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If Windows Security is crashing or not opening, you can reset and re-register the Windows Security app and get the issue fixed. In this post, we will show you the 3 quick and easy ways to reset or repair Windows Security or reinstall Windows Defender in Windows 11/10.
You can perform this task in either of four ways to reset or repair Windows Security or reinstall Windows Defender:
- From Windows Settings
- From Start Menu
- Via PowerShell
- Via Command Prompt
Let’s see a description of the process involved with each of the methods.
1] Repair or Reset Windows Security via Settings
To repair or reset Windows Security open the Windows Settings app, and select System settings from the left side.
On the right side, click on System Components.
Next, locate Windows Security and click on the 3-dots link to show the Advanced options flyout. Click on it.
Now you will see the options to Repair or Reset the Windows Security app.
Choose the option you desire, click the button, and wait for the process to complete.
2] Reset Windows Security app from Start Menu
You can also reset Windows Security app directly from the Start Menu:
- Press the Win+I key on the keyboard to open Settings.
- Click on App settings on the left side
- The System components page for Windows Security will open
- Here you can click on the Repair or Reset button.
- Wait for the process to complete, and then exit Settings.
3] Reset Windows Security app in PowerShell
Do the following:
- Press Windows key + X to open the Power User Menu.
- Then press i on the keyboard to launch PowerShell.
- In the PowerShell console, type in or copy and paste the command below and hit Enter.
Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.Windows.SecHealthUI* | Reset-AppxPackage
Once the command executes, you can exit the PowerShell console.
4] Reinstall and re-register Windows Security app in Command Prompt
Do the following:
- Press Windows key + R to invoke the Run dialog.
- In the Run dialog box, type
cmdand hit Enter to open Command Prompt. - In the command prompt window, type or copy and paste the command below and hit Enter.
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "& {$manifest = (Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.Windows.SecHealthUI*).InstallLocation + '\AppxManifest.xml' ; Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $manifest}"
That’s it!
Related post: How to Reset Windows Security Security Settings to default values in Windows.
What will happen if I reset Windows Security?
When you reset Windows Security, everything from your security key will be deleted and reset to factory defaults. All data and credentials will be cleared. In short, all data belonging to this app will be cleared.
Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year Microsoft MVP (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP (2016-2022). Please read the entire post & the comments first, create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your system & be careful about any 3rd-party offers while installing freeware.
Is your Windows Defender not turning on? Are you looking for full solutions to get rid of this issue? This post will show you how to repair Windows Defender in Windows 11/10/8/7 so your PC can be protected from viruses. We will also introduce a professional backup software for PC protection.
Windows Defender Will Not Turn on Windows 11/10/8/7
Windows Defender (also called Windows Defender Security Center in Windows 10 1703 or later), a fully integrated part of Windows, is an antivirus program. It can offer real-time protection from various threats like spyware, malware, and viruses to your PC. Once it scans and finds potential threats, this program will stop them.
However, many users have reported that their Windows Defender can’t be turned on for virus defense in Windows 11/10/8/7 when they click on the Turn on button.
One Windows 10 user from tomsguide said:
“A few days back I turned it off completely using group edit policy, but now when I try to put on the real-time protection slider, it asks for permission but then nothing happens…”tomsguide
In addition to the case when Windows Defender could be turned off by group policy, some users said Windows Defender gets an unexpected error and cannot be opened or Windows Defender can’t open after uninstalling Avast, Bitdefender, McAfee, AVG.
To put it simply, this issue is possibly caused by the installation of third-party antivirus software, a corrupted registry, software conflicts, and so on. For Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 and Windows 11 users, it is fairly common.
Well then, what to do if you are troubled by Windows Defender not working? How to turn on Windows Defender in Windows 8/10/7 successfully? Take it easy! Get the full solutions from the following part to help you out.
Further tip: If your Windows Defender can work normally, but you have a need to disable it, you can watch the following video.
How to Repair Windows Defender Windows 11/10/8/7
Method 1: Uninstall Third-party Antivirus Software
If you have installed any third-party software on your computer, Windows operating system will automatically detect it and turn itself down. Thus, the first thing you can try is to disable your other security programs.
If that is not working, the best way is to completely remove them. To do this, go to Control Panel > Programs and Features in Windows 7 or navigate to Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program in Windows 11/10/8.
