Guide: How to Enable/Disable Microsoft Windows Defender
Microsoft’s internal anti-malware component, Windows Defender (formerly Microsoft Security Essentials), has come a long way. There was a time when people laughed about it, security experts paid little attention to it, and users always cursed it. Now everyone loves Windows Defender. But if you still want to disable Microsoft Defender on Windows 10, we’ll show you how. With the Windows 10 November Update, Microsoft added Windows Defender Antivirus to Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection for enhanced built-in protection in Windows 10 and above. The bigger question, however, is why do you want to disable Windows Defender on a Windows 10 computer? Do you really have to do it? Let’s start.
1. Disable Windows Defender in Windows 10
There is no need to completely disable Windows Defender just because you want to install an app or make some system changes. You can simply disable the real-time protection component in Windows Defender and continue with the task at hand. Press Windows Key + I to open Settings and look for Virus and threat protection.
Click Manage settings under Virus and threat protection settings.
You can now disable real-time protection here.
That way, you don’t have to completely disable and uninstall Windows Defender. If you want to do it anyway, read on.
2. Start Windows Defender with Antivirus
Microsoft showed a lot of character when it updated Windows Defender to run alongside other antivirus apps. That was not possible in previous versions of Windows, but it was possible with Windows 10.
I have Kaspersky on my computer, but I also have Windows Defender enabled. I just don’t have real-time protection. That allows me to run periodic scans with Windows Defender and still use a different antivirus app. I get the best of both worlds.
3. Disable Windows Defender in Windows 10 with the Group Policy Editor
Let’s get this done if you’ve already done that up your mind and found a suitable replacement antivirus to protect your computer. Windows 10 Pro comes with the Group Policy Editor that we’ll be using to disable Windows Defender. But first, you need to disable Tamper Protection. Windows Home users should go to the next point. Go to Settings> Virus & Threat Protection> Manage Settings and scroll a bit to find the Tamper Protection option. Turn it off.
Search for Group Policy Editor in Windows Search and open it.
Continue to the path below. Computer Configuration> Administrative Templates> Windows Components> Windows Defender Antivirus Double-click the Disable Windows Defender Antivirus folder in the left-most pane to open it.
Click the Enabled option, press Apply and OK to disable Windows Defender. Yes, enable and do not disable. That’s because the file name clearly states Disable Windows Defender Antivirus.
You may still see the shield icon in the taskbar, but that doesn’t mean Windows Defender is running. The same icon also represents the Windows Security app.
4. Disable Windows Defender in Windows 10 with Registry Editor
This is for Windows Home users who do not have GPE on their system. Every Windows edition comes with a Registry Editor. Find the same in the Start menu and open it.
Disable Tamper Protection. See point 3 above to find out how. Navigate to the registry path below. You can also copy and paste it into the address field and press Enter. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows Defender Right-click the Windows Defender folder in the left sidebar and select DWORD Value (32-bit) to create a new item. Name it DisableAntiSpyware.
Double click on the newly created DWORD file and change the hexadecimal value data to 1 from 0.
Save everything and restart your computer to complete the process.
Should you turn off Windows Defender
Yes and no. That’s not really an answer, but let me explain. Why use Windows Defender Windows Defender has become a solid antivirus app. It protects you not only against viruses, but also against zero-day and ransomware attacks. It will not allow critical changes to your system files and help restore data in case the ransomware attack is successful. As noted earlier, Defender now offers real-time protection and runs in the background, is pretty fast and works well with third-party antivirus apps. This brings me to the next point. Malware. It’s a whole different story, and no matter what antivirus app you use, you need Malwarebytes to fight malware. I recommend a combination of Defender and Malwarebytes (paid version) to provide the best possible protection on your Windows 10 computer. Why not use Windows Defender? Some advanced antivirus apps like Kaspersky come with extra features that traditional antivirus apps like Defender lack. Kaspersky comes with a VPN (additional cost) that will help further protect you by masking your identity and encrypting your Internet connection. It also provides a password manager to store important passwords. However, third-party password managers are much better and more recommended. Then there is parental supervision if you have children in the house. That will help protect your kids from adult content such as porn, violence, abuse and a lot more. Verdict Here’s my take. AV test gave Windows Defender full marks in protection and usability and only slightly less in performance. Windows Defender performs on par with some of the best antivirus apps out there. It gets a score of 100% in January, which is slightly better than the industry average.
You still need Malwarebytes no matter what antivirus app you use. Paying for two when Windows Defender is free makes no sense. As for extra features As a password manager and VPN are considered, they already cost extra, even with antivirus products such as Kaspersky. I recommend Dashlane which offers both for the price of one.
Defend the innocent
You can turn off or turn off Windows Defender, but you shouldn’t. Here’s the short version for those who read the article. Use Defender with Malwarebytes and you’re good. You need extra features, there are dedicated apps that are much better than what comes with the best antivirus apps. Windows Defender has become a formidable adversary and the results show that it is only getting better. The next up: Windows Defender Antivirus has arrived to replace the Microsoft Security Essentials. However, it is more than a replacement and you must read the following post in full to know why Windows Defender is important.
How to Enable/Disable Microsoft Windows Defender: benefits
Faq
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