How to Disable Windows Defender in Windows 10

Edited 8 months ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

Windows 10Windows DefenderSecuritySystemSettingsConfigurationAntivirusProtectionManagementTools

Windows Defender, better known as Microsoft Defender Antivirus, is a built-in antimalware tool in Windows 10. It is designed to protect your computer from various types of malware, including viruses, spyware, and other malicious software threats. Windows Defender provides real-time protection and regularly scans your computer to ensure its safety. However, there may be reasons why you want to disable it temporarily or permanently. This could be due to the need to install software without interruption, or perhaps you have another third-party antivirus solution that requires turning off Defender. In this guide, we will detail the various ways to disable Windows Defender in Windows 10.

Why should you disable Windows Defender?

Before disabling Windows Defender, it is essential to consider why you might want to do so and what the potential risks are. Disabling real-time protection can leave your computer vulnerable to threats. However, there are some common reasons to disable it:

• Installing software that Windows Defender mistakenly identifies as harmful.
• Running software or games that require more resources and Defender's scanning can impact performance.
• Using a different antivirus solution that might not be compatible with Windows Defender running simultaneously.

Temporarily disabling Windows Defender

If your need is temporary, there are some easy steps to turn off Windows Defender for a while. Here's how you can do that:

1. Open the Start menu by clicking the Windows icon at the bottom left of your screen.
2. Type Windows Security in the search bar and click on it in the search results. This will open the Windows Security app.
3. In the Windows Security window, select Virus & threat protection from the menu on the left.
4. Under the Virus & threat protection settings section, click Manage settings.
5. Toggle the button under Real-time Protection to the Off position. A prompt will ask you for confirmation; click Yes.

It is important to note that this method only turns off Defender temporarily. It will reactivate automatically after you restart your computer. If you need to keep it off for a longer period of time, you may need to disable it in other ways.

Disabling Windows Defender permanently

To disable Windows Defender permanently, more advanced methods are required as Microsoft has not provided any direct option to turn off Defender indefinitely from Settings. The methods below involve changes to the system's security settings and registry, so proceed with caution and make sure you want the changes to be permanent.

Method 1: Using the Group Policy Editor

The Group Policy Editor is a tool that's only available in Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. If you're using Windows 10 Home, you may have to skip the registry method. Here's how you use the Group Policy Editor to disable Windows Defender:

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
3. Navigate to the following path:
   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Defender Antivirus
4. In the Microsoft Defender Antivirus settings, find Turn off Microsoft Defender Antivirus and double-click on it.
5. Select Enabled in the window that opens, then click Apply, and then click OK.

Restart your computer to apply the changes, and Windows Defender should be permanently disabled unless you undo the changes in the Group Policy Editor.

Method 2: Using the Registry Editor

The Registry Editor can be used on all versions of Windows 10, including Home. The registry can be risky if edited incorrectly, so be sure to back up your registry before proceeding:

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor. Confirm any UAC prompts by clicking Yes.
3. Navigate to the following path in the Registry Editor:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender
4. If you don’t see a key named Windows Defender, you may need to create it manually:
1. Right-click on the Microsoft key.
2. Choose New > Key, and name it Windows Defender.
5. Inside Windows Defender, right-click on the right pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
6. Name this new DWORD DisableAntiSpyware.
7. Double-click DisableAntiSpyware and set its value to 1.
8. Click OK and close the Registry Editor.

Restart your computer for the changes to take effect. This will permanently disable Windows Defender. To re-enable it, you can delete the DisableAntiSpyware value or set it back to 0.

Turn off Windows Defender notifications

If you want to disable only the notifications it sends without turning off Windows Defender completely, you can do so as follows:

1. Open the Start menu and go to Settings by clicking the gear icon.
2. Select Update & Security.
3. Select the Windows Security tab from the left pane.
4. Click on Virus & threat protection.
5. Scroll down and select Change notification settings.
6. Toggle the button to turn off notifications for virus and threat protection.

This will prevent Windows Defender from sending security notifications, while keeping it active for protection.

Re-enabling Windows Defender

After disabling Windows Defender, you may decide to re-enable it to protect your computer. Here's how you can do this depending on the method you used to disable it:

Group Policy Editor Method

1. Open the Group Policy Editor by pressing Windows + R, typing gpedit.msc, and pressing Enter.
2. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Defender Antivirus.
3. Find and double-click Turn off Microsoft Defender Antivirus.
4. Set it to Disabled or Not Configured.
5. Click Apply and then OK.

Registry Editor Method

1. Re-open the Registry Editor by pressing Windows + R, typing regedit, and pressing Enter.
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender.
3. Find the DisableAntiSpyware value.
4. Double click on it and set its value to 0 or remove it completely.
5. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

Following these instructions will re-enable Windows Defender, and restore real-time protection to your computer.

Conclusion

Disabling Windows Defender in Windows 10 can be beneficial in certain scenarios, especially when it conflicts with other software or antivirus tools. However, such actions should be taken with caution as it leaves your computer open to potential security threats. Always make sure you have another form of anti-malware protection installed when you choose to disable Windows Defender. By following the steps mentioned above, you can easily disable or re-enable Windows Defender as needed. Always consider running regular scans with a reliable antivirus to keep your system safe from threats.

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