Then find your third-party program, right-click on it and choose Uninstall or Uninstall/Change to remove it to get rid of Windows Defender not turning on issue.
Alternatively, you can use a professional removal tool to uninstall your security applications, remove all files (including undetected files) and registry entries associated with the application, which may also prevent you from running Windows Defender.
Finally, restart your PC and try launching Windows Defender again to see if it can be turned on for virus, spyware and other threats protection.
Tips:
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Method 2: Restart the Security Center Service
In order to let Windows Defender work properly, you need to enable certain services. If those services aren’t running well, the issue of Windows Defender not turning on will happen on Windows 11/10/8/7. So, follow the instructions to restart necessary services, and here we will show you enabling Security Center service.
Step 1: Click Win and R keys on your keyboard to launch the Run box.
Step 2: Input services.msc in the box and press Enter.
Step 3: In the Services interface, search for Security Center service and right-click on it to choose the Restart option.
Once this service is restarted, you can check if the issue -Windows Defender not starting is solved.
Method 3: Run an SFC Scan
If Windows Defender will not turn on Windows 10/11/8/7 and runs into an unexpected error, perhaps there is something wrong with your system files. So, you can perform an SFC scan.
SFC, known as System File Checker, is a utility in Windows that allows you to scan for corruptions in Windows system files and restore them. How to scan your system files and repair missing or corrupted files? Here are the steps.
Step 1: Type cmd in the search box of Windows 7/8/10 and right-click on it to run this program as administrator.
Step 2: In the Command Prompt window, type sfc /scannow command line and press the Enter key.
Then, this utility will begin a system scan. This process will take some time, so please wait patiently until verification reaches 100%.
Step 3: Later, exit the CMD window to check whether Windows Defender unexpected error is resolved.
Tip: Sometimes, SFC scan will fail to work with an error message. Fortunately, you can find solutions from this post – Quickly Fix SFC Scannow Not Working (Focus on 2 Cases).
In order to fix the issue of Windows Defender Antivirus not turning on, you can try using DISM scan instead. To do that, follow the guide:
Step 1: Run Command Prompt as administrator.
Step 2: In the pop-up window, enter DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and hit Enter to execute this command line. Similarly, this scan will take some time, just wait and don’t interrupt it.
Method 4: Install the Latest Update
An outdated Windows operating system may cause the issue of Windows Defender not turning on. Some users reported that they had been able to fix the issue simply by installing the latest Windows update – latest signature updates are necessary for Windows Defender to keep your PC secure.
Note: Installing Windows update may give rise to data loss, thus, you had better back up your important files before an update so that you can restore the computer to a previous state in case of accidents.
Back up Files or Windows OS before an Update
To back up crucial files, you can choose the professional backup software for Windows 11/10/8/7, MiniTool ShadowMaker since it allows you to back up files into an image and sync files or folders to other safe locations. Now, get MiniTool ShadowMaker Trial Edition on your computer and then install it for file backup.
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Step 1: Run MiniTool ShadowMaker Trial.
Step 2: In the Backup page, go to Source > Folders and Files to choose important files that you want to back up.
Then go to Destination to choose the place where you need to save the backup. Here an external hard drive, USB drive, NAS, etc. can be available.
Step 3: After finishing all the selections, click the Back Up Now button to start the backup operation.
In addition, you can take full advantage of the Sync feature to synchronize your important files. This tutorial – How to Sync Folders Windows 10 to External Drive? 3 Tools Are Here shows you detailed operating steps.
Upgrade Windows OS
Now, it is time for you to install the latest Windows operating system. How to perform a Windows update? Here is the guide:
Step 1: In Windows 7, go to Control Panel and click Windows Update. In Windows 8, go to Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Update. In Windows 10, navigate to Settings > Update & security to enter the Windows Update interface. In Windows 11, go to Settings > Windows Update.
Step 2: Click Check for updates. If there are available updates, install them and restart your PC.
After completing Windows updates, the problem of Windows Defender not turning on maybe disappeared.
Tip: Windows failed to check for updates? Read this article Windows Update Cannot Currently Check for Updates to look for solutions.
