Summary :

Windows Defender not turning on

Is your Windows Defender non turning on? Are you looking for full solutions to become rid of this event? This post volition show y'all how to repair Windows Defender in Windows 11/10/8/seven so your PC can be protected from viruses. We will likewise innovate a professional backup software for PC protection.

Quick Navigation :

  • Windows Defender Will Not Turn on Windows xi/x/8/seven
  • How to Repair Windows Defender Windows 11/10/8/7
  • Utilise MiniTool ShadowMaker to Protect Your PC from Viruses and Other Threats
  • Lesser Line
  • Windows Defender Non Turning on FAQ
  • User Comments

Windows Defender Will Not Plow on Windows 11/x/8/vii

Windows Defender (too chosen Windows Defender Security Center in Windows x 1703 or later on), a fully integrated part of Windows, is an antivirus program. It can offer real-fourth dimension protection from various threats like spyware, malware, and viruses to your PC. One time it scans and finds potential threats, this program will stop them.

However, many users take reported that their Windows Defender can't be turned on for virus defence in Windows xi/x/8/vii when they click on theTurn onpush button.

Windows Defender will not turn on Windows 10

I Windows 10 user from tomsguide said:

"A few days back I turned it off completely using group edit policy, but at present when I try to put on the existent-time protection slider, information technology asks for permission but then zero happens..."tomsguide

In addition to the example when Windows Defender could exist turned off by grouping policy, some users said Windows Defender gets an unexpected fault and cannot be opened or Windows Defender tin't open after uninstalling Avast, Bitdefender, McAfee, AVG.

To put it simply, this consequence is possibly caused by the installation of third-political party antivirus software, a corrupted registry, software conflicts, and and then on. For Windows 7, Windows eight,  Windows ten and Windows 11 users, it is fairly common.

Well and then, what to do if you are troubled past Windows Defender not working? How to plow on Windows Defender in Windows 8/10/seven successfully? Take it easy! Get the total solutions from the following part to assist you out.

Further tip: If your Windows Defender tin can work normally, simply you have a demand to disable it, y'all tin lookout the post-obit video.

How to Repair Windows Defender Windows 11/x/viii/seven

Method 1: Uninstall Third-party Antivirus Software

If you have installed whatever 3rd-political party software on your computer, Windows operating system will automatically find it and plough itself down. Thus, the offset thing you lot tin endeavor is to disable your other security programs.

disable avast thumbnail

How to disable (stop or close), remove (or uninstall) Avast antivirus in Windows and Mac? This post shows you multiple methods for this piece of work.

If that is not working, the all-time manner is to completely remove them. To do this, go toCommand Panel >Programs and Features in Windows seven or navigate toCommand Console > Programs > Uninstall a program in Windows 11/10/viii.

So observe your third-political party program, right-click on it and chooseUninstallor Uninstall/Alter to remove it to get rid of Windows Defender not turning on issue.

uninstall third-party antivirus program

Alternatively, you can utilise 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.

Method 2: Restart the Security Center Service

In gild to permit Windows Defender work properly, you need to enable certain services. If those services aren't running well, the outcome of Windows Defender not turning on will happen on Windows 11/10/eight/7. So, follow the instructions to restart necessary services, and here we will show y'all enabling Security Center service.

Step i: Click Win and R keys on your keyboard to launch the Run box.

Step 2: Input services.msc in the box and press Enter.

Stride 3: In the Services interface, search for Security Center service and correct-click on it to choose the Restart selection.

restart Security Center

Once this service is restarted, y'all can bank check if the issue -Windows Defender non starting is solved.

Method 3: Run an SFC Browse

If Windows Defender volition not turn on Windows 10/11/viii/7 and runs into an unexpected fault, perhaps there is something wrong with your arrangement files. So, you lot can perform an SFC browse.

SFC, known equally System File Checker, is a utility in Windows that allows you lot to scan for corruptions in Windows organisation files and restore them. How to scan your organisation files and repair missing or corrupted files? Hither are the steps.

Step 1: Type cmd in the search box of Windows seven/8/ten and right-click on it to run this plan as administrator.

Step ii: In the Control Prompt window, type sfc /scannow command line and press the Enter key.

And so, this utility will begin a system scan. This process will take some time, so please wait patiently until verification reaches 100%.

Step 3: Afterwards, go out the CMD window to bank check whether Windows Defender unexpected error is resolved.

sfc scannow command line
sfc scannow stuck thumbnail

Windows 10 SFC /scannow stuck at verification is a common event and if you have this upshot, endeavor solutions in this post to hands go rid of the trouble.

Tip:Sometimes, SFC scan will fail to work with an error message. Fortunately, you tin can find solutions from this post - