Defender Antivirus is a built-in antivirus software in Windows 10 that helps protect your computer from malware and viruses. While it is a useful feature for many users, some may want to turn it off for various reasons. In this article, we will discuss how to turn off Defender Antivirus in Windows 10.

Why Turn Off Defender Antivirus?

There are several reasons why you may want to turn off Defender Antivirus. Some users may prefer to use third-party antivirus software instead. Others may want to turn off Defender Antivirus temporarily to perform tasks that the software may interfere with, such as installing certain applications or making changes to system settings.

Whatever your reason may be, turning off Defender Antivirus is a straightforward process. Here???s how to do it:

Method 1: Turn Off Defender Antivirus Using the Windows Security App

The Windows Security app is a built-in feature in Windows 10 that provides users with various security tools, including Defender Antivirus. You can use the app to turn off Defender Antivirus by following these steps:

1. Open the Windows Security app by clicking on the shield icon in the taskbar or by searching for "Windows Security" in the Start menu.
2. Click on "Virus & threat protection" in the left sidebar.
3. Click on "Manage settings" under the "Virus & threat protection settings" section.
4. Toggle off the switch for "Real-time protection."

Once you have turned off the real-time protection, Defender Antivirus will be disabled until you turn it back on.

Method 2: Turn Off Defender Antivirus Using Group Policy

If you have Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, you can use the Group Policy Editor to turn off Defender Antivirus. Here???s how:

1. Open the Group Policy Editor by searching for "gpedit.msc" in the Start menu.
2. Navigate to "Computer Configuration" > "Administrative Templates" > "Windows Components" > "Windows Defender Antivirus."
3. Double-click on "Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus" in the right pane.
4. Select "Enabled" and click "Apply" and "OK."

After you have enabled this policy, Defender Antivirus will be turned off and will not be able to scan for threats.

Method 3: Turn Off Defender Antivirus Using Registry Editor

You can also turn off Defender Antivirus by modifying the registry using the Registry Editor. However, this method is not recommended for novice users as modifying the registry can cause serious issues if done incorrectly. If you???re comfortable with modifying the registry, here???s how to turn off Defender Antivirus:

1. Open the Registry Editor by searching for "regedit" in the Start menu.
2. Navigate to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender."
3. Right-click on the right pane and select "New" > "DWORD (32-bit) Value."
4. Name the new value "DisableAntiSpyware."
5. Double-click on the new value and set the value data to "1."

After you have made these changes, Defender Antivirus will be turned off until you set the value data back to "0."

Conclusion

Turning off Defender Antivirus can be useful for various reasons, but it???s important to remember that doing so can leave your computer vulnerable to threats. If you do decide to turn off Defender Antivirus, make sure to turn it back on once you have completed the necessary tasks. We hope this article has helped you turn off Defender Antivirus in Windows 10.

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