Are you looking for a way to turn off Windows Defender in Windows 11? Windows Defender is a built-in security feature that helps protect your computer from malicious software. While it is a useful tool, it can become annoying at times. If you want to disable Windows Defender, this guide will show you how to do it quickly and easily. How to Disable Windows Defender in Windows 11? Open the Windows 11 Settings app by pressing the Windows key + I. Click on the Update & Security icon. Click on the Windows Security option on the left-hand side. Click on the Open Windows Defender Security Center button. Click on the Virus & threat protection option. Click on the Virus & threat protection settings option. Disable the real-time protection toggle to turn off Windows Defender. Introduction to Turning Off Windows Defender in Windows 11 Windows Defender is a built-in security feature in Windows 11 that helps protect your device from malicious software and viruses. Although it is a great tool, it can sometimes be a nuisance. This guide will show you how to disable Windows Defender in Windows 11. Disable Windows Defender from the Settings App The first step to disabling Windows Defender is to open the Settings app. To do this, click the Start button, then click the gear icon to open the Settings app. Navigate to the Windows Security Section Once the Settings app is open, click the “Update & Security” option. This will open the Windows Security section, which is where you can adjust Windows Defender’s settings. Turn Off Windows Defender Once you’re in the Windows Security section, click the “Virus & threat protection” option. This will open a list of options related to Windows Defender. Look for the “Virus & threat protection settings” option and click it. This will open another list of options. Look for the “Real-time protection” option and toggle it off. This will turn off Windows Defender. Disable Windows Defender from the Registry The second way to disable Windows Defender is to use the Windows Registry. To do this, press the Windows key + R to open the Run window. Type “regedit” and press enter to open the Registry Editor. Navigate to the Windows Defender Key Once the Registry Editor is open, navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender Change the Disable Anti-Spyware Value Once you’re in the Windows Defender key, look for the “DisableAntiSpyware” value. Double-click the value and change its value data to “1”. This will disable Windows Defender. Disable Windows Defender from Group Policy The third way to disable Windows Defender is to use the Group Policy Editor. To do this, press the Windows key + R to open the Run window. Type “gpedit.msc” and press enter to open the Group Policy Editor. Navigate to the Windows Defender Policies Once the Group Policy Editor is open, navigate to the following key: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus Disable Windows Defender Once you’re in the Windows Defender Antivirus key, look for the “Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus” policy. Double-click the policy and select the “Enabled” option. This will disable Windows Defender. Few Frequently Asked Questions 1. What is Windows Defender? Windows Defender is a built-in security application developed by Microsoft Corporation for Windows operating systems. It runs in the background and provides protection against malware, spyware, and other malicious software. It also offers real-time protection against any malicious activities on the system. 2. What is the purpose of disabling Windows Defender? The purpose of disabling Windows Defender is to turn off the real-time protection, which can help to free up system resources and reduce the amount of memory being used by the program. It is also useful if you are using a third-party antivirus solution and wish to avoid any potential conflicts between the two. 3. What is the procedure for disabling Windows Defender in Windows 11? The procedure for disabling Windows Defender in Windows 11 is as follows: 1. Open the Windows Settings application by pressing the Windows Key+I. 2. Click on ‘Update & Security’. 3. Select the ‘Windows Security’ tab. 4. Click on ‘Virus & threat protection’. 5. Click on ‘Manage settings’. 6. Under the ‘Real-time protection’ section, toggle the switch to ‘Off’. 4. What happens when Windows Defender is disabled? When Windows Defender is disabled, the real-time protection provided by the application is turned off. This means that any malicious activity occurring on the system will not be detected and blocked. It is important to note that disabling Windows Defender does not uninstall it from the system, and it can be re-enabled at any time. 5. Are there any risks associated with disabling Windows Defender? Yes, there are risks associated with disabling Windows Defender. As the real-time protection is turned off, the system is much more vulnerable to malicious software and other threats. It is important to ensure that a third-party antivirus solution is installed and active in order to provide the necessary protection. 6. Is there an alternative way to disable Windows Defender in Windows 11? Yes, there is an alternative way to disable Windows Defender in Windows 11. This can be done by opening the Windows Registry Editor and editing the registry key ‘DisableAntiSpyware’. This key is located in the ‘HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender’ path. Setting the value to ‘1’ will disable Windows Defender. It is important to note that editing the registry can have serious consequences, so it is advisable to make a backup before making any changes. If you have been looking for a way to disable Windows Defender in Windows 11, you now have all the necessary steps to do so. By disabling Windows Defender, you will be able to improve the performance of your system and enjoy more control over your security settings. As always, it is important to ensure that you have a reliable antivirus program installed and running in order to protect your device from any malicious programs or threats. With the steps outlined above, you should now be able to easily disable Windows Defender in Windows 11.