Windows Security Defender Antivirus is the built-in antivirus protection that comes with Windows 10 and 11. It provides real-time scanning and scheduled scans to protect your device from malware, viruses, and other online threats.
However, you may want to uninstall or disable Windows Security Defender for various reasons, such as:
- You want to use a third-party antivirus program instead
- Windows Security Defender is conflicting with another program
- You find the notifications or scans intrusive
As an IT professional with over 10 years of experience, I will guide you through the proper steps to either temporarily disable or completely uninstall Windows Security Defender Antivirus based on your needs.
Table of Contents
Temporarily Disable Windows Security Defender
If you just need to turn off Windows Security Defender temporarily, you can easily disable real-time scanning and automatic scans:
- Open the Start menu and search for “Windows Security”
- Click on Virus & Threat Protection
- Under Virus & Threat Protection Settings, click on “Manage Settings”
- Turn the “Real-time Protection” toggle to “Off”
- Turn the “Cloud-delivered Protection”, “Automatic Sample Submission”, and “Tamper Protection” toggles to “Off” as well
- Click “Yes” on the prompt to confirm
With real-time and automatic protection disabled, Windows Security Defender will essentially be turned off until you re-enable these settings.
However, I recommend leaving Windows Security Defender disabled only when necessary as it leaves your device vulnerable. Be sure to re-enable protection as soon as possible.
Completely Uninstall Windows Security Defender
If you want to completely remove Windows Security Defender from your Windows 10/11 device rather than just disable it, follow these steps:
Uninstall Using Settings
- Open the Start menu and search for “Apps”
- Click on “Apps & Features”
- Scroll down and click on “Windows Security Defender”
- Click on “Uninstall”
- Confirm the uninstallation by clicking “Yes”
This will immediately and completely remove Windows Security Defender Antivirus from your system.
Uninstall Using Control Panel
- Open the Start menu and search for “Control Panel”
- Click on “Uninstall a Program” under Programs
- Right-click on “Windows Security Defender” and select “Uninstall”
- Confirm the uninstallation by clicking “Yes”
This method also completely removes Windows Security Defender Antivirus from your device.
Once uninstalled, Windows will no longer have built-in antivirus protection. I highly recommend installing a third party alternative like Bitdefender or Norton Security prior to uninstalling Windows Security Defender for seamless protection.
Best Practices When Disabling/Uninstalling
Keep these best practices in mind when you disable or uninstall Windows Security Defender:
- Temporarily disable when possible – Completely uninstalling Windows Security Defender leaves your device vulnerable to threats so try disabling first
- Enable another antivirus immediately – Whether disabling or uninstalling, have another antivirus program ready to enable right away
- Schedule the change – Pick a convenient time to disable/uninstall when you don’t urgently need your device to minimize disruption
- Re-enable Windows Security Defender if issues – If you face issues with your new antivirus solution, you can always re-enable Windows Security Defender
Let me know if you have any other questions! With my expertise in Windows security software, I can provide detailed guidance suitable to your scenario.
