How to Permanently Disable Windows Defender on Windows 11/10

"Highlight Moments"

• Windows comes with a built-in antivirus tool called Windows Defender that is designed to protect your computer from external threats.
• How well does Windows Defender perform? Is it enough to keep your data secure? In reality, many Windows users are wondering how to disable Windows Defender permanently.
• Windows Defender is not the only solution for safeguarding your data. To provide extra protection for your computer, we recommend using free backup software like Todo Backup.

3 Ways to Completely Disable Windows Defender

There is no option to remove or uninstall Defender provided by Microsoft. If you disable it normally, it will turn back on automatically as a safety measure. As such, you'll have to take extra steps to disable Windows Defender. We'll show you three ways you can do this.

1. Method 1: Using Group Policy Editor 2. Method 2: Using Registry Editor 3. Method 3: Using the Command Prompt

Before making any changes to Windows Defender or its files, you must disable tamper protection. Tamper protection is a Windows setting that limits changes to Microsoft Defender made by other apps.

Go to Settings > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Virus & threat protection settings > Manage settings > Turn off malware protection.

Method 1: Using the Group Policy Editor

Group Policy Editor is a tool used to change and customize settings in the Windows operating system. Since we can't uninstall Windows Defender, we can make some adjustments in the Group Policy Editor to disable it. Please follow these instructions:

Step 1. Press Win + R to open the "Run" dialog, type gpedit.msc, and click OK.

2. Open the "Local Group Policy Editor," and then click on "Computer Configuration" from the welcome screen.

Step 3. Navigate to the following path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

Double-click “Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus” .

Step 4. Double-click “Turn off Microsoft Defender Antivirus” to open it.

5. Click Turn Off to enable it, and then turn off the Windows Firewall.

<IMAGE> Select Enable </IMAGE>

6. Click “Apply” and then “OK.” Restart your computer to see the changes.

You can share this article on your social media platforms.

Method 2: Use the Registry Editor

If you're using Windows 11 Home, you won't have access to the Group Policy Editor. However, you can adjust some settings in the Registry to disable Microsoft Defender on Windows.

Important: The Registry Editor contains vital files that are needed to run your Windows operating system and its features. It is highly recommended to back up your registry and create a System Restore point first, just in case.

Follow these steps to disable Microsoft Defender:

Step 1. Press Windows + S, then type Regedit. You'll see the "Registry Editor" app, and click Run as administrator.

2. In the Registry Editor window, paste the following path into the address bar:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

3. Right-click in the empty space and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

4. Right-click the newly created DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it DisableAntivirus.

Step 5: Double-click DisableAntivirus, change the Value data to 1, and select Hexadecimal as the Base.

Change the "Value" data to 1:

6. Click “OK,” then close the Registry Editor. Restart your computer to apply the changes.

After the restart, open Windows Security and navigate to Virus & threat protection settings. You'll see No active antivirus provider. Your device is at risk. Click OK.

Method 3: Using CMD

You can also disable Defender Antivirus through the Command Prompt. You'll need to paste a registry modification command that will remove the antivirus from your device. Here's how:

Step 1. Search for "Command Prompt," and run it as an administrator.

2. Type the following command and press Enter.

To disable the anti-spyware functionality of Microsoft Defender, run the following command: `reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender" /v DisableAntiSpyware /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f` Please note that disabling Microsoft Defender leaves your system more vulnerable to threats. It's recommended to use an alternative antivirus solution if you choose to do so.

Please enter a command and press Enter:

If successful, you will see the message Action completed successfully..

Step 4. Close the CMD, then restart your system.

Tip: To keep your data safe, back up your PC regularly.

Even with advanced antivirus software, your device is still vulnerable to external threats. This is why you must always back up your data for emergencies. Whether it's a security breach, hardware or hard drive failure, or physical damage, you can lose your data. Thus, a reliable backup software like Todo Backup ensures your data is safe under all circumstances.

Todo Backup is an excellent backup tool that helps you create a full system backup for various emergencies. It allows you to back up files, disks, and computer applications, and can also create a <a href="/backup-recovery/create-system-image-windows-11-on-usb.html">system image on a USB</a>. With advanced backup, cloning, and recovery options, the software is a comprehensive backup and recovery solution for both personal and business use.

[Other features of Todo Backup]

• Install Windows 11 on a new PC without an operating system
• Create full backups, incremental backups, differential backups, scheduled backups, and automatic backups
• Perform sector-by-sector backups and compress backups
• Offer 250GB of free cloud storage and a secure zone to ensure data safety
• Make hard drive images, and create SD card images

And, for extra safety, you can encrypt your data in the safe space. Download the tool now and back up your computer.

Step 1: Launch Todo Backup and click "Create Backup" on the main interface, then click the big question mark to select the contents to backup.

2. To back up your Windows operating system, click Operating System to begin the backup.

Step 3: All system-related files and partitions will be selected automatically; you won't have to do it manually. Then, click on the designated area to choose a location to save the system image backup.

