If you do not want this happening, you can completely & permanently disable Windows Defender. Disable Windows Defender permanently on Windows 10 On Windows 10/8 you cannot turn off Windows.
How to Turn On or Off Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows 10
Windows Defender Antivirus helps protect your PC against malware (malicious software) like viruses, spyware, and other potentially unwanted software. Malware can infect your PC without your knowledge: it might install itself from an email message, when you connect to the Internet, or when you install certain apps using a USB flash drive, CD, DVD, or other removable media. Some malware can also be programmed to run at unexpected times, not only when it's installed.
Windows Defender is included with Windows and helps keep malware from infecting your PC in two ways:
- Providing real-time protection. Windows Defender notifies you when malware tries to install itself or run on your PC. It also notifies you when apps try to change important settings.
- Providing anytime scanning options. Windows Defender automatically scans your PC for installed malware on a regular basis, but you can also start a scan whenever you want. Windows Defender automatically removes (or temporarily quarantines) anything that's detected during a scan.
In Windows 10 you can turn off Windows Defender real-time protection, but it will only be temporary. Windows will automatically turn real-time protection back on if it's off for a while.
Improvements in Windows Defender
For Windows 10, Microsoft has revamped Windows Defender and combined it with Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection. Unlike with Microsoft System Center 2012 R2, there will be no System Center Endpoint Protection client to deploy to Windows 10 machines because Windows Defender is built into the operating system and enabled by default.
In addition to simplified deployment, Windows Defender contains several improvements. The most important improvements to Windows Defender are:
- Early Launch Antimalware (ELAM) compatible. After Secure Boot has verified that the loading operating system is trusted, ELAM can start a registered and signed antimalware application before any other operating system components. Windows Defender is compatible with ELAM.
- Local context for detections and centralized sensory data. Unlike most antimalware software and previous versions of Windows Defender, Windows Defender in Windows 10 reports additional information about the context of discovered threats. This information includes the source of the content that contains the threat as well as the historical movement of the malware throughout the system. When collection is complete, Windows Defender reports this information (when users elect to enable cloud-based protection) and uses it to mitigate threats more quickly.
- User Account Control (UAC) integration. Windows Defender is now closely integrated with the UAC mechanism in Windows 10. Whenever a UAC request is made, Windows Defender automatically scans the threat before prompting the user, which helps prevent users from providing elevated privileges to malware.
- Simplified management. In Windows 10, you can manage Windows Defender much more easily than ever before. Manage settings through Group Policy, Intune, or Configuration Manager.
This tutorial will show you how to completely turn on or off Windows Defender for all users in Windows 10.
You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to turn on or off Windows Defender.
When you install some 3rd party antivirus (AV) programs, they may automatically turn off Windows Defender. In this case you may not be able to turn on Windows Defender again until the 3rd party AV program has been disabled (turned off) or completely uninstalled.
If you have a 3rd party AV program installed and disable Windows Defender Antivirus, this will also disable periodic scanning.
If you have Windows 10 build 18305 or higher installed, you will need to turn off Tamper Protection to be able to disable Windows Defender Antivirus.
- Option One: To Turn On or Off Windows Defender Antivirus using Group Policy
- Option Two: To Turn On or Off Windows Defender Antivirus using a REG file
EXAMPLE: Windows Defender Turned Off
To Turn On or Off Windows Defender Antivirus using Group Policy
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Educationeditions.
All editions can use Option Two below.
1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2. In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsWindows Defender Antivirus
3. In the right pane of Windows Defender Antivirus in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the
![Permanently Permanently](/uploads/1/2/5/1/125192166/183177439.jpg)
4. Do step 5 (on) or step 6 (off) below for what you would like to do.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured is the default setting.
A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
7. When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
8. If you are turning on Windows Defender, then open Windows Defender Security Center, and click/tap on Restart now. (screenshots below)
9. If you like, you may also want to hide or show the Windows Defender notification icon.
To Turn On or Off Windows Defender Antivirus using a REG file
The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows Defender
DisableAntiSpyware DWORD
(delete) or 0 = On
1 = Off
1. Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_On_Windows_Defender_Antivirus.reg
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_Off_Windows_Defender_Antivirus.reg
4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5.
![Regedit Regedit](/uploads/1/2/5/1/125192166/614834939.png)
6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7. If you are turning off Windows Defender Antivirus, sign out and sign in to apply.
8. If you like, you may also want to hide or show the Windows Defender notification icon.
9. If you like, you can now delete the downloaded .reg file.
That's it,
Shawn