Windows Defender is the built-in antivirus solution provided with Windows 10 by Microsoft. It is designed to protect your device against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. While it is an effective antivirus solution, it may slow down your computer or interfere with other programs. If you want to disable or turn off Windows Defender, follow the steps below.
Method 1: Disable Windows Defender Using Group Policy
Press the Windows key + R to bring up the Run dialog. Type in “gpedit.msc” and click OK.
Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender.
Double-click on the “Turn off Windows Defender” setting and set it to “Enabled”.
Click Apply and then OK to save your changes.
Method 2: Disable Windows Defender Using Registry Editor
Press the Windows key + R to bring up the Run dialog. Type in “regedit” and click OK.
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender.
Right-click on the Windows Defender folder and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
Name the new DWORD “DisableAntiSpyware”.
Double-click on the new DWORD and set the Value data to “1”.
Click OK to save your changes.
Method 3: Disable Windows Defender Services
Press the Windows key + R to bring up the Run dialog. Type in “services.msc” and click OK.
Find Windows Defender Antivirus Service.
Right-click on the service and select Properties.
Change the Startup type to “Disabled”.
Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
It is important to note that re-enabling Windows Defender requires more steps than simply reversing these instructions. After re-enabling Windows Defender, you will need to run a full system scan to ensure your device is secure.