Turn off Windows Defender windows 10

Turn off Windows Defender windows 10

   1:04 PM       Muhammad Alhaj

---

Windows Defender is the default antivirus solution of Windows 10 just like it has been on Windows 8. The program is enabled by default and will turn itself off if another antivirus solution is installed provided that it is recognized by the operating system.

One core difference between the implementation on Windows 8 and 10 is that you cannot turn off Windows Defender completely anymore using the preferences provided in the application.

Is Windows Defender Good Enough?

When you install Windows 10, you’ll have an antivirus program already running. Windows Defender comes built-in to Windows 10, and automatically scans programs you open, downloads new definitions from Windows Update, and provides an interface you can use for in-depth scans.

But how good is it? Well, truth be told, Microsoft’s antivirus is a bit behind the others when it comes to comparative antivirus software tests. and we were particularly worried because we had previously liked Microsoft’s antivirus product so much.

Windows Defender has a lot of advantages. It’s built-in, won’t harass you with pop-ups and requests for money, and is lighter than some competing antivirus solutions. It won’t attempt to harvest your browsing data and make money from it, as some free antivirus programs have started doing in an attempt to make a profit.

Overall, Windows Defender doesn’t provide bad protection, assuming you keep Windows up-to-date, use an up-to-date browser, 

How to disable Windows Defender in Windows 10 permanently

Perhaps the reason is obvious, Microsoft doesn't want you to use Windows 10 with zero protection -- which it's a good reason. However, there are still those cases where users may prefer not to run an antivirus on particular scenarios. For example, on a kiosk computer that won't be joining a network and no one will be allowed to connect peripherals.

Windows 10 offers an option to disable Windows Defender, but it's a temporary option when you probably are looking for a more permanent solution.

How to disable Windows Defender using Local Group Policy

If you're using Windows 10 Pro or any other enterprise variant, such as Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education, you can use the Local Group Policy Editor to disable Windows Defender from your computer permanently.

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
2. Type gpedit.msc and click OK to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
3. Browse the following path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender
4. On the right, double-click Turn off Windows Defender. 
   
5. Select Enabled to disable Windows Defender.
6. Click Apply - OK
   

Once you complete the above steps, you will notice the Windows Defender shield icon will continue to run in the system tray. To get rid of the icon, simply restart your computer.

At any time, if you want to re-enable Windows Defender, you only need to follow the same steps, but this time, on step 5 select the option Not configured. Then restart your computer to complete reverting the changes.

How to disable Windows Defender using the Registry

If you're running Windows 10 Home, you won't have access to the Local Group Policy Editor, as it's only available for enterprise versions of the operating system. However, you can modify the registry to accomplish the same result.

Important: Before diving into this guide, it's worth noting that editing the registry can be dangerous, and it can cause irreversible damage to your system if you don't do it correctly. It's highly recommended to make a full backup of your system before proceeding. You've been warned!

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command, type regedit, and click OK to open the registry.
2. Browse the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender
3. If you don't see DWORD DisableAntiSpyware, right-click on an empty space, select New, and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value.
4. Name the key DisableAntiSpyware.
5. Double-click the newly created key, and set the value from 0 to 1.

Restart your computer to complete the task.

At any time, if you want to re-enable Windows Defender, you only need to follow the same steps, but this time, change the value on step 5 from 1 to 0. Then restart your computer to complete reverting the changes.

How to disable Windows Defender using the Settings app

In the case, you're only looking to disable Windows Defender temporarily; you can do the following.

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Update & security.
3. Click on Windows Defender.
4. Turn off the toggle switch for Real-time protection.

While Windows Defender doesn't specify how long you can disable real-time protection, "temporary" usually means until the next time you reboot your computer.

It's really important to note that we're NOT saying that you shouldn't use an antivirus on your computer, but there are always situations when you may need to disable Windows Defender from your machine permanently.

If you landed on this guide just because you don't like the antivirus that comes built in Windows 10, you could always choose from a number of alternative antivirus software, which sometimes are better than Windows Defender.