Built-in utility - Windows Defender protects your PC from viruses and malware that can be "picked up" on the Internet when downloading files or connecting flash cards of other users to the device. If you are completely satisfied with the work of your antivirus program, then you need to know how to disable Windows 10 Defender permanently. This is written in this article.
Using the Settings app
To disable Windows 10 Defender:
Good to know! The built-in protection will turn off for a while (about 15 minutes). After that, the system will automatically start Windows Defender.
In the Group Local Policy Editor
After that, any attempt to start the built-in defender will receive an error.
Good to know! If you set the parameter to the "Not set" position, it will start functioning normally.
In Registry Editor
Important! If you do not find this parameter in the registry key, create it yourself: RMB on the "Windows Defender" folder → create → DWORD parameter (32 bits) → enter the name “DisableAntiSpyware” → set its value to “1”.
If you decide to run the defender again, set the parameter to "0" in.
Video
The video details how to completely disable Windows Defender using the Group Local Policy Registry and Registry Editor.
How to disable Windows 10 Defender through third-party programs
In addition to standard tools, you can disable the built-in defender using special free programs.
The program was originally developed to disable the automatic updates function. But she "knows" much more: it enables and disables the OS defender, and has a Russified interface. 
The Destroy Windows 10 Spying utility disables OS spying. But when using the advanced configuration mode, the option to disable Windows Defender is available in it. 
How to enable Windows 10 Defender
To activate the defender in Windows 10, you do not need to take any action - click on the message that is in the notification center and the system will do everything in automatic mode.
If Windows Defender was deactivated through the Registry Editor or the Local Group Policy Editor, then repeat the same steps as when disabling, just run Internal Defender.
Introducing exceptions
If you do not need the built-in antivirus (learn how to choose the best antivirus in the article "") to scan a specific folder, program or drive, add them to the Windows Defender exclusions list.
- Start menu → Settings app → Update & Security.
- Go to "Windows Defender" → on the right side of the window, in the "Exclusions" section, click "Add exclusion" → specify the files, folders or applications you need.
Conclusion
Windows Defender protects your computer from viruses and malware. If necessary, you can disable or enable it, and also configure it by adding the necessary files, folders and programs to the list of exclusions.
Windows Defender is an anti-malware tool that comes with Windows 10 to help protect your device and data from viruses, ransomware, spyware, and many other security threats.
While it is an antivirus that provides solid real-time protection and even automatically disables itself when it detects a third-party solution, it is impossible to permanently disable or remove it entirely like in previous versions.
However, there are still a number of scenarios where you cannot use the default antivirus. For example, if you set up a kiosk computer that won't connect to the Internet, no one will be able to connect to peripherals. Or when performing certain tasks that would otherwise be blocked by the security function. If you must disable Windows Defender Antivirus even though your computer is vulnerable to threats, there are several ways to permanently disable your antivirus using the Group Policy Editor and Registry.
In this Windows 10 guide, we'll show you 3 ways to permanently disable Windows Defender Antivirus on your PC. (We'll also show you instructions for temporarily disabling your antivirus.)
How to disable windows 10 defender permanently
Using Local Group Policy
If you are using Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, ltsb, or Education, you can use the Local Group Policy Editor to permanently disable Windows Antivirus Protection on your computer using the following steps:
- Use the Windows Key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
- Enter gpedit.msc and click OK to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
- Take the following path:
- On the right, double-click the Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus option.
- Select the Enabled option to disable Windows Defender.
- Click Apply.
- Click OK.
After you have completed these steps, restart your computer to apply the changes.
You will notice that the screen icon will remain in the notification area of the taskbar, but this is because the icon is part of the Windows Defender Protection Center and not part of the antivirus.
At any time, you can re-enable Windows Defender using the steps, but in step # 5, be sure to select the Not Configured option. Then reboot your device to apply the changes.
Through the register
If you're using Windows 10 Home, you won't have access to the Local Group Policy Editor. However, you can modify the registry to permanently disable the default antivirus permanently using the following steps:
Warning. Editing the registry is risky and can cause permanent damage to your installation if you don't do it right. Recommended before proceeding.
- Use the Windows Key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
- Type regedit and click OK to open the registry.
- Switch to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows Defender. You can use the arrows on the left.
Advice. You can copy and paste the path into the registry address bar to quickly navigate to your destination.
- If you do not see DisableAntiSpyware DWORD, right-click the Windows Defender (folder) icon, select New and click DWORD (32-bit Value) Value.
