[Solved] How to Disable Windows Defender Antivirus via Security Center, Group Policy or Registry

Posted byThomas Apel

In Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8.1, Windows Defender Antivirus is available on Server Core installation options (without the user interface), and it is enabled by default. Windows Defender Antivirus is primarily intended for consumer and unmanaged PC scenarios.

[Solved] How to Disable Windows Defender Antivirus via Security Center, Group Policy or Registry
[Solved] How to Disable Windows Defender Antivirus via Security Center, Group Policy or Registry
Sometimes, you may want to turn off Windows Defender Antivirus to perform certain tasks that it may interfere with, or you plan to install other antivirus application software. In this article, I will show you step by step for how to turn off Windows Defender Antivirus via Security Center, Group Policy or Registry.

Content Summary

Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus temporarily via Windows Defender Security Center
Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus via Group Policy
Disable Windows Defender Antivirus via Registry
Disable Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows Vista
Turn Off Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows 7
Turn Off Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1

Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus temporarily via Windows Defender Security Center

Step 1: Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security.

Step 2: Select Windows Security from the left pane and choose Open Windows Defender Security Center.

Open Windows Defender Security Center
Open Windows Defender Security Center

Step 3: Click on Virus & Threat Protection settings link.

Virus & Threat Protection settings
Virus & Threat Protection settings

Step 4: Click the Real-Time Protection, Cloud-Delivered Protection and Automatic Sample Submission toggle to turn off Windows Defender Antivirus.

Real-Time Protection, Cloud-Delivered Protection and Automatic Sample Submission
Real-Time Protection, Cloud-Delivered Protection and Automatic Sample Submission

Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus via Group Policy

Step 1: Press Win + R and Type gpedit.msc, then hit Enter or OK.

Step 2: Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus.

Step 3: Double click on Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus policy

Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus policy
Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus policy

Step 4: Select Enabled button and click OK.

Enabled Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus policy
Enabled Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus policy

Step 5: Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus > Real-time Protection.

Step 6: Double click on Monitor file and program activity on your computer policy.

Step 7: Select Disabled button and click OK.

Disabled Monitor file and program activity on your computer policy
Disabled Monitor file and program activity on your computer policy

Step 8: Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus > Real-time Protection.

Step 9: Double click on Turn on process scanning whenever real-time protection is enabled policy.

Step 10: Select Disabled button and click OK.

Disabled Turn on process scanning whenever real-time protection is enabled policy
Disabled Turn on process scanning whenever real-time protection is enabled policy

Step 11: Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus > Real-time Protection.

Step 12: Double click on Turn on behavior monitoring policy.

Step 13: Select Disabled button and click OK.

Disabled Turn on behavior monitoring policy
Disabled Turn on behavior monitoring policy

Step 14: Restart computer.

Disable Windows Defender Antivirus via Registry

Step 1: Press Win + R and Type regedit, then hit Enter or OK.

Step 2: Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Policies > Microsoft > Windows Defender.

Step 3: Right-click Windows Defender folder. You should see a drop-down menu appear.

Step 4: Select New > DWORD (32bit) Value.

Create DisableAntiSpyware DWORD
Create DisableAntiSpyware DWORD

Step 5: Enter DisableAntiSpyware as the file name.

Step 6: Double-click DisableAntiSpyware DWORD file and enter 1 for Value data then click OK.

Set DisableAntiSpyware to 1
Set DisableAntiSpyware to 1

Step 7: Right-click Windows Defender folder. You should see a drop-down menu appear.

Step 8: Select New > Key.

Step 9: Enter Real-Time Protection as the folder name.

Step 10: Right-click Real-Time Protection folder. You should see a drop-down menu appear.

Step 11: Select New > DWORD (32bit) Value.

Step 12: Double-click DisableBehaviorMonitoring DWORD file and enter 1 for Value data then click OK.

Set DisableBehaviorMonitoring to 1
Set DisableBehaviorMonitoring to 1

Step 13: Right-click Real-Time Protection folder. You should see a drop-down menu appear.

Step 14: Select New > DWORD (32bit) Value.

Step 15: Double-click DisableOnAccessProtection DWORD file and enter 1 for Value data then click OK.

Set DisableOnAccessProtection to 1
Set DisableOnAccessProtection to 1

Step 16: Right-click Real-Time Protection folder. You should see a drop-down menu appear.

Step 17: Select New > DWORD (32bit) Value.

Step 18: Double-click DisableScanOnRealtimeEnable DWORD file and enter 1 for Value data then click OK.

Set DisableScanOnRealtimeEnable to 1
Set DisableScanOnRealtimeEnable to 1

Step 19: Restart computer.

Disable Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows Vista

Step 1: Run Windows Defender from Start Menu or Start Search.

Step 2: Click on Tools button.

Windows Defender Tools button
Windows Defender Tools button

Step 3: Click on Options link under Tools and Settings section.

Windows Defender Tools and Settings Options
Windows Defender Tools and Settings Options

Step 4: Uncheck below two settings:

Use real-time protection (recommended) under Real-time protection options

Uncheck Use real-time protection (recommended)
Uncheck Use real-time protection (recommended)

Use Windows Defender under Administrator options

Uncheck Use Windows Defender
Uncheck Use Windows Defender

Step 5: Click on Save button.

Turn Off Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows 7

Step 1: Run Windows Defender from Start Menu or Start Search.

Step 2: Click on Tools button.

Step 3: Go to Real-time protection section.

Step 4: Uncheck Use real-time protection (recommended).

Uncheck Use real-time protection (recommended)
Uncheck Use real-time protection (recommended)

Step 5: Go to Administrator tab.

Step 6: Uncheck Use this program.

Uncheck Use this program
Uncheck Use this program

Step 7: Click on Save button.

Turn Off Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1

Step 1: Run Windows Defender from Start Menu or Start Search.

Step 2: Go to Settings tab.

Step 3: Go to Real-time protection section.

Step 4: Ucheck Turn on real-time protection (recommended).

Uncheck Turn on real-time protection (recommended)
Uncheck Turn on real-time protection (recommended)

Step 5: Click on Save changes button.

Source:
Microsoft Docs > Manage Privacy: Windows Defender and Resulting Internet Communication
Microsoft Docs > Enable and configure antivirus always-on protection and monitoring

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Published by Thomas Apel

, a dynamic and self-motivated information technology architect, with a thorough knowledge of all facets pertaining to system and network infrastructure design, implementation and administration. I enjoy the technical writing process and answering readers' comments included.