ›

Final Verdict. Microsoft windows defender security warning is a phishing scam used to get into the device and threaten users to steal data or money. It seems legitimate but dangerous malware, so do not call or click on any link from it. We can quickly eliminate it by resetting the browser settings or using an antivirus ...

Where is Windows Defender in settings? ›

Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security and then Virus & threat protection.

How do I turn off antivirus? ›

Windows
  1. Select your antivirus program.
  2. Right-click on the program, then select Shut Down Protection or something similar.
  3. If prompted to confirm, click Yes.
Aug 8, 2023

Is there a fake Windows Security alert? ›

The Windows Defender warning you see on the browser is a scam, identified and exposed by security professionals. Illegitimate actors are using this scam to gain valuable information about the victims, such as bank and personal details.

How do I turn off my Microsoft Defender firewall? ›

Go to Start and open Control Panel. Select System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall. Choose Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off. Select Turn on Windows Defender Firewall for domain, private, and public network settings.

How do I turn off Windows Defender auto scan? ›

On the Windows taskbar, click the Start button, and then click the Settings icon. In the Settings window, click Update & Security/Privacy & Security. Click Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Microsoft Defender Antivirus options. Under Periodic Scanning, click on the selector to turn it Off.

How do I disable Windows Defender in the registry? ›

Open the Registry Editor and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender. Right-click on the right window and select New > DWORD > 32-bit Value. Name the new DWORD DisableRealtimeMonitoring. Set the Value data to 1 to disable and delete the DWORD you created to enable.

How to disable Windows Defender in Windows 10 temporarily? ›

Turn off Defender antivirus protection in Windows Security
  1. Select Start and type "Windows Security" to search for that app.
  2. Select the Windows Security app from the search results, go to Virus & threat protection, and under Virus & threat protection settings select Manage settings.
  3. Switch Real-time protection to Off.

Can you disable safe mode in Windows 10? ›

Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog, then type "msconfig" and press Enter. In the System Configuration window, go to the "Boot" tab and uncheck the "Safe boot" option. Click Apply and OK, and then restart your computer. This should boot your system into normal mode.

How do I turn off the Windows Defender firewall on Windows 10? ›

Go to Start and open Control Panel. Select System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall. Choose Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.

How to remove Windows Defender security warning Windows 10? ›

Open the Windows Security app by clicking the shield icon in the task bar or searching the start menu for Security. Scroll to the Notifications section and select Change notification settings. Slide the switch to Off or On to disable or enable additional notifications.

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