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Have you noticed that the virus protection on your Windows 11 keeps turning off, and you're looking for a solution to the "Windows 11 Virus Protection turned off" issue? Windows Defender in Windows 11 is a crucial tool that provides real-time protection against threats like spyware, viruses, ransomware, and malware. It also offers several scanning options to safeguard your computer, such as custom scans, quick scans, and full scans.
However, sometimes antivirus programs might malfunction and stop working as intended. Because of this, you might encounter the following issue: Virus protection keeps turning off on Windows 11! Also, this is a pretty common occurrence that can happen at any time. Therefore, this article aims to provide you with detailed information about the problem and 6 different methods to fix the Windows 11 Defender not working or keeps turning off issue. Let's dive right in!
Why does Windows 11 turn off virus protection automatically?
The unexpected shutdown of Windows Defender in Windows 11 can pose a threat to your online security. Various reasons contribute to the issue of Windows Defender constantly turning off in Windows 11. Hence, here are some primary causes:
Software Clash
Built-in virus protection might be disabled or blocked due to software conflicts. You might have other antivirus software running in the background on your Windows 11 computer.
Related reading: Windows 11 Virus and Threat Protection not working
Current vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system
Certain bugs present in Windows 11 might also cause the antivirus to turn off, which could affect the proper functioning of Windows Defender.
Solutions to Fix Windows 11 Defender Constantly Turning Off
If your Windows 11 security features have been disabled automatically, here are some top methods to fix the issue of Windows 11 virus protection turned off. If you've already tried restarting Windows Defender with no change, these are the renowned methods you must try.
Method 1: Reset Windows Defender
If the Threat and Virus Protection in Windows 11 remains turned off or if Windows Defender fails to start, resetting this built-in software to its default factory state is your best bet.
Step 1: Open the Windows 11 Settings using Win + I, and then click on Apps > Apps & features.
Step 2: Find “Windows Security,” click the ellipsis, and select “Advanced settings” from the drop-down menu.
Step Three: Go to the “Reset” section, and click the “Repair” button. If that doesn't work, click “Reset.”
Click the Reset button. 
Method 2: Disable the Anti-Spyware
The Antispyware Service file has long been a thorn in the side of Windows Defender. While it's not possible to uninstall Antispyware from a Windows PC, it can be disabled by compressing its registry value. Here's how:
Step 1: Quickly open the Run dialog box using the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut.
Step 2: Type "regedit" and press Enter. This will open the Registry Editor.
Step 3: At this point, you need to copy and paste the location “Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender” in the address bar.
Step 4: Right-click the Windows Defender folder, and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Select "Dword-32 bit value": 
<Step 5> Rename the file DisableAntiSpyware, and then double-click it. Under Value data, type 0.
Step 6. Click “OK” to save your preferences and restart your Windows 11 computer.
Step 7. After the restart, check if the issue with Windows 11 Antivirus Disabled is resolved.
Method 3: Update the Windows Defender Firewall
Microsoft has officially released the Windows Defender Antivirus Intelligence Signature update 1.313.1638.0, which broke all functionality of Windows Defender. Following this, the Microsoft team pushed out another potent update, 1.313.1687.0, to fully address the issue of disabled virus protection on Windows 11.
To make sure that's not the case, your first step should be to update Windows Defender to its latest version. Here's how:
Step 1: Click on the “Start” button, find “Windows Security,” and open it > go to “Virus & threat protection.”
Step 2. Next, scroll down to Virus and threat protection updates, and click Check for updates.
Virus and threat protection updates
Step 3. In this step, you need to check for updates. If there are any pending updates, download and install them immediately.
Step 4. After the scan is complete, restart your Windows 11 computer and see if the 'Windows Defender is turned off' issue is now fixed.
Method 4: Uninstall Third-Party Antivirus Software
Step 1: Press Windows + I to open Settings, and then select “Apps” from the left pane.
Select the apps to backup, and then click Next. 
Step 2: Select “Apps & features.”
Select applications and features 
Step 3. Next to the antivirus, you should see an ellipsis (...). Click on it, then select “Uninstall” from the drop-down menu.
Step 4: Tap on the “Uninstall” option quickly.
Installing a third-party antivirus app on your Windows 11 device might conflict with Virus & threat protection.
Method 5: Disable “Turn off Windows Defender” via Group Policy
Once you install a specific Windows 11 quality update, it enables the “Turn off Windows Defender” policy. You'd have to disable it at the start, and here's how:
Step 1: Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Step 2: Type “gpedit.msc” and press Enter. This will open the Group Policy Editor.
Step 3: Navigate to Local Computer Policy > Administrative Templates > Windows Components, and then choose the Windows Defender folder.
Select the Windows Defender Antivirus folder 
Step 4: You should see the “Turn off Windows Defender” policy on the right. Double-click it to open it.
Step 5: Select “Disabled” from the top-left menu, and click “Apply > OK” to save your settings.
Step 6. After doing this, restart your Windows 11 computer and check if the issue is resolved, meaning that the Windows 11 antivirus is disabled.
Method 6: Restart/Refresh the Windows Defender Firewall service
The Windows Defender Firewall service is responsible for keeping Defender running in the foreground and background. If this service experiences major issues, it can significantly impact Windows Defender. As such, you should consider restarting or refreshing the firewall service with the following steps.
Step 1. Open the “Run” application from the Start menu > Type in the “services.msc” command and hit “OK” to open the “Services” menu.
Step 2: Go to the Windows Defender Firewall service, right-click on it, and select “Refresh.”
If the option is dimmed or grayed out, it may be running in the background. In that case, you should consider using the Refresh option.
Step 4. After the service has been refreshed or restarted, you need to check that Windows 11 Defender is running as it should.
How to Keep Your Data Safe Even With Windows 11's Disabled Defender
Windows Defender excels at detecting malware files, network attacks, blocking exploits, flagging phishing sites, and preventing ransomware. It also includes specific PC performance and health reports, parental controls (with time limits), content filtering, and location tracking.
To prevent such accidents and ensure data integrity, it's crucial to regularly back up your Windows 11 computer, disks, and other important files. With the highly efficient software tool, Todo Backup, these tasks become effortless. The brilliance of this tool lies in its ability to store your data in a secure zone, safeguarding it from viruses and other threats. This means that even if your computer is attacked or damaged, your vital data remains safely preserved.
If you want to use this powerful tool, here's how:
Step 1: Choose What to Back Up
On the main screen, click the big question mark button to choose what to back up. You can select individual files, whole disks or partitions, operating systems, and email.
Step 2: Choose a secure zone for your backup target
When choosing a backup location, you will see the option for a “Safe Zone.” Click on Safe Zone and use it as your backup location.
However, if you're using the Secure Zone for the first time, Todo Backup will prompt you to create one. Click Create Secure Zone.
Click Create Security Zone. 
Choose a partition with enough space to store the backup, and then click Continue.
Select the partition to create security zone 
You can adjust the size of the reservation, and click Create to complete the operation.
Resize partitions to create a safety zone
Step 3: Run the backup job
Click Backup Now to start the backup. Your system, files, disks, and emails in the Safe Zone will be protected from viruses, ransomware, and trojans that could otherwise damage or peek into them.
Conclusions
Try these solutions and see if they have successfully fixed the Windows 11 Virus Protection Disabled issue! However, if the above methods don't work, Todo Backup is an all-in-one safety tool to protect your computer. Did you enjoy this article? Be sure to share and subscribe to us to get notifications when we release new content.