How to Temporarily Disable Windows Defender on Windows 11
We will show you how to temporarily disable Windows Defender on Windows 11.
⏰Timestamps⏰
00:00 Intro
00:20 Disable Windows Defender on Windows 11
02:27 Re-enable Windows Defender on Windows 11
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Whether you need to turn it off to install software, troubleshoot, or for any other reason, I'll guide you through the steps safely and easily.
First, you'll want to open the Windows Security app.
To do that, click on the Start button, or simply press the Windows key on your keyboard.
Now, type "Windows Security" into the search bar and select the app from the list.
You can also click the icon on the taskbar for quick access to Windows Security app.
Once you have Windows Security open, you'll see several options on either the left or right side of the screen.
Go ahead and click on "Virus & threat protection".
This is where you'll find the settings to manage Windows Defender Antivirus.
Scroll down a bit until you see the "Virus & threat protection settings" section.
Under this, you'll find a link that says "Manage settings". Click on that.
Now, you'll see a bunch of toggles.
The one we're interested in is the first one: "Real-time protection".
This is what Windows Defender uses to actively scan your files and protect your system.
To temporarily disable Windows Defender, simply click the toggle to turn it off.
If prompted, click "Yes" to allow it to make changes to your device.
If you need to go a step further, you can also turn off "Cloud-delivered protection" right below.
Please note that scheduled scans will continue to run. However, files that are downloaded or installed will not be scanned until the next scheduled scan.
Now, to test Windows Defender, we’ll download an infected file from the Internet using the EICAR website.
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Re-enable Windows Defender
To re-enable Windows Defender, open Windows Security from the Start menu, go to "Virus & threat protection," and access "Manage settings."
Then, turn on the "Real-time protection" toggle.
If needed, also re-enable "Cloud-delivered protection."
Finally, close the Windows Security app.
Windows Defender will now be fully operational and protect your device in real-time.
Now, to test Windows Defender again, we’ll download the test virus file from the EICAR website.
As you can see, Windows Defender immediately deletes the infected file.
Please note that Windows Defender automatically reactivates after a system restart to ensure continued protection.
However, changes to system settings or the installation of third-party antivirus software may affect this behavior.
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