Method 5: Change Your Group Policy
Sometimes, Windows Defender won’t turn on in Windows 10/11/8/7 because it is turned off by your group policy. This can be a problem but you are able to fix it simply by changing the group policy.
To do that, follow the step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Open the Run dialog by clicking Win + R keys on the keyboard.
Step 2: Type gpedit.msc and press the OK button.
Step 3: In the Local Group Policy Editor interface, go to the left pane and navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Template > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus.
Step 4: In the right pane, double-click on Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus.
Step 5: In the pop-up window, choose Not Configured, click the Apply and OK button.
After these changes are brought into effect, the issue of Windows Defender not working due to the group policy being turned off should be solved, and you can run it to protect your PC.
Method 6: Modify Windows Registry
When you fail to enable Windows Defender in Windows 11/10/8/7, the problem may be related to your registry. Then, you can change it to fix this issue.
Note: We strongly recommend you to back up Windows registry before modifying it to avoid system accidents.
Step 1: Input regedit in the text box of the Run window.
Step 2: In the Registry Editor interface, go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender
Step 3: Find DisableAntiSpyware key. If this key is not listed, please right-click the blank, choose New and DWORD (32-bit) Value to create it.
Step 4: Right-click on it and set its Value data to 0.
After you have changed Windows Defender using Registry Editor, you can check if Windows Defender Antivirus not turning on is solved.
Method 7: Perform a Clean Boot
If you start the Windows system in normal start-up operation, there might be many third-party applications running in the background. These applications can cause software conflicts and interfere with Windows. As a result, you can’t turn on Windows Defender in Windows 11/10/8/7.
To repair the Windows Defender issue, you can perform a clean boot. This method is quite simple and you can do by following these instructions:
Step 1: Launch the Run window, and enter msconfig in the textbox.
Step 2: In the System Configuration interface, go to the General tab, choose Selective startup and uncheck Load startup items.
Step 3: Under the Services tab, tick Hide all Microsoft services and click Disable all.
Step 4: Click the OK and Restart button to reboot your PC.
Note: After finishing your troubleshooting, go to System Configuration > General to change the startup setting to Normal startup. And enter the Services tab to enable all Microsoft services.
Now, all of the possible ways to fix Windows Defender not turning on have been shown to you. Just try them one by one to fix Windows Defender in Windows 11/10/8/7. If you think these ways are helpful, you can also share them on Twitter to let more people know.
Click to tweet
In order to protect your computer against spyware, ransomware, adware, viruses and other threats, you can try another way that is to use MiniTool ShadowMaker to back up your computer.
MiniTool ShadowMaker, one of the best backup software for Windows 11/10/8/7 users, is really worth recommending. In addition to backing up your important files (as mentioned above), it can help you easily and effectively back up your Windows operating system, disk, and partition. If your system ever goes wrong, you can use the backup to restore it to a normal state.
Additionally, it supports disk cloning, which helps you transfer all the content on a disk to another for the entire disk data backup. For system disk cloning, the cloned drive can be used to boot the PC in case of a system crash.
Are you interested in this backup software? Now get MiniTool ShadowMaker Trial Edition (30 days trial) from the following button.
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Step 1: Run this free backup software, continue to use the Trial Edition and choose the local backup mode.
Step 2: After entering the Backup page, you can see this program will back up your Windows system by default since the system partitions and destination path are chosen. Of course, you can click the Source and Destination module to decide what you want to back up and where you need to save the image.
Next, just click the Back up Now button to execute the operation in the Manage page.
Tip: In order to protect your PC well, you can take full advantage of its Schedule option to automatically back up your files or the Windows OS.
In addition, you can choose the entire system disk to create a hard drive image. Or go to Tools page to use its Clone Disk feature to perform a disk cloning for backup.
Related article: How to Clone a Hard Drive to SSD in Windows 11/10/8/7?
Bottom Line
Can’t turn on Windows Defender Windows 10/11/8/7? How to turn on Windows Defender in Windows 11/10/8/7? We have shown you solutions to fix the issue of Windows Defender not turning on; just try them one by one.
To keep your PC safe, you should use the professional and reliable PC backup software, MiniTool ShadowMaker to back up the important files or Windows system automatically.
