Windows Defender is a free antivirus program that comes pre-installed by Microsoft on Windows 10 to protect your computer from viruses, rootkits, spyware, and other types of malicious code.
Windows Defender is considered one of the most reliable antivirus software . Windows Defender runs in the background on your computer, but it will automatically disable itself if it detects any other security software installed on your computer.
For some reason, you need to completely disable Windows Defender on Windows 10? There are several ways to disable Windows Defender on Windows 10 , please see the detailed instructions below. On the new version of Windows 10, Windows Defender has been renamed to Windows Security, you will also find how to disable Windows Security in this article.
Quick look at ways to turn off Windows Defender (Windows Security)
Windows Defender provides maximum protection when cloud-based protection is enabled. Windows Defender runs in the background and alerts you when you need to take specific action. There are several ways to disable Windows Defender, one of which is by tweaking the Registry.
However, when you want to disable Windows Defender on multiple computers in a domain, the group policy approach is best. If you are using System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager and Microsoft Intune, these can provide centralized management of Windows Defender, including:
Disable Windows Defender using Group Policy as follows:
Launch the Group Policy Management console. Right-click the domain and click Create a GPO in this domain and link it here. Provide a name for the GPO, and then click OK.
Once the policy is created, right-click on it and click Edit. This will bring up the Group Policy Management Editor . Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender .
Find the "Turn Off Windows Defender" policy setting . Right-click on the policy setting and click Edit.
In the Turn off Windows Defender policy setting , click Enabled. This policy setting disables Windows Defender. Click OK and close the Group Policy Management console.
On the client, we see that the group policy has been applied. When the user tries to open Windows Defender, it will show a box saying “ This application is turned off by group policy”. In case you want to enable Windows Defender, edit the policy and simply change the status of that policy from Enabled to Not Configured or Disabled.
If you are using Windows 10 Home , you cannot access the Local Group Policy Editor. However, you can still disable Windows Defender using the Registry .
Note:
Before performing the steps below, you should back up the Registry to avoid bad situations.
1. Press the Windows + R key combination to open the Run command window , then type regedit and press Enter (or click OK) to open the Registry.
2. On the Registry window, navigate to the key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender
3. If you don't find DWORD DisableAntiSpyware , right-click any empty space, then select New => DWORD (32-bit) Value .
4. Name this new key DisableAntiSpyware .
5. Double click on the new key you just created, set the value in the Value Data box from 0 to 1 .
6. Restart your computer to complete the process.
In case you want to re-enable Windows Defender, you perform the same steps, and in step 5 you set the value in the Value Data frame from 1 to 0 , restart your computer to apply the changes.
From Windows 10 version 1803 and above , follow these instructions to temporarily disable Windows Defender:
Type Windows Defender Security Center in the search box to open Windows Defender Security Center, click the Settings icon in the lower left corner.
Scroll down and click on Virus & threat protection settings :
Turn off Real-time protection .
If you are using an older version of Windows 10 and want to temporarily disable Windows Defender, follow the steps below:
1. Open the Settings app .
2. On the Settings window, find and click Update & security .
3. Next click on Windows Defender .
4. Switch the Real-time protection option status to OFF .
Depending on your computer usage habits, you can choose the appropriate way to disable Windows Defender. However, it should be noted that although Windows Defender is not a powerful antivirus software, it also helps detect and prevent some common viruses, so you should only disable Windows Defender when you intend to install another antivirus application.
In addition to the familiar antivirus software, Windows Vista and above computers already have Windows Defender antivirus. This tool will protect your computer in real time, preventing your computer from viruses or other threats.
However, users do not always need to use Windows Defender, or Windows Defender conflicts with other security tools so they want to turn them off. Instead of having to turn them off manually in the Settings interface, we can use the Defender Control tool and Winaero Tweaker to quickly turn on and off Windows Defender with a simple mouse click.
Use Defender Control
Step 1:
Users access the link below to download the Windows Defender tool to their computer.
Step 2:
Download the zip file to your computer and unzip it. In the unzipped folder, click on the exe file to launch the Defender Control software.
We do not need to perform many installation steps like other tools. The Defender Control icon will also appear under the system tray.
The main interface of Defender Control will be as below. With green color representing the active status of Windows Defender. Disable Windows Defender to turn off the security program and Enable Windows Defender to turn it back on.
Step 3:
The interface when Windows Defender is off will turn red .
When checking Windows Defender again in the Settings interface, users will also see a notification to turn the tool back on.
If the Defender Control interface turns yellow , Windows Defender cannot function because real-time protection is disabled on your computer.
Step 4:
When right-clicking on the Defender Control icon in the system tray, users also have 4 different options.
Step 5:
In addition, in the tool interface, clicking Open Security Center will quickly open the Windows Defender interface. Click the Menu button and select Defender Settings to open the Windows Defender interface in Settings.
In addition, here we will have the options Hide Windows on Startup and Hide When Minimized to hide windows when starting or when minimizing.
Defender Control helps users quickly activate Windows Defender right on the tool's interface without having to activate it manually. The software is lightweight and does not require many installation steps.
Using Winaero Tweaker
In addition to Defender Control, you can also use Winaero Tweaker to disable Windows Defender. Winaero Tweaker is a free tool that does not include ads, tracking, or any data collection methods. It includes a lot of different features and customizations.
Step 1:
You access the link below to download the latest version of Winaero Tweaker:
Step 2:
After downloading, unzip the .Zip file and double-click the Winaero Tweaker.exe file to install.
Step 3:
After installation is complete, you will see the interface of Winaero Tweaker tool like this. Note that in this guide WebTech360 operates on Windows 11 but this tool works well with both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Step 4:
You open Windows Security (Windows Defender) on Windows then turn off Tamper Protection . If you do not turn off Tamper Protection you will not be able to disable Windows Defender.