- Name the key DisableAntiSpyware and press Enter.
- Change these values to 1. The initial value is 0, which means Windows Defender is enabled. Change it to re-enable Windows Defender. You can also just delete it.
- Click OK. Reboot your computer. Windows Defender will no longer protect against viruses and threats. Better to use another antivirus application for protection.
After completing the steps, restart your device to apply the settings, and then Windows Defender Antivirus should now be turned off.
If you no longer want the security feature to be disabled, you can enable it again using the same steps, but in step 6 make sure you right click on DisableAntiSpyware DWORD and select the Uninstall option.
Disable Windows Defender via Command Prompt or PowerShell
- Run Command Prompt as Administrator.
- You can press Windows + X combination and select Windows PowerShell (Admin)
- In the PowerShell window, enter the command
- Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $ true
- Immediately after its execution, real-time protection will be disabled.
To use this same command in a command prompt (also run as administrator), just type powershell and a space before the command text.
How to disable windows 10 Defender Center temporarily
How to disable Windows Defender using O&O ShutUp10
Note: after installing Windows updates, the system settings may be changed again. We recommend that you run O&O ShutUp10 again after installing the updates, the changed parameters will be highlighted and you can return them back automatically.
Windows Defender Antivirus is a free anti-malware solution that Microsoft ships with every Windows 10 installation. This security suite is designed to provide a basic level of protection for your device against various types of malware, including viruses, ransomware, rootkits, spyware, etc.
Although the antivirus starts automatically, it may turn off when you install a third-party antivirus product. However, Windows 10 does not offer the ability to completely disable built-in system protection. The main reason for this is that Microsoft doesn't want Windows 10 devices to be used without any protection.
However, sometimes users want to completely stop using Windows Defender, for example, when using computer terminals without a network connection and configured to disable peripheral connections.
In this Windows 10 guide, we'll provide step-by-step instructions on how to disable Windows Defender on a PC using Group Policy Editor, Registry, and Windows Defender Security Center.
Note
All the steps indicated in this article can be performed only in an account with Administrator rights.
Instructions for Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise
Instructions for Windows 10 Home, Pro, and Enterprise
How to disable Anti-Counterfeiting Protection (for Windows 10, version 1903, 1909 and above)
After completing these steps and restarting your PC, Windows Defender will no longer scan for and detect malware.
You can re-enable Windows Defender Antivirus at any time by following the previous steps and selecting Not Configured.
Group Policy Editor is not available in Windows 10 Home, but you can do the same using Registry Editor.
Note
Changing the registry incorrectly can lead to serious problems. It is recommended that you back up the Windows registry before following these steps. From the Registry Editor menu, select File> Export to save the backup.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows Defender- Right-click the Windows Defender folder, select New> DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name the parameter DisableAntiSpyware and press Enter.
- Double click on the generated key and set the value from 1 , then click OK.
- Right click on the Windows Defender folder, select New> Partition.
- Name the section Real-Time Protection and press Enter.
- Right click on the “Real-Time Protection” folder, select New> DWORD Parameter (32 bit) and create the following parameters:
- Name the parameter DisableBehaviorMonitoring 1 , then click OK.
- Name the parameter DisableOnAccessProtection and set the value 1 , then click OK.
- Name the parameter DisableScanOnRealtimeEnable and press Enter. Double click on the generated key and set the value 1 , then click OK.
- Name the parameter DisableIOAVProtection and press Enter. Double click on the generated key and set the value 1 , then click OK.
- Reboot your computer
note
After disabling the built-in antivirus, Windows Defender component icon Windows Security(for Windows 10, versions 1909, 1903, and 1809) or Windows Defender Security Center will continue to appear in the notification area of the taskbar. If you want to get rid of this icon, then:
- Run the utility by clicking on the OOSU10.exe file (administrator rights are required)
- Go to section Windows Defender and Microsoft SpyNet and flip the switch Disable Windows Defender into an active state. The rest of the parameters can be disabled at will.
Note
After installing Windows updates, the system settings can be changed again. We recommend that you run O&O ShutUp10 again after installing the updates, the changed parameters will be highlighted and you can return them back automatically.
How to disable Windows Defender Security Center
Please note that after disabling the built-in antivirus, Windows Defender component icon Windows Security(for Windows 10, versions 1909, 1903, and 1809) or Windows Defender Security Center will continue to appear in the notification area of the taskbar. If you want to get rid of this icon, then follow these steps:
- Open Task Manager and go to the Startup tab.
