How to disable real-time protection on Microsoft Defender Antivirus
You can temporarily disable the Microsoft Defender protection on your device, and in this guide, we’ll show you two ways to complete this task.
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Windows 10 comes with Microsoft Defender Antivirus to protect your device and files against unwanted viruses, ransomware, spyware, rootkits, and other forms of malware and hackers. Although it offers robust protection, the anti-malware sometimes can interfere with certain tasks even though they’re safe. For example, the feature may block a specific file that you’re trying to open and you know is safe, or it can prevent the installation of an app that you know comes from a trusted source.
If you must perform a task that is getting blocked by the default antivirus, onWindows 10, there are at least two ways to temporarily disable the Microsoft Defender protection using Windows Security and PowerShell.
In this Windows 10 guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to temporarily disable the real-time protection on Microsoft Defender Antivirus.
How to disable Microsoft Defender protection using Windows Security
To disable the real-time protection on Microsoft Defender, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the Microsoft Defender Antivirus protection will temporarily disable, allowing you to complete a specific task, which otherwise will be blocked by the antivirus.
If you want to re-enable the protection, you can either restart the computer or use the same instructions outlined above, but onstep No. 5, make sure to turn on theReal-time protectiontoggle switch.
In the case that you’re trying to disable the Windows 10 default antivirus permanently, you canuse these instructions.
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How to disable Microsoft Defender protection using PowerShell
Microsoft Defender Antivirus ships with a command to temporarily disable real-time protection, but the “Tamper Protection” feature shields any attempt to modify the antivirus settings from outside of Windows Security. This means that if you want to use PowerShell to turn off the feature, you first need to disableTamper ProtectiononWindows Security>Virus & threat protection>Virus & threat protection settings.
To disable the Windows 10 antivirus real-time protection with PowerShell, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, the protection will be disabled until the next time you restart the device or run the command to enable real-time protection:
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You can also manage virtually any aspect of the Microsoft Defender Antivirus using PowerShell commands. You cancheck this guideto learn more.
Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.
