How to Disable Windows Defender Antivirus via Security Center, Group Policy or Registry?

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.

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.

Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus temporarily via Windows Defender Security Center

1. Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security.
2. Select Windows Security from the left pane and choose Open Windows Defender Security Center.
3. Click on Virus & Threat Protection settings link.
4. Click the Real-Time Protection, Cloud-Delivered Protection and Automatic Sample Submission toggle to turn off Windows Defender Antivirus.

Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus via Group Policy

1. Press Win + R and Type gpedit.msc, then hit Enter or OK.
2. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus.
3. Double click on Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus policy
4. Select Enabled button and click OK.
5. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus > Real-time Protection.
6. Double click on Monitor file and program activity on your computer policy.
7. Select Disabled button and click OK.
8. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus > Real-time Protection.
9. Double click on Turn on process scanning whenever real-time protection is enabled policy.
10. Select Disabled button and click OK.
11. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus > Real-time Protection.
12. Double click on Turn on behavior monitoring policy.
13. Select Disabled button and click OK.
14. Restart computer.

Disable Windows Defender Antivirus via Registry

1. Press Win + R and Type regedit, then hit Enter or OK.
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Policies > Microsoft > Windows Defender.
3. Right-click Windows Defender folder. You should see a drop-down menu appear.
4. Select New > DWORD (32bit) Value.
5. Enter DisableAntiSpyware as the file name.
6. Double-click DisableAntiSpyware DWORD file and enter 1 for Value data then click OK.
7. Right-click Windows Defender folder. You should see a drop-down menu appear.
8. Select New > Key.
9. Enter Real-Time Protection as the folder name.
10. Right-click Real-Time Protection folder. You should see a drop-down menu appear.
11. Select New > DWORD (32bit) Value.
12. Double-click DisableBehaviorMonitoring DWORD file and enter 1 for Value data then click OK.
13. Right-click Real-Time Protection folder. You should see a drop-down menu appear.
14. Select New > DWORD (32bit) Value.
15. Double-click DisableOnAccessProtection DWORD file and enter 1 for Value data then click OK.
16. Right-click Real-Time Protection folder. You should see a drop-down menu appear.
17. Select New > DWORD (32bit) Value.
18. Double-click DisableScanOnRealtimeEnable DWORD file and enter 1 for Value data then click OK.
19. Restart computer.

Disable Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows Vista

1. Run Windows Defender from Start Menu or Start Search.
2. Click on Tools button.
3. Click on Options link under Tools and Settings section.
4. Uncheck below two settings:
   • Use real-time protection (recommended) under Real-time protection options
   • Use Windows Defender under Administrator options
5. Click on Save button.

Turn Off Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows 7

1. Run Windows Defender from Start Menu or Start Search.
2. Click on Tools button.
3. Go to Real-time protection section.
4. Uncheck Use real-time protection (recommended).
5. Go to Administrator tab.
6. Uncheck Use this program.
7. Click on Save button.

Turn Off Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1

1. Run Windows Defender from Start Menu or Start Search.
2. Go to Settings tab.
3. Go to Real-time protection section.
4. Ucheck Turn on real-time protection (recommended).
5. Click on Save changes button.