If you have any other solution to repair Windows Defender or any question related to MiniTool software, please contact us via [email protected] or leave your idea in the comment part below.
What to do if Windows Defender is not working?
- Uninstall third-party antivirus software
- Restart the Security Center Service
- Run an SFC scan
- Install the latest update
- Change your group policy
- Modify Windows Registry
- Perform a clean boot
Why my Windows Defender is not updating?
The causes for Windows Defender not updating are various, such as connectivity problems, Windows Defender services not running, corrupted system files, a Windows update problem, etc. The solutions should depend on the error message that you have received. Just search the specific error online for the fixes.
How do I make Windows Defender default?
By default, Windows Defender automatically enables cloud-based protection, sample submission, and real-time protection. You can go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Defender > Open Windows Defender Security Center. Then, click Settings > Virus & threat protection settings to check these settings.
Do I need antivirus if I have Windows Defender?
Although you have Windows Defender – the built-in antivirus software in Windows 10, you may also need a third-party antivirus program. This post- Is Windows Defender Enough? More Solutions to Protect PC shows you some things that Windows Defender cannot do, as well as some other methods for keeping PC safe.
Often we hear people complaining that they cannot turn on Windows Defender in Windows 10, so today we’ve decided to share with you a few tips on how to fix this issue.
It’s the main anti-malware component of Windows. It provides a great defense against threats and you are pretty much safe from most online risks.
Windows Defender must work 24/7 especially when you don’t use any other antivirus. Leaving your PC vulnerable even for a few moments might pose a big risk.
If you’re happy with basic antivirus protection, Windows Security is perfect for protecting your PC. Other antivirus software comes with additional security features.
Windows Defender won’t start
Here are some examples of how this issue may manifest itself:
- Can’t turn on Windows Defender Windows 10 Group Policy
- If you get this error, check out our article about Group Policy Editor and Windows Defender.
- Can’t turn off Windows Defender Windows 10
- If you want to switch to another antivirus program, this problem might prevent you from turning off Windows Defender.
- Windows Defender real-time protection handled by another av program
- Windows Defender and another antivirus program don’t go along (see below).
There are a few possible scenarios for this problem, and we’ll cover most of them in this article.
What to do if Windows Defender is not working in Windows 10
- Enable real-time protection
- Change date and time
- Use professional software for protection
- Update Windows
- Change Proxy Server
- Disable third-party antivirus
- Run the SFC scan
- Run DISM
- Reset the Security Center service
1. Enable real-time protection
- Press the Windows key + Q key on the keyboard to bring up the charms search.
- Type Windows Defender in the search box and then press Enter.
- Head over to the Settings and check Turn on real-time protection.
Windows Defender is designed to turn itself off if it detects any other third-party antivirus software. Windows is designed to detect any installed antivirus software, and certain issues can occur if you have two or more antivirus software installed.
These issues include conflicts between antivirus software that can manifest as frequent freezing, crashing of applications, etc.
Since this is a common problem, in order to avoid any conflicts, Windows Defender will turn itself off if Windows detects any other security program.
In addition, if this security software has a Firewall, Windows Firewall will also turn itself off.
This means that if you want Windows Defender to work, you’ll have to choose between it and the third-party antivirus software.
Often users are not aware of whether security software is installed or not because when you buy a new laptop in most cases it comes with a trial version of antivirus software such as Norton, McAfee, etc.
When you install applications like Flash or Java it might prompt you to uninstall the free security scanner, and that can cause some problems.
Therefore it’s best to search your PC if you’re not sure whether security software is installed or not. Once you remove it, you might need to manually turn it back on using these steps:
2. Change date and time
Another cause for Windows Defender not working properly is the incorrect time and date on Windows 10.
In order to fix this, you need to check your time and date and set it to the correct value before trying to turn Windows Defender back on.
We know that this might sound strange, but most of the Windows system functions are dependent on time and date, therefore an incorrect date or time could trigger abnormal behavior in your Windows OS.
3. Use professional software for protection
Windows Defender is a useful feature for your operating system, but if it doesn’t function properly, you can try professional software. ESET HOME Security Premium is constantly improved through updates by its developer so that it will detect and repair the latest malware that will appear.
Try out the ultimate cybersecurity package that will provide you with online safety. This software was created for users who want full protection against online threats.
