Windows Defender will interfere with Antivirus installations on Windows Server OS and needs to be disabled prior to installation.
Microsoft has revoked the API for Windows Server that allowed us to report the presence of our Antivirus, which would cause Windows to automatically disable Windows Defender. Therefore, we cannot turn off Defender during installation, and it will need to be disabled either manually on the device or via Group Policy Object.
Disabling Windows Defender Manually
On the affected device(s), do one of the following:
- In the Remove Roles and Features Wizard, reach the Features step and deselect the Windows Defenders Features option
- If you have PowerShell, run the following command:
Uninstall-WindowsFeature -Name Windows-Defender
For more information, see Microsoft's article on the topic.
Disabling Windows Defender via GPO
- On your Group Policy management machine, open the Group Policy Management Console
- Right-click the Group Policy Object and click Edit
- In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to Computer configuration
- Click Administrative templates
- Expand the tree to Windows Components ▸ Windows Defender Antivirus ▸ Real-time protection
- Double-click Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus
- Set the option to Enabled, then click Ok
- Deploy the GPO as usual
For more information, see Microsoft's article on the topic.
FAQs
Press Win + R to open the "Run" dialog, type regedit, and press Enter. Right-click on the Windows Defender key, select "New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value," and name it DisableAntiSpyware. Double-click on DisableAntiSpyware, set the "Value data" to 1, and click OK. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
Is it possible to completely disable Windows Defender? ›
Press Win + R to open the "Run" dialog, type regedit, and press Enter. Right-click on the Windows Defender key, select "New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value," and name it DisableAntiSpyware. Double-click on DisableAntiSpyware, set the "Value data" to 1, and click OK. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
Is it safe to disable Windows Defender? ›
Testing and development:
Disabling Windows Defender will make your PC vulnerable to security threats. Hence, you should only disable it when you have a compelling reason to do so and make sure you have an alternative security solution in place.
How do I fully turn off Windows Defender? ›
Turn off Defender antivirus protection in Windows Security
- Select Start and type "Windows Security" to search for that app.
- Select the Windows Security app from the search results, go to Virus & threat protection, and under Virus & threat protection settings select Manage settings.
- Switch Real-time protection to Off.
Replies (5)
- Open the Registry Editor: Press Windows + R , type regedit , and press Enter. ...
- Navigate to the Windows Defender Key: Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender .
- Create a New DWORD Value: ...
- Set the Value: ...
- Restart Your Computer:
To turn off Windows Defender:
- Navigate to Control Panel and then click on "Windows Defender" to open it.
- Select "Tools" and then "Options".
- Select "Administrator" in the left pane.
- Uncheck the "Use this program" check box.
- Click on "Save" and then "Close" in the resulting Windows Defender information window.
Microsoft Defender can be disabled in Settings, but will turn back on automatically when you restart your computer. If you want to turn off Defender permanently, you'll need to install a different antivirus program. You can also use the built-in Group Policy Editor to permanently turn off Defender.
How do I disable Windows Defender in a server? ›
Disabling Windows Defender for Windows Server OS
- In the Remove Roles and Features Wizard, reach the Features step and deselect the Windows Defenders Features option.
- If you have PowerShell, run the following command: Uninstall-WindowsFeature -Name Windows-Defender.
After you have deactivated the virus and threat protection of Windows Defender, you will also need to disable the Firewall. To do this, select the “Firewall & network protection” menu item on the left side of the security center.
Do I really need Windows Defender? ›
Yes, Windows defender can remove viruses and malware from your computer. When it detects a threat during a scan or real-time protection, it attempts to remove or quarantine the malicious files automatically. If you suspect an infection, you can perform a manual scan to let Windows defender clean your system.
Disabling Windows Defender using Group Policy Editor
Open a command prompt by pressing the Windows + R keys on the keyboard, type cmd in the search box, and click OK. Type gpedit. msc at the command prompt and press Enter. Confirm the UAC prompt to continue.
How to permanently disable antimalware service executable? ›
How to Disable the Antimalware Executable
- Open the Start Menu, then type Windows Security. Select the first option.
- Find Virus & threat protection on the sidebar.
- Under Virus & threat protection settings, click the Manage Settings option.
- Toggle the Real-time threat protection button to off.
Hit “Manage settings” in the “Virus & threat protection settings”. Scroll to the “Real-time protection” switch. To turn it off temporarily, toggle the switch until it's off. To turn it off permanently, toggle the switch and confirm when prompted with a “Yes”.
How do I turn off Windows Defender automatically? ›
Why Does Windows 11 Defender Keep Turning Off?
- Windows Defender is not updated.
- Firewall has an issue.
- System files related to Windows Defender are corrupted.
Open the Windows Defender folder. Right-click Windows Defender Scheduled Scan and select Disable.
Can Windows Defender be disabled? ›
Although Windows 10 does not include an option to uninstall Microsoft Defender Antivirus, it is possible to permanently disable the app using Group Policy or install a third-party solution. Or you can also disable the antivirus temporarily using the Windows Security app.
Can Windows Defender be removed from Windows 10? ›
In Windows 10
You can delete the application using standard Windows tools. See the instructions on the Microsoft support website in the To uninstall Defender section. If you cannot remove the application using the standard tools, use the Microsoft tool for solving installation and removal issues.
