Windows 10 is shipped with Windows Defender, a built-in antivirus software that stands as a first line of defense against malware infections when you set up Windows on your PC. Windows Defender uses a real-time protection feature to scan for malicious software in your downloaded files, external storage media, and programs. Windows 10 will automatically disable Windows Defender once you have installed an antivirus software on your system. However, if you find that Windows Defender is preventing you from running/installing programs or download files, you can turn it off manually.
How To Turn Windows Defender On and Off
Temporarily Disable Windows Defender
Head to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Defender. Toggle the switch belowReal-time protection to the Off position.
Permanently Disable Windows Defender
Right-click on the Start menu > Run. Type
regedit
and click on OK to open the Registry editor. Navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows Defender.
Click on the Edit > New > Dword (32-bit) value. Rename the new item as DisableAntiSpywareand set its value to 1 to disable Windows Defender on your system:
Save your settings and close the Registry editor. Should you ever try to activate Windows Defender on your system, the following message will be displayed:
You can enable Windows Defender back by setting the value of DisableAntiSpyware to 0.