This means you will also benefit from extra theft protection and a user-friendly password management feature. Feel free to install and use it on any Windows, Android, Mac, or Linux device, as it is compatible with all four operating systems.
Keep your digital identity under protection from unauthorized third parties with ESET HOME Security Premium’s advanced antivirus technology. This application will also offer efficient protection of your confidential data from phishing and ransomware.
If you desire more privacy for your files, then you can choose to encrypt them and removable media too. This is professional software that keeps you organized with good password management, by storing and organizing them.
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4. Update Windows
- Go to Start, select Settings, and choose Update & Security.
- Navigate to Windows Update, and then select Check for updates.
Make sure that you keep your Windows up to date using Windows Update since this can cause some problems with Windows Defender. When it comes to any security software, make sure that you update it frequently.
We suggest that you perform a full Windows Update, then open Windows Defender and run an update from there as well.
If you can’t open the Setting app, we have a special article on how to solve the issue.
5. Change Proxy Server
- Press Windows key + X and select Command Prompt (Admin).
- Type in one of the following:
NETSH WINHTTP SET PROXY 1.1.1.1:8080orNETSH WINHTTP SET PROXY MYPROXY.NET:8080 - Reboot the system and see if it works.
These three are the most common scenarios that can cause problems with Windows Defender, but there are some other not-so-common scenarios that can cause problems as well.
For example, incorrect Zone settings in Internet Explorer can cause problems, but you can easily fix this by resetting Internet Explorer to factory settings.
Bear in mind that if you are using a Proxy server, Windows Defender will not be able to update. If that’s the case, you’ll need to make some minor tweaks to your Proxy server.
If you’re having trouble accessing Command Prompt as an admin, then you can read one of our guides.
6. Disable third-party antivirus
Windows Defender doesn’t get along with third-party antivirus programs. Just like any two antivirus programs don’t work well with each other.
So, if you want Windows Defender to be your primary security option, make sure to disable any third-party antivirus programs you have installed on your computer.
7. Run the SFC scan
- Go to Search, type cmd, and open Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Enter the following line and press Enter:
sfc/scannow - Wait for the process to finish.
- Restart your computer.
This simple solution shows how to run the SFC scan in Windows 10.
8. Run DISM
- Go to Search, type cmd, and open Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Enter the following command on the command line:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
- In case the DISM can’t obtain files online, try using your installation USB or DVD. Insert media and type following command:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:RepairSourceWindows /LimitAccess
- Make sure to replace the following path of your DVD or USB:
C:/Repair/Source/Windows
9. Reset the Security Center service
- Go to Search, type
services.msc, and open Services. - Find the Security Center service.
- Right-click the Security Center service, and go to Reset.
- Restart your computer.
And finally, if none of the solutions from above worked, we’ll try resetting the Security Center service. Hopefully, Windows Defender will start working after that.
That’s about it, we hope at least one of these solutions helped you resolve your problems with Windows Defender. If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, just let us know in the comments down below.
Is your Windows Defender not working? Are you looking for solutions to fix the Windows Defender not working problem? This post will then show you how you can fix Windows Defender in Windows 10 so that you can keep your system or pc protected from viruses. We will explain all necessary and easy solutions to repair the Windows Defender problem, with a complete step guide.
What is Windows Defender?
Windows Defender is an antivirus or a fully integrated program, and it is also called Windows Defender security center. It provides your system with real-time protection from various threats such as; malware, spyware, and other kinds of viruses on PC. It scans your system, and if it finds any threat, then this program will stop them.
Whenever you find that your Windows Defender is not responding in Windows 10, there is surely some reason to happen. Here we have mentioned a few reasons that are responsible for affecting your Windows 10 defender working process.
- Third-party antivirus installed
- Software conflicts with another antivirus program
- Corrupted registry
- Malware infection
How to Fix Windows Defender not working in Windows 10
“What to do if my windows defender is not working in Windows 10?” to get the solution to this problem, follow the below given stepwise methods whenever you have encountered this problem on your Windows 10 PC.
Solution 1: Uninstall Third-Party Antivirus Software
If you can’t turn on Windows Defender in Windows 10, then you can easily solve this problem by uninstalling, installing third-party antivirus. If you have installed a third-party antivirus, follow the below-given steps to remove that third-party antivirus.