**Step 4.** You can choose another local drive on your computer, an external hard drive, a network, cloud storage, or a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device as the backup location. Typically, we recommend using a physical external drive or the cloud to save your system image files.

5. If you're interested, you can customize settings like daily, weekly, monthly, or event-triggered backups, as well as differential and incremental backups. Click "Options," then click "Back up now" for the Windows backup process to begin. The finished backup task will appear as a card on the left side.

Why Disable Windows Defender on Windows 10/11?

Microsoft Defender is an excellent antivirus solution built into the Windows ecosystem that keeps your system secure from malware, viruses, and external threats, whether you're online or offline. You can keep your system safe for free without investing in third-party apps. So, why would you want to turn off or disable Defender on your Windows system?

Here are some reasons why you might want to disable Windows Defender:

1. When you attempt to install a third-party antivirus, such as TotalAV, compatibility issues might arise with Defender (Windows Defender). 2. If Defender incorrectly flags a legitimate website or application as a threat and blocks access to it. 3. Windows Defender might conflict with certain critical system settings, as it could be identified as a potential threat, leading to configuration conflicts. 4. Lastly, if you are dissatisfied with the built-in antivirus capabilities of Windows.

In short

While Windows Defender is built into Windows and designed to protect it, there are ways to disable it. This article will show you how to permanently disable Windows Defender using three methods. Apart from an antivirus, the best way to protect your data from external threats is by creating backups with a reliable backup tool, such as Norton Backup. Download it now and quickly make a backup of your system.

**Q: What is Windows Defender?** A: Windows Defender is a built-in antivirus and security service provided by Microsoft, designed to protect the Windows operating system from malware and other potential security threats. **Q: Why would someone want to disable Windows Defender?** A: Some people might choose to disable Windows Defender if they use other third-party security software or encounter conflicts or performance issues during specific system optimizations or troubleshooting. **Q: How do I temporarily disable Windows Defender in Windows 10?** A: 1. Open Settings. 2. Go to Update & Security. 3. Select Windows Security. 4. Click on Virus & threat protection. 5. Under Virus & threat protection settings, click Manage settings. 6. Turn off the Real-time protection switch. **Q: How do I permanently disable Windows Defender in Windows 10?** A: It's not recommended to permanently disable Windows Defender as it compromises your system's security. However, if you insist, you can create a Group Policy: 1. Press `Win + R` to open the Run dialog, type `gpedit.msc`, and hit Enter. 2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus. 3. Double-click on "Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus." 4. Choose "Enabled," then click "Apply" and "OK." **Q: How do I re-enable Windows Defender after disabling it?** A: To re-enable Windows Defender, simply follow the above steps but select "Disabled" for the "Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus" setting. Please note that disabling Windows Defender may leave your system vulnerable to potential threats, so it's advised to maintain some form of security protection.

Here are some common questions about how to permanently disable Windows Defender. Hopefully, these will be helpful to you.

< b > Why can't I turn off Windows Defender? < /b >

Microsoft assumes that if you turn off Windows Defender, your system might be at risk. So, as a safety measure, it turns on the Defender after some time automatically.

How do I temporarily disable Windows Defender Antivirus?

• Open Settings and go to Windows Security.
• Navigate to Virus & threat protection > Virus & threat protection settings > Manage settings.
• Turn off Real-time protection.

Can I turn off Windows Defender?

Yes, but only if you have another antivirus program installed on your device. If you disable Windows Defender without having any other antivirus software, your device will be vulnerable to viruses, ransomware, and malware.

4. How can I reactivate Windows Defender? To reactivate Windows Defender, follow these steps: 1. Press the `Win + X` keys on your keyboard and select "Control Panel" from the "Windows System" menu. 2. In the Control Panel, choose "System and Security." 3. On the "System and Security" page, click "Windows Defender." 4. In the Windows Defender window, ensure you are signed in with a Microsoft account. If not, sign in. 5. Click on the "Real-time protection" or "Settings" option from the left-hand menu. 6. Check if "Real-time protection" is turned off. If it is, enable the checkbox for "Turn on real-time protection." 7. If another antivirus software is conflicting and disabling Windows Defender, you may need to uninstall that software before reactivating Windows Defender. 8. After completing these steps, restart your computer for the changes to take effect. Please note that the steps might vary slightly depending on your version of Windows. If you're using Windows 10 or a newer version, try the following: 1. Press `Win + I` to open "Settings." 2. Click on "Update & Security." 3. Select "Windows Security." 4. From the left menu, click "Virus & threat protection." 5. On the right side, find "Virus & threat protection settings" and then click "Manage settings." 6. Ensure "Real-time protection" and other protective features are enabled. 7. Restart your computer to ensure Windows Defender is running properly. If the above steps don't resolve the issue, you may need to contact the Microsoft support team for further assistance.

Open Settings, then navigate to Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Virus & threat protection settings > Manage settings. Turn on the Real-time protection switch.