Step 5:
Go back to the Winaero Tweaker tool and scroll down to find the Windows Defender section. Click on the Disable Windows Defender option and then check the check mark next to the Disable Windows Defender option in the right box.
Step 6:
You restart your computer to confirm the changes.
As mentioned above, Winaero Tweaker tool also has some other attractive features such as:
For Windows 11
Note:
Windows Defender AV and the Windows Security app use similarly named services for specific purposes.
The Windows Security application uses the Windows Security Service (SecurityHealthService or Windows Security Health Service), and then uses the Security Center service (wscsvc) to ensure that the application provides the most up-to-date information about the protection status on the endpoint, including protection provided by third-party antivirus products, Windows Defender Firewall , third-party firewalls, and other security measures.
These services do not affect the state of Windows Defender AV. Disabling or modifying these services will not disable Windows Defender AV and result in a lower protection state on the endpoint, even if you are using a third-party antivirus product.
Windows Defender AV will be automatically turned off when a third-party antivirus product is installed and updated.
Disabling the Windows Security Center service will not turn off Windows Defender AV or Windows Defender Firewall.
The downloadable file below will modify the DWORD values in the following registry keys:
(Service Windows Defender Security Center)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SecurityHealthService(Service Security Center)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wscsvcDWORD Start
2 = On
4 = Off
B1: To disable Windows Security for all users, download this Disable_Windows_Defender_Security_Center.reg file .
B2: Save the .reg file to the desktop.
B3: Double-click the downloaded .reg file to merge.
B4: When prompted, click Run > Yes (UAC) > Yes > OK to approve the merge.
B5: Restart your computer to apply the changes.
B6: Now, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you want.
Besides the direct methods of disabling Windows Defender (recently renamed Microsoft Defender Antivirus), you can also indirectly disable Windows Defender by installing another antivirus software. This method is quite simple because when you install another antivirus, Windows Defender will automatically stop its activities.
To turn off Windows Defender using other antivirus software, follow these steps:
After you install the antivirus software, Windows 10's built-in antivirus (Windows Defender) will be disabled. Windows 10 will use the antivirus software you installed as default.
To check, follow these steps:
* Use a third-party antivirus tool instead
If you choose to disable Microsoft Defender, you should install another antivirus program to protect your computer from viruses and malware. Here are some third-party options to consider:
Norton 360 with LifeLock Select ($149.99/year, $99.48 for the first year): While it's been a long-standing name when it comes to antivirus software, Norton Security is still a top-rated option. A subscription to this all-in-one antivirus includes malware and virus protection for your PC and phone, 100GB of cloud backup, a secure VPN, a password manager, and more.
Bitdefender Antivirus (free version available, paid versions starting at $29.99 for the first year): A more affordable option for security software, Bitdefender's free version for Windows PCs offers real-time protection against viruses, malware, and spyware. Paid versions protect more devices and give you a secure VPN.
McAfee Total Protection (starting at $84.99/year, $34.99 for the first year): Another veteran in the cybersecurity world, McAfee continues to score high marks for protection and performance from independent labs. With a paid subscription, you get virus and ransomware protection for unlimited devices (depending on the plan you choose), along with a password manager.
Overall, there are many outstanding antivirus software that are worthy alternatives to Microsoft Defender Antivirus. However, Windows 10's built-in antivirus is still considered one of the best antivirus browsers for Windows 10 users today.
Typically, this antivirus will block the installation of software from a lesser-known developer because it considers the program suspicious. Anyone who uses legitimate third-party applications will find this annoying. For example, it can be frustrating when custom software that you use for work and that you know poses no threat to your system keeps giving you warnings from your built-in antivirus.
You may have other reasons to disable Windows Defender temporarily or permanently, even though Windows Defender provides one of the best antivirus solutions for Microsoft's operating system. For example, the program may consume too many system resources on a low-end PC.
If your device is not at risk of malware, you can disable Microsoft Defender Antivirus. However, be very cautious before making this decision and always have an additional anti-malware program (one of the suggestions we have given above) available. We strongly recommend that you do so to keep your computer protected.
You may not need Windows Defender because you're using an antivirus solution from another developer. That's okay, because these programs will often perform better than Microsoft's original program.
1. Is it safe to permanently disable Windows Defender?
The answer is yes. However, you should enable another antivirus program right away. Windows Defender is designed to protect you from the moment you start using Windows, but you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to. That’s why you should leave Windows Defender running until you’re ready to install something else.
Even if you're extremely careful, chances are you'll come across a virus at some point. It's much easier to block viruses than to try to get rid of them.
2. Does Windows Defender make your PC run slower?
Unless you’re running a full system scan, you shouldn’t notice any real noticeable performance impact. In fact, Windows Defender uses fewer system resources than most other antivirus applications. If your PC is running slow, check Task Manager to see what’s running and using the most resources. It could actually be a sign of a virus infection that’s bypassing Windows Defender or another antivirus application you’ve installed.
3. Will installing another antivirus application disable Windows Defender?
This is partly true. Windows Defender can still perform regular scans and will receive regular updates. However, Windows defaults to the antivirus program you choose. For example, when you install Malwarebytes, Windows automatically turns off real-time protection in Windows Defender but keeps regular scans enabled.
If you want to disable Windows Defender, you will need to perform the above options.
4. Is it safe to run Windows Defender with another antivirus application?
Yes. The two programs rarely interfere with each other. Just make sure that they don't both try to run a scan at the same time, as this can affect your PC's performance. Think of Windows Defender as a backup antivirus. However, disabling it won't hurt either. Feel free to use the antivirus of your choice.
Good luck!
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