How to Turn Off Windows Defender in Windows
Open the “Settings” menu., Click or tap “Update & security”., Select “Windows Defender” in the left pane., Turn off “Real-time protection”.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Open the “Settings” menu.
If you’re satisfied with Windows Defender but want to improve your device’s performance, then you can temporarily turn off Windows Defender’s real-time protection.
When real-time protection is turned off for a while, Windows will turn it back on automatically after some time.
Note that you must be logged-in on an Administrator account to turn off Windows Defender temporarily.
Click/tap the Start button (this is the Windows icon on the bottom left of your desktop).
This opens the “Start” menu.
Then click/tap “Settings” at the “Start” menu.
This will open the “Settings” menu in a different window. -
Step 2: Click or tap “Update & security”.
This opens the “Update & Security” window, which is divided into two panes.
On the left side are the security or update features while the right pane contains the options available for the feature which is selected in the left pane. , When you select “Windows Defender,” you will see three toggle switch buttons on the right pane.
You can switch a given feature “on” or “off” by clicking or tapping on the slider. , At the top of the right pane of the “Windows Defender” section is a toggle switch labeled “Real-time protection.” Click or tap it to turn it off.
Note that if the toggle switches are greyed out, this means that Windows Defender has been turned off permanently or is not enabled.
Your third-party anti-virus program might have turned it off. -
Step 3: Select “Windows Defender” in the left pane.
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Step 4: Turn off “Real-time protection”.
Detailed Guide
If you’re satisfied with Windows Defender but want to improve your device’s performance, then you can temporarily turn off Windows Defender’s real-time protection.
When real-time protection is turned off for a while, Windows will turn it back on automatically after some time.
Note that you must be logged-in on an Administrator account to turn off Windows Defender temporarily.
Click/tap the Start button (this is the Windows icon on the bottom left of your desktop).
This opens the “Start” menu.
Then click/tap “Settings” at the “Start” menu.
This will open the “Settings” menu in a different window.
This opens the “Update & Security” window, which is divided into two panes.
On the left side are the security or update features while the right pane contains the options available for the feature which is selected in the left pane. , When you select “Windows Defender,” you will see three toggle switch buttons on the right pane.
You can switch a given feature “on” or “off” by clicking or tapping on the slider. , At the top of the right pane of the “Windows Defender” section is a toggle switch labeled “Real-time protection.” Click or tap it to turn it off.
Note that if the toggle switches are greyed out, this means that Windows Defender has been turned off permanently or is not enabled.
Your third-party anti-virus program might have turned it off.
About the Author
Stephen Roberts
Specializes in breaking down complex hobbies topics into simple steps.
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