Installing Windows Defender is the default antivirus software from the Windows operating system (OS), be it Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, and the latest, Windows 11. Microsoft’s OSs are designed to protect laptops and computers from virus threats, including when the computer is connected to the internet. This application can scan files on your computer for viruses, malware, spyware, Trojans, and other threats using on-demand scanning, real-time detection, and automatic repair.
But one of the most frequently asked questions on the ‘Ask a PC Expert’ blog is how to turn off Windows Defender. There is a lot of controversy surrounding Windows Defender. It is not uncommon for people to have problems with their antivirus software. One example of a problem is when the software in your files does not contain a virus, but Windows Defender sends a signal that the software is infected and automatically locks your system; it can be disastrous.
You can’t uninstall this Windows Defender app, but you can turn it off to stop Windows Defender from scanning. This blog post will show you how to turn off Windows Defender.
Where Windows Defender comes from
Windows Defender is an antivirus and antimalware tool designed to protect your computer or laptop from viral threats such as malware, spyware, Trojans, and other computer viruses. This software is also a key component of Microsoft Windows Defender Antivirus.
We can do it through the registry to disable Windows Defender, which is the best way. You can also do this via the command line but only temporarily disable it. It is important to note that you cannot turn off Windows Defender by deleting it.
This tool will be active again when the user boots the computer or restarts to start over. So one of the best ways to permanently turn off Windows Defender antivirus is through Group Policy. It is the best option because it will disable the built-in antivirus tool for all workstations and computers in the domain for the current user and the next time their operating system is restarted.
How to Turn Off Windows Defender?
Windows Defender is a Windows antivirus application capable of detecting cyber attacks and removing viruses, spyware, and other malware that may be present on your computer. There are two ways to turn off Windows Defender, namely temporarily and permanently.
How to Temporarily Turn Off Windows Defender
Disabling Windows Defender via the Start menu
The easiest way to temporarily turn off Windows Defender is to use the Start menu to look for “Turn off Windows Defender.” Once you find this option, click to turn off Windows Defender.
Disabling Windows Defender via Control Panel
Another way to temporarily disable Windows Defender is manual. You need to open the Control Panel and navigate to Security and Maintenance to do this. From the Security and Maintenance, navigate to Windows Defender and down to Turn Windows Defender off.
How to Turn Off Windows Defender Permanently
Disabling Windows Defender via Command Prompt (CMD)
Windows Defender is an antivirus product from Microsoft that is activated by default on the operating system. If you don’t have the Windows Defender app, you can download it from the Windows Store.
To turn off Windows Defender Antivirus from the command prompt, open a command prompt and type gpedit.msc. After that, select Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, and Windows Components. There, you should select Windows Defender Antivirus. Click Turn Off Windows Defender Antivirus.
Disabling Windows Defender via Registry
Using malware protection software will often result in a false positive warning. Windows Defender is one of the most common software that creates false positive alerts. You can disable Windows Defender in the registry so that it doesn’t interfere with everyday computer use. Here’s how.
To disable Windows Defender from the registry:
- Open the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Policies Microsoft Windows Defender directory in Regedit.
- Right-click on the right side of the screen and then click New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Fill in the name for DisableAntiSpyware.
Double click DisableAntiSpyware then enters 1 in the Value data.
The method above applies to all versions of Windows, starting from the old version to Windows 10, Windows 11, and maybe the latest version of the Windows OS later. Even though Windows Defender does what it is supposed to do, some Windows 10 users may find that it slows down their personal computers and should be shut down.
Video Tutorial – How to Turn Off Windows Defender Antivirus on PCs and Laptops
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our article about how to disable Windows Defender in Windows. There is a new update for Windows 10 that has caused many problems, and many people are struggling to fix it. If you are a Windows 10 user experiencing this problem and want to find a way to solve it, then you should disable Windows Defender.
Turning off Windows Defender, the default antivirus for Windows 10, is not recommended for various reasons. However, if you decide to turn it off, we have a tutorial. It is a simple process that is easy to do with step-by-step instructions.