How to Turn Off, Turn on Windows Defender in Windows 10

This guide explains how to turn Off, Turn on Windows Defender in Windows 10, with clear steps, practical tips, and important checks before you begin.

The article shows two ways to turn off and turn on Windows Defender in Windows 10:

• Turn off / on Windows Defender in Windows 10 using Local Group Policy
• Turn off / on Windows Defender in Windows 10 with the Registry

Method 1: Turn on / off Windows Defender in Windows 10 with Local Group Policy

Step 1: Open Local Group Policy Editor

Click the Search icon next to the Windows 10 Start Menu button, enter the keyword gpedit. msc , after the search results you choose gpedit. msc or Edit Group Policy .

Or you press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box, and enter the command gpedit. msc -> OK.

Step 2: Open the Windows Defender folder in Local Group Policy Editor

The Local Group Policy Editor window appears, open Windows Defender Antivirus under the path: Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Defender Antivirus.

Step 3: Turn off Windows Defender

In Windows Defender Antivirus you double click Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus.

A new window appears, tick Enabled to turn on the Disable Windows Defender Antivirus mode -> OK .

Turn on Windows Defender: You also open Windows Defender Antivirus as the above steps, in the Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus window you tick Disabled -> OK.

Method 2: Turn on / off Windows Defender in Windows 10 with the Registry

Step 1: Open the Registry Editor window

Press Windows + R to open Run and enter regedit -> OK.

Step 2: In the Registry Editor window, navigate to Windows Defender by the path: KEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows Defender. Next, right-click on Windows Defender and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Name it DisableAntiSpyware.

Step 3: Turn off Windows Defender

You can double click to open DisableAntiSpyware or you can right click on it and choose Modify .

Set the value in the Value data to 1 and select OK to save, so Windows Defender is turned off.

To turn on Windows Defender, enter the value in the Value data as 0 and save it.

So you know how to turn off, turn on Windows Defender in Windows 10, note that if you do not install other antivirus software, you should turn on Windows Defender because even though Windows Defender is not powerful antivirus software, it is enough. to protect your computer. Good luck!