How To Stop Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service?

Are you looking for a way to stop the Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, you’ll learn how to quickly and easily disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service, providing you with a more secure computing experience. We’ll walk you through the steps needed to stop the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service, so you can get the most out of your computer and stay safe online.

How to Stop Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service?

Microsoft Defender Antivirus service is a great way to protect your computer from malicious software and other threats. However, there are times when it may be necessary to stop the service in order to troubleshoot an issue or to perform certain tasks. Here we will discuss how to stop the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service.

Disabling Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service

The easiest way to disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service is through the Windows Security app. To open the Windows Security app, press the Windows logo key + I on your keyboard. This will open the Settings window. In the Settings window, click on the Update & Security option. Then click on Windows Security from the left-hand side menu. This will open the Windows Security app. Here, click on the Virus & threat protection option. Now, click on the Manage settings option under the Virus & threat protection settings.

Under the Virus & threat protection settings, you will find the Real-time protection option. Toggle the slider to turn off real-time protection. This will disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service on your computer.

Alternative Ways to Disable Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service

Apart from the Windows Security app, you can also disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service through the Services Manager. To open the Services Manager, press the Windows logo key + R on your keyboard. This will open the Run window. In the Run window, type “services.msc” and click OK. This will open the Services Manager.

In the Services Manager, look for the Windows Defender Antivirus Service. Double-click on it to open its properties. In the properties window, select the Disabled option from the Startup type drop-down menu. Click on the Apply button and then click on the OK button. This will disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service on your computer.

Using Group Policy Editor to Disable Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service

You can also disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service using the Group Policy Editor. To open the Group Policy Editor, press the Windows logo key + R on your keyboard. This will open the Run window. In the Run window, type “gpedit.msc” and click OK. This will open the Group Policy Editor.

In the Group Policy Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Defender Antivirus. Now, double-click on the Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus policy. In the policy window, select the Enabled option and click on the Apply button and then click on the OK button. This will disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service on your computer.

Using Command Prompt to Disable Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service

You can also disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service using the Command Prompt. To open the Command Prompt, press the Windows logo key + R on your keyboard. This will open the Run window. In the Run window, type “cmd” and click OK. This will open the Command Prompt.

In the Command Prompt, type “sc config WinDefend start=disabled” and press the Enter key on your keyboard. This will disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service on your computer.

Using PowerShell to Disable Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service

You can also disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service using PowerShell. To open PowerShell, press the Windows logo key + X on your keyboard. This will open the Power Users menu. In the Power Users menu, click on the Windows PowerShell option. This will open the PowerShell window.

In the PowerShell window, type “Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $true” and press the Enter key on your keyboard. This will disable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service on your computer.

Re-enabling Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service

If you ever need to re-enable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service, you can do so using the same methods. Simply follow the same steps as before and select the Enable option wherever applicable. This will re-enable the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service on your computer.

Using Third-party Antivirus Software

If you want to use a different antivirus software, you can do so. There are many third-party antivirus software available that you can use. Most of these antivirus software have free and paid versions. You can choose the one that best suits your needs.

Using System Restore to Restore Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service

If you have accidentally disabled the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service and want to restore it, you can do so using the System Restore feature. To open the System Restore feature, press the Windows logo key + R on your keyboard. This will open the Run window. In the Run window, type “rstrui.exe” and click OK. This will open the System Restore window.

In the System Restore window, select the Restore my computer to an earlier time option and click on the Next button. Now, select the date and time when the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service was working properly and click on the Next button. This will restore the Microsoft Defender Antivirus service on your computer.

Using Windows Defender Offline Scan

If you want to scan your computer for any malicious software or threats, you can do so using the Windows Defender Offline scan feature. To open the Windows Defender Offline scan feature, press the Windows logo key + I on your keyboard. This will open the Settings window. In the Settings window, click on the Update & Security option. Then click on Windows Security from the left-hand side menu. This will open the Windows Security app. Here, click on the Virus & threat protection option. Now, click on the Scan options option under the Virus & threat protection settings.

In the Scan options window, click on the Windows Defender Offline scan option. This will start the Windows Defender Offline scan on your computer. The scan will take some time to complete. Once it is finished, you will be able to view the results of the scan.

Using Microsoft Safety Scanner

If you want to scan your computer for any malicious software or threats, you can do so using the Microsoft Safety Scanner. To download the Microsoft Safety Scanner, visit the official Microsoft website. Once downloaded, install the Microsoft Safety Scanner on your computer.

Once installed, open the Microsoft Safety Scanner and select the Scan Now option. This will start the scan on your computer. The scan will take some time to complete. Once it is finished, you will be able to view the results of the scan.

Using Malwarebytes

If you want to scan your computer for any malicious software or threats, you can do so using the Malwarebytes software. To download the Malwarebytes software, visit the official Malwarebytes website. Once downloaded, install the Malwarebytes software on your computer.

Once installed, open the Malwarebytes software and click on the Scan Now option. This will start the scan on your computer. The scan will take some time to complete. Once it is finished, you will be able to view the results of the scan.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service?

Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service is a built-in antivirus service for Windows 10. It provides real-time protection for your computer and automatically scans for malicious software, such as viruses, worms, spyware, and ransomware. It also prevents malicious websites from loading and can block suspicious downloads.

2. How do I stop Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service?

You can stop Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service by going to the Windows Settings app and navigating to the “Update & Security” section. From there, select the “Windows Security” tab and then click on the “Virus & threat protection” settings. From here, you can turn off the “Real-time protection” toggle switch to turn off Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service. Alternatively, you can use the Windows Services Manager to stop the service.

3. What is the Windows Services Manager?

The Windows Services Manager is a system utility in Windows that allows you to manage the services running on your computer. You can use it to start, stop, and configure services. To open the Windows Services Manager, open the Run dialog (by pressing the Windows key + R) and type in “services.msc” and press Enter.

4. How do I start Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service?

You can start Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service by going to the Windows Settings app and navigating to the “Update & Security” section. From there, select the “Windows Security” tab and then click on the “Virus & threat protection” settings. From here, you can turn on the “Real-time protection” toggle switch to turn on Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service. Alternatively, you can use the Windows Services Manager to start the service.

5. How do I configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service?

You can configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service by going to the Windows Settings app and navigating to the “Update & Security” section. From there, select the “Windows Security” tab and then click on the “Virus & threat protection” settings. From here, you can configure the settings to your preference. You can turn on or off the real-time protection, scan for malicious software, manage quarantined items, and manage advanced options such as exclusion lists and cloud-delivered protection.

How to Disable Microsoft Defender Antivirus on Windows 10 Temporarily and Permanently 2020

Microsoft Defender Antivirus is a great service that can help protect your computer from viruses and malware. However, if you don’t need it, you can easily stop it from running. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can quickly and easily disable the service and free up valuable resources on your computer. With the right steps, you can keep your computer safe and secure without the need for Microsoft Defender Antivirus.