Step 1: Type in the search box of your windows, Control panel, and search for it.
Step 2: Now navigate to Control Panel>> Programs>>Uninstall a program.
Step 3: Locate your third party antivirus and right-click on it, and choose Uninstall to remove it.
Solution 2: Update Your Windows
If your Windows Defender is not showing anything, then the problem is related to your windows update. To solve the Windows 10 defender error, you need to update your windows as soon as possible. Make sure that you keep your windows updated if it is about any security software.
Follow the below-given steps of how to update your windows.
Step 1: Go to the Start, and select Settings.
Step 2: Now navigate to Settings>> Update & security>> Windows update.
Step 3: Now, Click on Download button in windows update.
Step 4: After completing the windows update process, open Windows Defender and run it.
Solution 3: Run SFC Scan
If your windows could not start the Windows Defender service on your local computer, then running an SFC scan is also an effective solution to resolve Windows Defender not working properly.
Here is how to run the SFC scan; follow this process.
Step 1: Go to the Search Box of your windows and type cmd there.
Step 2: Now, open your command prompt as Administrator.
Step 3: Enter here command line: sfc/scannow, and then press Enter.
Step 4: Wait until the process has finished and after that, Restart your PC or computer.
Solution 4: Reset the Security Center Service
If the above-listed solution for the Windows Defender working problem won’t fix the problem, you can try the reset security center service fix.
Here are the steps to reset the security center service in Windows 10; follow these steps.
Step 1: Go to the search box of your windows and type service.msc .
Step 2: Open Services.
Step 3: Now, locate Security center service and do right-click on it, then go to Reset or Restart.
Step 4: At last, Restart your computer.
Solution 5: Change Date and Time
Incorrect date and time also affect Windows Defender’s working, so to troubleshoot the Windows Defender working issue, you need to correct the date and time. It might sound strange, but this method works; you should try this.
Follow the below-given steps to change the date and time on your Windows 10 pc.
Step 1: Click on the Start button and go into the Settings.
Step 2: Now, go into Time & Language and then Date & Time.
Step 3: under Change date and time, click on change.
(Note: To make this change, you need to make sure that Set time zone automatically and Set time automatically, both are off.)
Step 4: Enter the date and time and press change. You will see your preferable date and time has been updated.
Solution 6: Enable Real-Time Protection
To resolve Windows Defender not working errors, there is Enabling real-time protection is also an effective solution. Once you have uninstalled your third party antivirus from your PC, then you need to execute this process.
Follow the below-given steps to enable real time protection.
Step 1: Go into the search box and type Settings in it.
Step 2: Start navigating to Settings>>Update & security>>Windows security.
Step 3: Now, click on Virus & Threat protection.
Step 4: Click on Manage setting or Virus & threat protection setting.
Step 5: Check the Real-Time protection, and turn it On.
Solution 7: Change the Proxy Server
If you are using a proxy server, then possibly your Windows Defender won’t be able to update; also, it will not work accurately. At that instant, you need to make some minor changes in your proxy server to get back your Windows Defender in workable condition.
Follow these steps to change the proxy server.
Step 1: Open the search box on your windows and search for cmd.
Step 2: Select command prompt from the search result.
Step 3: Enter the command in the command prompt: NETSH WINHTTP SET PROXY MYPROXY.NET:8080 or NETSH WINHTTP SET PROXY 1.1.1.1:8080, and press Enter.
Step 4: Now, reboot your system.
Solution 8: Run DISM
To repair Windows Defender, not working problems, running DISM in windows 10 is another way to fix this problem; you can try this process on your Windows 10 system.
Follow the below given steps to run DISM on windows 10.
Step 1: Go to the search box and type cmd in it and search for it.
Step 2: Open Command prompt as Administrator.
Step 3: Type the command line: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup – image /Restorehealth, and press Enter.
Step 4: If DISM can’t obtain the files then try to install CVD or USB and type that command: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:RepairSourceWindows /LimitAccess
Step 5: Remember that you need to replace the path with a DVD or USB path.
C:/Repair/Source/Windows
Solution 9: Change the Group Policy
Sometimes your Windows Defender won’t work properly in Windows 10, because it is turned off by group policy. But, you can easily resolve this error by changing the group policy.
