Windows 10: Turn On or Off Windows Defender in Windows 10

Toggling it off and then on in Settings (clicked from Defender) convinced the program that it's on. But apparently each time my computer reboots I have to do it again. I guess this isn't a terrible solution since I'm still leary of downloading the thing in Option Four. I'm not very savvy when it comes to things involving the registry and apparently I can't even find my "run" function without googling it.

What exactly is a "bat" anyway?

 

A .bat file is a batch file. It's used to run a command by clicking on the .bat file.

Batch file - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

'bat'ch command file

 

I actually have the opposite problem!
After installing Comodo Internet Security, which is a paid program, I modified the installation, and removed the AV component.
Thus I was left with only the free firewall. So far so good.
But Windows still sees comodo as a AV, albeit a AV that is turned off. That, too, is not yet a problem.
The problem is if I try to install a 3rd party AV.
WD will not turn off. Even if I turn it off manually, it just snoozes, and turns back on at reboot.
So I am forced to use WD .
Actually, I suppose I could use webroot together with WD, but why?
One AV is enough.

 

thanks for these tools!
a couple questions.
1: when I installed panda free, it did not turn off WD automatically. Is that correct behavior?
2: if I change the registry or group policy to turn off WD, do I run a risk that I won't be able to turn it on again?

 

Hello shmu26, *Smile

Q1) Some AV programs will turn off WD, and others will not. It's perfectly safe to run both Panda Free and WD at the same time if you like to.

Q2) No risk. Undoing the group policy would allow you to turn WD back on.

 

Hi,
i wanted to turn on the defender, but i've problem turning it on, i've tried using the "reg" and "local group policy editor", but still cannot turn on, it shown below screen after i tried the method from above. please help me to turn on the defender. thanks!

 

Hello cfleong, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

Do you have a 3rd party AV program installed?

If so, they will often disable Windows Defender to avoid conflicts between them.

 

Hi, i have uninstall the program and still find the same thing.

 

It was Avast, after uninstall the program and few time restart, the defender has activated itself, thanks Brink!

 

Thank You Sir Brink *Smile i`was using avira free AV for long time when i had XP win7 now using win10 but in this days Avira av eating a lot off ram n making slow the system. just removed Do WIN10 need 3ed party AV ?

 

just as add , from my tests

a.
the OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO are the same thing
just , option two can be applied silent , both reflect the same windows policy
this for pro versions

I don't know if in home versions , where on default the local group policy editor do not exist
the option two can done the job

the local group policy editor can be added in home versions
but I don't know/tested if do this job correctly.

b.
if you apply OPTION TWO
if you run somehow (Cortana,search,start....) windows defender
you will get ALSO the picture from
EXAMPLE: Windows Defender Turned Off (above)
I mean not the presented picture from OPTION TWO.8
so this mean you cannot re-start windows defender
because you will have not the red start button to press

the only way to restart windows defender after applying OPTION ONE or OPTION TWO
is to UNDO them
to undo for OPTION TWO
delete the registry value [on default the registry value do not exist and defender is on]

c.
the picture from can OPTION TWO.8 can be reached
ONLY with above policy enabled
and service windefend not started [no running]
for that you must change the registry value

Automatic = 2 , Manual = 3 , Disabled = 4 , Automatic (Delayed Start) = 5

but this registry key is protected and windows don't let you change

but anyway is doable , for do that you must
-apply OPTION TWO (set off policy = unprotect the start key)
-restart
this if not already done before
-change start to 4 (service windefend will not start next boot)
-restart
-undo setting OPTION TWO (set on policy, but windefend service will remain stopped from now)
nou you will have access to the presented picture in OPTION TWO.8

OR change the start value with a program/script based on RunAsTI ( run as trusted installer)
like I do

OR maybe take ownership can do the job for start value in registry
not tested , and I don't have such intention , because i am not a fan of this way
[can be dangerous in future , in my opinion , malware can use this kind of door(s)]

d.
sorry if is so complicated my add
you can just use OPTION TWO for disable/enable the policy and is ok

c

 

This does not help. I diisabled Windows Defender using checkboxes but your reg file does not turn it on.

 

Hello Anixx, *Smile

Please provide more details about you did or used to disable Windows Defender.

 

After installing McAfee Internet Protection after upgrading to Windows 10, I kept getting:
There were problems installing updates ...
Definition Update For Windows Defender - KB2267602 (Definition 1.221.302.0 - Error 0x80070643

in Windows Update. Uninstalling McAfee, rebooting, using Method 1 in this thread, and then reinstalling McAfee seems to have fixed the problem.
McAfee support claims (probably correctly) that this is not an issue with McAfee, so it seems to be a bug in Windows 10 that even Windows Update tries and fails to install definition updates when a 3rd party A/V software is installed.