Guide: How to Enable/Disable Defender on Windows 10 PC
Windows Defender, a preinstalled antivirus program, offers comprehensive protection for your PC against malicious threats such as viruses, ransomware and spyware.
At times, you may need to turn off Windows Defender temporarily or permanently. This could be necessary if a task conflicts with the software, requiring it to be disabled in order to proceed.
Disabling Windows Defender can be difficult for those not using Windows 10 Pro, but it can be done. Let’s explore how.
Disable Windows Defender
Disabling Microsoft Defender can be done in two ways: through Windows Security or Group Policy.
Windows security
Step 1
Open the Start menu, then search for Windows security and select the top result.
Ensure ‘Virus and threat protection’ is selected, then click ‘Manage settings’ in the corresponding section.
Step 2
To disable Windows Defender, simply click the button under “Real-time protection” to turn it off. This will enable users to install software and make system changes that were previously blocked by the antivirus program.
You can turn protection back on by following the same steps.
Group Policy
Windows 10 Pro users can permanently disable Windows Defender using the Local Group Policy Editor.
To ensure your system is protected from unauthorized changes, you must disable Tamper Protection, a feature available since January. It’s important to note that the Defender will automatically turn back on after a reboot if Tamper Protection is not disabled.
Step 1
To protect your computer from viruses, open Windows Security and go to the Virus & Threat Protection Settings to manage your settings.
Step 2
To turn off Windows Defender’s native antivirus, users must access Group Policy and disable Tamper Protection.
Step 3
Users can access the Local Group Policy Editor by going to the Start menu and searching for gpedit.msc. From there, they should navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update.
Administrators can now access Windows Defender Antivirus settings through the Computer Configuration section of their system.
Step 4
To turn off Windows Defender, double-click on “Disable Windows Defender Antivirus” and select “Enabled.” Despite seeming counterintuitive, the Help section confirms this is the correct action.
Apply the changes, then restart your PC.
Important notes
Windows’ built-in antivirus will remain disabled, but the shield icon in the taskbar will remain visible as a reminder of its security features.
To enable the antivirus program, select ‘Not Configured’ instead of ‘Enabled’, reactivate Tamper Protection and restart your PC.
Bonus method
Non-Windows 10 Pro users can’t access the Local Group Policy Editor, but they can still permanently disable Windows Defender by using the Windows Registry.
Step 1
To begin, turn off Tamper Protection to ensure the desired changes can be made.
The “TamperProtection Registry” key can be found in the following path.
Using the key to operate this system is straightforward, but changing it is not. Therefore, disabling Tamper Protection with the key is not advised.
Step 2
Type “regedit” into the Start menu to access the Registry Editor. Navigate to the desired option.
Right-click on Windows Defender and create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Step 3
To disable anti-spyware on your PC, type “DisableAntiSpyware” into the Value Name box, change the Value data to 1, and click OK. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Things to know
Disabling Windows Defender will deactivate the built-in antivirus protection on your computer, but you can still stay secure if you use an alternative security program.
To reenable Windows Defender, delete the DisableAntiSpyware key from the registry.
Windows Defender Antivirus, formerly known as Windows Defender, has had its name changed since January. Despite this, the steps to disable it remain the same.
The Defender, a major software update away from being reactivated, can be turned off by following a few simple steps.
Safety first
Disabling Windows Defender requires more than a few steps, but it doesn’t require much technical expertise.
Do you find your PC running slower when Windows Defender is on? Share your experience in the comments below.
How to Enable/Disable Defender on Windows 10 PC: benefits
Faq
Final note
The Windows 10 Defender security feature can be easily enabled or disabled with this guide. If you have any questions, please reach out for help. Share the guide with your friends to spread the word.
Have a query about enabling or disabling Windows Defender on your Windows 10 PC? Need help correcting misinformation or adding an alternate method? Contact us via our contact page, social media accounts, or Telegram channel. We’re here to help and answer questions within 24-48 hours (weekends excluded).
