🔋 You do not want Microsoft Defender to consume CPU and battery in the background. 👾 You intend to install a better antivirus software with more features and in-depth protection options. Reasons for wanting to disable it include: Some may want to disable Windows Defender Antivirus temporarily or permanently, even if no other solution is installed. Most Windows 11 users may want to keep Microsoft Defender Antivirus enabled if no other security solution is installed. Why Disable Windows Defender on Windows 11? Microsoft Defender works well in protecting your computer from viruses and various security threats, although in some cases it may require you to disable it. In newer versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11, Microsoft Defender Antivirus has been rebranded as a Windows Security application. In addition to antivirus and anti-malware protection, Microsoft Defender provides account protection, online security, device performance and health monitoring, parental controls, and firewall and network security. Microsoft Defender Antivirus (formerly known as Windows Defender) is a free anti-malware program built into Windows 11 that protects your computer from viruses and malware.

Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.Brief Overview of Windows 11 Windows Defender.

Select Enabled to enable this policy and turn off Windows Defender ( Figure 3):įigure 3: gpedit.msc Enable Turn off Windows Defender policy.

Double-click the Windows Defender folder to open the settings and look for the Turn off Windows Defender policy setting ( Figure 2):įigure 2: gpedit.msc Turn off Windows Defender policy.

Navigate through the following path to open the Windows Defender settings: Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender ( Figure 1):įigure 1: gpedit.msc Windows Defender folder.Type gpedit.msc at the command prompt and press Enter.Open a command prompt by pressing the Windows + R keys on the keyboard, type cmd in the search box, and click OK.If you are running a third-party anti-virus and wish to disable Windows Defender, you can do so using the Group Policy Editor in Windows following the steps below: It is recommended you follow these steps to disable Windows Defender ONLY if you are running a third-party anti-virus program on your computer.

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