Windows 10: Turn On or Off Tamper Protection for Windows Defender Antivirus

How to: Turn On or Off Tamper Protection for Windows Defender Antivirus

How to Turn On or Off Tamper Protection for Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows 10


Starting with Windows 10 build 18305, Microsoft introduced Tamper Protection.

Tamper Protection is a new setting from Windows Defender Antivirus, available in the Windows Security app, which when on, provides additional protections against changes to key security features, including limiting changes which are not made directly through the Windows Security app.

Starting with Windows 10 build 18323, you may see a new recommendation in the Windows Security app suggesting you turn this setting on if currently turned off.

See also:

• Protect security settings with Tamper Protection | Microsoft Docs
• Prevent changes to security settings with Tamper Protection | Windows Security Support
• Tamper protection now generally available for Microsoft Defender ATP customers | Microsoft Tech Community

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off Tamper Protection for key Windows Defender Antivirus security features in Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to turn on or off Tamper Protection.





Here's How:

1 Open Windows Security, and click/tap on the Virus & threat protection icon. (see screenshot below)



2 Click/tap on the Manage settings link under Virus & threat protection settings. (see screenshot below)



3 Turn on (default) or off Tamper Protection for what you want. (see screenshot below)

The registry key and DWORD value for this setting is located below, but you will not be able to manually change the TamperProtection DWORD value unless you take ownership of the Features key first.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Features

TamperProtection DWORD

0 = Off
5 = On





4 When prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes to approve.

5 You can now close Windows Security if you like.


That's it,
Shawn

:)

 

Defender Tamper Protection/1903

Moderators: This thread deals with Defender Tamper Protection setting and 1903. If this would be better served in a different location, please feel free to move the post.

Just wondering if anyone who installed 1903 is having any unusual issue with Defender's Tamper Protection.
Here's the blow-by-blow.....

1. Friend and I were running 1809 and installed 1903 via Update Assistant on Tuesday, May 21st. No issues and Defender Tamper Protection was on (default setting).
2. Two days later, the 23rd, friend gets alert that Tamper Protection is off. She turned it on and it seems to be holding.
3. Today, I get the alert Tamper Protection is off and I turned it on. So far, it's holding.

I have no idea why Tamper Protection would turn off. Both computers are clean -- no viruses, trojans, malware or adware. We do not mess around in the registry and there is absolutely no third-party antivirus on either machine.

For now, I'm taking a wait-and-see if Tamper Protection turns off again. I don't know if it's a 1903 bug or not. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Defender Tamper Protection/1903

Hello Pauly, *Smile

It is recommended to leave tamper protection turned on to help prevent Windows Defender from being turned off from anything or anywhere other than directly from Windows Security.

Turn On or Off Tamper Protection for Windows Defender Antivirus

 

Turn On or Off Tamper Protection for Windows Defender Antivirus

Thanks for this post, Brink. It took until almost October for me to finally get 1903 installed. I found out about Tamper Protection 24 hours later. Sure would have been nice if Microsoft would tell people who were using Windows Defender before the “1903 Upgrade” that they had decided to turn it off. If Microsoft recommends enabling Tamper Protection, why is it not enabled by default?

 

cloud protection

• https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Microsoft-Defender-ATP/Tamper-protection-now-generally-available-for-Microsoft-Defender/ba-p/911482
  
• How to Turn On or Off Tamper Protection for Windows Defender Antivirus in Windows 10
  

 

Windows Defender Antivirus will not disable from GPO

Also:
Turn On or Off Tamper Protection for Windows Defender Antivirus | Tutorials