How to Turn Off Windows Defender in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Windows XP Permanently

While it used to be optional in earlier versions like Windows XP and Windows 7, anti-malware and antivirus protection suite Windows Defender now comes pre-installed with the latest Windows 10. It does a pretty good job of protecting your computer from a variety of security threats, although it doesn’t compare to other free and paid alternatives. Windows Defender is also smart enough to disable itself when you install compatible third-party antivirus software, but Microsoft doesn’t make it easy for you to permanently turn it off yourself. Disabling Windows Defender may expose your computer to threats, but if you must do it for some reason, follow the steps below to do it on Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, and Windows XP. In this guide, we’ll cover how to turn off Windows Defender.

Windows Defender is built into Windows 10 as a system utility, which is why disabling it is a little more complicated. On Windows 7 and Windows XP, Windows Defender essentially acts like a preinstalled application, which is why it’s slightly easier to turn it off.

How to permanently turn off Windows Defender in Windows 10

This method is available for users running Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions.

1. Press and hold Windows key,according to R key. Alternatively, go to the start menu and search running and open it.
2. enter gpedit.msc then click OK.
3. Go to Computer configuration > Administrative templates > Windows components > Windows Defender antivirus software.
4. On the right, double-click Turn off Windows Defender antivirus software.
5. choose enable then click OK.
6. Restart the computer.

How to permanently turn off Windows Defender via the registry

This method is available for users running Windows 10 Home edition. Please note that editing the registry can be risky, so do so at your own risk. If you wish, make a full backup.

1. Press and hold Windows key,according to R key. Alternatively, go to the start menu and search running and open it.
2. enter Registry Editor then click OK. If User Account Control asks for permission, click Yes.
3. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender. You can also copy and paste the address into the address bar of the registry.
4. Right-click on the blank space on the right and select new > DWORD (32-bit) value.
5. enter Disable anti-spyware software and press Enter key.
6. double click Disable anti-spyware software key. type 1 in value data and hit OK.
7. Restart the computer.

How to turn off Windows Defender (temporarily) via Security Center

If you just need to temporarily disable Windows Defender in Windows 10, this is the easiest method of all.

1. hit Windows key and search Windows Defender Security Center. Open it.
2. choose Virus and threat protection on the left.
3. Click Virus and threat protection settings on the right.
4. below Real-time protectionturn off the marked switch exist.

When your computer restarts, Windows Defender will turn back on.

How to turn off Windows Defender in Windows 8.1

Disabling Windows Defender in Windows 8.1 is very easy. Please follow the steps below.

1. Press and hold Windows key,according to C key. Click search and enter window guard. Open it.
2. choose tool from the top bar. then select Options.
3. On the left, click administrative staff.
4. On the right, uncheck the box named use this app. Click OK.
5. If User Account Control asks for permission, click Yes.

How to turn off Windows Defender in Windows 7

Turning off Windows Defender on Windows 7 is very similar to Windows 8.1. Please follow the steps below.

1. hit Windows key and search window guard. Open it.
2. choose tool from the top bar. then select Options.
3. On the left, click administrative staff.
4. On the right, uncheck the box named use this app. Click OK.
5. If User Account Control asks for permission, click Yes.

How to turn off Windows Defender in Windows XP

On Windows XP, if Windows Defender is installed, you can easily turn it off.

1. turn up window guard icon in the status bar and double-click it. If installed, you can also find it under C:\Program Files\Windows Defender.
2. choose tool from the top bar. then select Options.
3. On the left, click administrative staff.
4. On the right, uncheck the box named use this app.
5. Click OK.

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