How to Disable and Turn Off Windows Defender on Windows 10

How to Disable and Turn Off Windows Defender on Windows 10

You want to learn how to disable Windows Defender on Windows 10? To protect against malicious content, modern operating systems offer a wide range of different software. Antivirus programs like AVG Ultimate or Avast Premier have proven themselves over the years and have protected numerous devices from unauthorized access. If you also use one of these external solutions, you should really know how to turn off Windows Defender on Windows 10.

Microsoft Defender Antivirus is part of the standard package of Windows 10 and is active on your PC right after setup. Your system is scanned at regular intervals and new downloads are checked in real time. If you only rely on one other antivirus software, the simultaneous use of several programs can lead to problems, so that you are no longer optimally protected.

Protect your data on Windows 10
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That’s why you should learn how to disable Windows Defender on Windows 10 – just to be safe. You have to simply follow each step of our guide:

How to Turn Off Windows Defender on Windows 10?

  1. Open the Windows settings by clicking on the gear icon in the Start menu, or by using the Windows logo key + I combination. You may first need to activate your Windows key.
  2. In Settings, select Update and Security, and then Windows Security on the left side. Click on the button to open Windows Security.
  3. Here you select the Virus & Threat Protection tab, where you will find the Settings for Virus & Threat Protection. If you want to know how to turn off Windows Defender on Windows 10, click Manage Settings.
  4. Set the sliders under the items Real-time protection and Cloud-based protection from On to Off. If you are asked whether you really want to make changes to your device, you say yes.
  5. You can now exit the settings. You have successfully disabled Windows Defender.
Move these two sliders: how to disable Windows Defender on Windows 10!

However, Microsoft has programmed all operating systems from Windows 7 onwards to automatically reactivate Defender if you do not use any other protection. However, certain versions of Windows have advanced features that can help you in this case:

How to Disable Windows Defender via Local Group Policies

In order to perform the following steps, your computer must have either Windows 10 Pro or the Enterprise version installed. You can tell if you have one of these variants by opening the Local Group Policy Editor, where you can finally get started on how to disable Windows Defender on Windows 10:

  1. Start the Run function of your operating system by pressing the Windows logo key + R. In the text field, enter the command gpedit.msc.
  2. In the editor, open the Computer Configuration, followed by the Administrative Templates and Windows Components. There click on the Windows Defender Antivirus folder.
  3. In the list, you should see the Disable Windows Defender Antivirus entry. Double-click on it, and you will get to the settings.
  4. Change the setting from Enabled to Disabled and confirm your choice with OK.
  5. After that, you just have to restart your PC. That’s it!
How to turn off Windows Defender in advanced versions

Is Windows Defender Sufficient for Windows 10?

For simple work or internet surfing on known sites, Microsoft’s protection is sufficient. However, if you were able to deactivate Windows Defender, you should always use another solution. Otherwise, your system will remain unprotected against external attacks. McAfee Internet Security is highly recommended as well as Bitdefender Total Security.

You are not sure if you want to even know how to turn off Windows Defender? In addition, you can use programs like AdwCleaner which already have a lot of features in the free version. However, when choosing your antivirus, be careful not to fall for useless software that bombards you with ads. Segurazo Antivirus, for example, is known for this. Stay away from it and only learn how to disable Windows Defender on Windows 10 when your security is well established.