Windows Defender is a default security tool that comes with the Windows operating system to protect your PC against viruses and other infections. But still there are many users who do not rely on it and don’t think it an efficient tool for protection of their machines.  So if you are one among such people and looking for a way to disable Windows Defender, this article will guide you through.

Also Read: Is Windows Defender Good Enough for Your PC?

Why Do You Need To Disable Windows Defender?

There can be several reasons to turn off Windows Defender depending on different users.

• You do not trust Windows Defender and its results.
• Windows Defender is detecting your legitimate programs as a threat and stopping them.
• Windows Defender is consuming a huge amount of resources on your Computer.
• You are installing a third party protection tool and do not want to clog the performance of your PC by the use of two anti virus tools.
• Having performance issues on your computer and thinking Windows Defender is a culprit.

To avoid all such situations you might be thinking to stop Windows Defender either temporarily or permanently.

But before permanently disabling Windows Defender we recommend you to install a third party antivirus software for protection of your system from viruses and threats.

Not sure which antivirus tool to use then check out our article 10 Best Antivirus for Windows 10, 8, 7 (Updated 2020)

Turn Off  Windows Defender In Windows 10

The method we are about to discuss will only temporarily disable Windows Defender. This would be handy if Windows Defender is interfering with a particular operation and you need to disable it for a while. And once you’re done you can turn on the Windows Defender again.

To disable(temporarily) Windows Defender through Windows Security follow the steps given below:

1. Click on the Windows Start button and select the gear icon to open Windows Settings.

2. On Windows Settings click on the Update & Security option.

3. On the next window click on the Windows Security in the left pane followed by Virus & threat protection settings under Protection areas.

4. In the new window click on the Manage Settings option under Virus & threat protection settings.

5. Now toggle the button to Off position under Real-time protection option.

You have successfully disabled Windows Defender. Now you can install the programs that were stopped by Windows Defender previously. However we suggest you to perform this action if you trust the program manufacturer. Once you are done with the task then enable the Windows Defender back by sliding the Real time protection switch to ON position.

Have a Look: Is Windows Defender Is Good Enough For Your PC

Disable Windows Defender Permanently

The above method will not disable Windows Defender permanently. Windows Defender will enable itself automatically with the system restart.

However, you can permanently disable Windows Defender either from the Registry Editor or Group Policy Editor. We will be going to discuss both of them in detail.

Disable Windows Defender Permanently using Local Group Policy Editor

Before turning off Windows Defender permanently using this method first you have to disable Tamper Protection in Windows 10, otherwise Windows Defender will enable itself automatically at the next reboot of your machine.

• You can disable tamper protection by navigation to Windows Settings > Update & Security option > Virus & threat protection.
• Under Virus & threat protection settings click on the Manage settings.
• Now slide the switch to OFF position under Tamper Protection.

Once you have disabled Tamper Protection you can permanently disable Windows Defender through Local Group Policy Editor using the methods below:

1. Click on the Windows Start button and search for gpedit.msc.

2. Click on the first result to open the Local Group Policy Editor.

3. In the Local Group Policy Editor you need to navigate to the following path
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus

4. Double-click on the policy Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus on the right pane.

5. Now in Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus window select the Enabled option.

6. Click on Apply > Ok button and then restart your system for the settings to apply.

You have now permanently disable Windows Defender on your Windows 10 machine. If in future you wish to enable windows Defender then follow the steps till 5 and then select the option Not Configured and restart your system. Also do not forget to enable Tamper Protection.

Disable Windows Defender Permanently using Registry Editor

Another option to turn off Windows Defender especially when you do not have access to Local Group policy Editor is disabling it via Registry Editor.

Note: Registry is an integral part of Windows operating system. A slight mistake can cause a system breakdown or an irreversible change to your computer. Therefore before moving ahead with the steps we suggest you to create a backup of Windows Registry by using a Registry Editor tool like RegClean Pro.

Click Here To Download RegClean Pro

To get started first we need to disable Tamper Protection to avoid enabling Windows Defender at the next system boot.

• You can disable tamper protection by navigation to Windows Settings > Update & Security option > Virus & threat protection.
• Under Virus & threat protection settings click on the Manage settings.
• Now slide the switch to OFF position under Tamper Protection.

Once you have disabled Tamper Protection follow the steps given below to disable Windows Defender.

To disable the Windows Defender Antivirus permanently modifying the Registry, use these steps:

1. Click on Windows Start and in the search bar type regedit. From the available results, right click on the Registry Editor and select Run as administrator.

2. In the Registry Editor browse to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

3. You can also copy the above path in the Registry’s address bar.

4. Now right-click on the Windows Defender key in the left pane and from the drop down menu select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. This will create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value in the right pane.

5. Name that newly created DWORD (32-bit) Value as DisableAntiSpyware.

6. Now double-click on it, change the value from 0 to 1 and click on the Ok button to save the value.

7. Restart your device.

Note: If the DisableAntiSpyware entry already exists then you can skip step 4 and 5.

Wrapping Up

Undoubtedly with every update, Windows is trying to make Windows Defender a more powerful protection tool. But still there’s a long way to go for Windows Defender. Since then you can continue with your third party antivirus software by disabling Windows Defender permanently. If you like this article or have suggestions then do share then with us in the comments section below.

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