Here are all the steps to change the group policy; follow them.
Step 1: Click on the search box from the taskbar. If your search box is hidden, you can easily use Windows key+ X to access the search box easily.
Step 2: Click on search.
Step 3: In search box type, edit group policy.
Step 4: Click on Edit group policy from the search results.
Step 5: Go into the left pane, and Start navigates to Computer Configuration>>Administrative template>> Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus.
Step 6: Go into the right pane and do double click on Turn off Windows Defender firewall.
Step 7: Now, you can see a pop-up window; choose Not-configured from it.
Step 8: Click on Apply and then an OK button.
Solution 10: Restart your Computer
Last but not least, easy but effective; Restarting a computer solution to fix the Windows Defender problem. Sometimes, just a simple restart process would be able to solve your problem.
Follow the steps of restarting your computer.
Step 1: Open the start menu by clicking on the lower-left Start button.
Step 2: Click the Power Options button in the top middle.
Step 3: Select Restart in the list.
Conclusion
Here we are done. Hopefully, these all-listed solutions for Windows Defender not working in Windows 10 will help you come out of this trouble. Try these solutions one by one, and you will definitely get out of this trouble.
If you have any doubt or query related to Windows Defender, then you can leave your queries in the comment section, and we will be right back soon with another effective and quick solution. I hope you would like our given solutions and be in touch with us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: How do I fix Windows Defender not Turning ON?
To fix this problem, you can follow various solutions such as;
- Clean Boot your computer
- Check your system files
- Change group policy
- Modify your registry
Question 2: Do I Required Anti-malware with Windows Defender?
No, you can’t use any anti-malware software with the Windows Defender at the same time. But note that the working of both anti-malware and Windows Defender is the same; both protect your windows system from viruses or malware.
Question 3: How can I Tell Windows Defender is ON?
Follow these steps to verify that Windows Defender is ON.
Step 1: Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, and then select Task Manager.
Step 2: Click on the Service Tab and verify the status of the following services.
- Windows Defender Antivirus Network Inspection
- ServiceWindows Defender Antivirus Service
Question 4: Why is my Windows Defender not Updating?
There could be several reasons behind your Windows Defender not updating; check them once.
- Connectivity problem
- Corrupted system files
- Windows Defender service not running
- Windows update problem
Microsoft Defender or Windows Defender/Security is the primary antivirus came pre-installed with Windows 10. Microsoft has continuously developed this security suite and it can now offer competitive threat protection, as compared to third-party AV solutions available in the market. The best thing is that, Microsoft Defender’s protection is available free of cost. Using it, you can save a lot of money wasted on third-party AV solutions. It is highly recommended that you’ve should have installed latest update definitions for Microsoft Defender. Even after having latest updates installed, if Microsoft Defender not working, this article will help you to fix it.
One of the major reason Microsoft Defender is not working is the presence of third-party AV ever installed on your system. Although the Defender is designed to disable itself, when third-party AV is active. Still, if third-party AV was uninstalled but not removed completely, it can create issues for Microsoft Defender. So it is recommended that you completely uninstall third-party AV, if it was ever installed on your system. And then try the methods mentioned below to fix Microsoft Defender.
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Fix: Microsoft Defender not working in Windows 10
Method 1 – Reset Microsoft Defender using Settings app
1. Open the Start Menu and locate Windows Security or Microsoft Defender app.
2. Right click on the app and select More > App settings.
3. This will open Windows Security page in Settings app. In that screen, scroll down and under Reset heading, click on Reset option.
This will reset the Microsoft Defender app, and it should now work as expected.
Method 2 – Re-register Microsoft Defender using Windows PowerShell
FYI: These steps will ONLY work in build 20175 or later.
1. Open Windows PowerShell.
2. Copy and paste following command into the Windows PowerShell window.
Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.Windows.SecHealthUI* | Reset-AppxPackage
3. Once the command execution has been successful, you can close the Windows PowerShell.
Check with the Microsoft Defender or Windows Defender/Security now, it should work fine.
To illustrate this fix, see following video:
Hope this helps!
Read next: Virus Protection is turned off in Windows 10.
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March 10, 2025