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How to Turn On or Off Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows 10
Windows Defender Antivirus helps protect your PC against malware (malicious software) like viruses, spyware, and other potentially unwanted software. Malware can infect your PC without your knowledge: it might install itself from an email message, when you connect to the Internet, or when you install certain apps using a USB flash drive, CD, DVD, or other removable media. Some malware can also be programmed to run at unexpected times, not only when it's installed.
Windows Defender is included with Windows and helps keep malware from infecting your PC in two ways:
- Providing real-time protection. Windows Defender notifies you when malware tries to install itself or run on your PC. It also notifies you when apps try to change important settings.
- Providing anytime scanning options. Windows Defender automatically scans your PC for installed malware on a regular basis, but you can also start a scan whenever you want. Windows Defender automatically removes (or temporarily quarantines) anything that's detected during a scan.
In Windows 10 you can turn off Windows Defender real-time protection, but it will only be temporary. Windows will automatically turn real-time protection back on if it's off for a while.
Improvements in Windows Defender
For Windows 10, Microsoft has revamped Windows Defender and combined it with Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection. Unlike with Microsoft System Center 2012 R2, there will be no System Center Endpoint Protection client to deploy to Windows 10 machines because Windows Defender is built into the operating system and enabled by default.
In addition to simplified deployment, Windows Defender contains several improvements. The most important improvements to Windows Defender are:
- Early Launch Antimalware (ELAM) compatible. After Secure Boot has verified that the loading operating system is trusted, ELAM can start a registered and signed antimalware application before any other operating system components. Windows Defender is compatible with ELAM.
- Local context for detections and centralized sensory data. Unlike most antimalware software and previous versions of Windows Defender, Windows Defender in Windows 10 reports additional information about the context of discovered threats. This information includes the source of the content that contains the threat as well as the historical movement of the malware throughout the system. When collection is complete, Windows Defender reports this information (when users elect to enable cloud-based protection) and uses it to mitigate threats more quickly.
- User Account Control (UAC) integration. Windows Defender is now closely integrated with the UAC mechanism in Windows 10. Whenever a UAC request is made, Windows Defender automatically scans the threat before prompting the user, which helps prevent users from providing elevated privileges to malware.
- Simplified management. In Windows 10, you can manage Windows Defender much more easily than ever before. Manage settings through Group Policy, Intune, or Configuration Manager.
This tutorial will show you how to completely turn on or off Windows Defender for all users in Windows 10.
You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to turn on or off Windows Defender.
When you install some 3rd party antivirus (AV) programs, they may automatically turn off Windows Defender. In this case you may not be able to turn on Windows Defender again until the 3rd party AV program has been disabled (turned off) or completely uninstalled.
CONTENTS:
- Option One: To Turn On or Off Windows Defender Antivirus using Group Policy
- Option Two: To Turn On or Off Windows Defender Antivirus using a REG file
EXAMPLE: Windows Defender Turned Off
OPTION ONE
To Turn On or Off Windows Defender Antivirus using Group Policy
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Two below.
1. Open the
Local Group Policy Editor.
2. In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Defender Antivirus
3. In the right pane of
Windows Defender Antivirus in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the
Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4. Do
step 5 (on) or
step 6 (off) below for what you would like to do.
5. To Turn On Windows Defender Antivirus
A) Select (dot)
Not Configured or
Disabled, click/tap on
OK, and go to
step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured is the default setting.
6. To Turn Off Windows Defender Antivirus
A) Select (dot)
Enabled, click/tap on
OK, and go to
step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
8. If you are turning on Windows Defender, then perform either action below: (screenshots below)
9. If you like, you may also want to
hide or show the Windows Defender notification icon.
OPTION TWO
To Turn On or Off Windows Defender Antivirus using a REG file
The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender
DisableAntiSpyware DWORD
(delete) or 0 = On
1 = Off
1. Do
step 2 (on) or
step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.
2. To Turn On Windows Defender Antivirus
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to
step 4 below.
Turn_On_Windows_Defender_Antivirus.reg
3. To Turn Off Windows Defender Antivirus
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to
step 4 below.
Turn_Off_Windows_Defender_Antivirus.reg
Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6. When prompted, click/tap on
Run,
Yes (
UAC),
Yes, and
OK to approve the merge.
7. If you are
turning off Windows Defender Antivirus,
sign out and
sign in to apply.
8. If you like, you may also want to
hide or show the Windows Defender notification icon.
9. If you like, you can now delete the downloaded .reg file.
That's it,
Shawn
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