- Find the line Windows Security notification icon(for Windows 10, versions 1909, 1903, and 1809) or Windows Defender notification icon
- Right click on this item and select the option Disable.
If you need to temporarily disable Windows Defender, you can use the following instructions:
- Open up Windows Security(for Windows 10, versions 1909, 1903 and 1809) or Windows Defender Security Center - just click on the icon in the system tray.
- Select the "Virus and threat protection" section.
- Select the "Virus and other threats protection settings" link.
- Set the switch real time protection into position Off.
- Reboot your computer
After completing these steps, Windows Defender will be disabled. However, this is a temporary solution. The antivirus will be reactivated after the device reboots.
Conclusion
While in some cases it may indeed be necessary to disable the built-in antivirus of Windows 10, users are not advised to use the device without any protection.
If you are trying to disable Windows Defender because you prefer a different antivirus solution, then you should take into account that the built-in antivirus will be automatically disabled during the installation of an alternative solution.
The latest version of Windows 10 comes with Windows Defender, which is designed to keep your computer safe from viruses, malware, and other threats. While it may not offer all the features available in other antivirus programs, it is suitable for many home users.
Most anti-virus packages automatically disable Defender during installation. You can remove this feature by using one of the free antivirus 2020 from our review.
In previous versions of the operating system, it was not difficult to enable or disable this feature. In Windows settings Defender there was an option to turn it off or on. In version 10, Microsoft moved the settings to Options.
- Go to "Start".
- Further in the application "Parameters"
- Select "Update & Security"
- Open Windows Security.
- Select "Open Defender Security Center".
- Click the Virus & Threat Protection tab.
- Then "Protection against viruses and other threats".
- Flip the Real-Time Protection and Cloud Protection switches to the off position.
- The defender turns off for approximately 15 minutes.
- After this time, Windows Defender will start automatically.
Disabled completely using Group Policy
If the operating system detects that real-time protection is disabled, protection will be enabled automatically after some time. To permanently disable Windows Defender, we need to manually disable the Defender service and stop it from starting automatically. you also can disable SmartScreen Filter.
Group Policy Editor is part of Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise. To disable Defender, follow these steps:
After making changes, Windows Defender is immediately disabled.
Disable using the Windows registry
You can also disable Windows Defender in the registry. In fact, this is the same setting that is written to it when the application is disabled in the Group Policy Editor.
- open "Start"> "Run";
- type regedit.exe and press enter;
- Navigate to the next key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows Defender;
if you see the DisableAntiSpyware preference on the right, double click on it and set it to 1 to disable Windows Defender.
- if the preference does not exist, right-click Windows Defender and select New> Double (32-bit) Value and name it DisableAntiSpyware.
Finally, you will need to disable the anti-virus program service. In Registry Editor, navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Services \ WinDefend
Double-click the Start parameter in the right pane and set it to 4.
You will be interested in:
Windows Defender- this is the so-called Windows 10 Defender. However, our language does not dare to call it as such. The fact is that it blocks only a small fraction of all threats that await us on the network. Even the majority of absolutely free antiviruses do their job ten times better. But this is not so bad. Defender often blocks not only malicious software, but also the data, files, and applications we need. That is why we want to tell you how to disable Windows 10 Defender permanently.
Installing a third-party antivirus
The best way to keep your computer safe from viruses is to install a good antivirus. In addition, it will automatically replace the standard protective equipment.It can literally be any antivirus: free, trial, store-bought. The main thing is that it be there, otherwise you risk the safety of all your data: passwords, photos, videos and other content.
So, let's say you have already installed a third-party anti-virus program. Now we suggest that you figure out whether the defender has been disabled. To do this, follow these steps:
From this moment on, the settings for protecting your computer from viruses are controlled by means of an anti-virus program. In our case, this is Kaspersky Anti-Virus.
The settings menu is launched from the main program window by clicking on the gear located in the lower left corner. Accordingly, in another program, the settings may be started differently.
Deactivating a defender through the Registry Editor
If for one reason or another you do not want to install a third-party antivirus, that is, there is another way to disable Windows 10 defender forever - for this you should use the Registry Editor built into the system. So let's take a look at the shutdown process in great detail: 
If you want to check if everything really worked out, use the instructions above - it is relevant in this case as well.
As you can see, there is nothing complicated - a few simple steps save you from problems with the built-in antivirus software.
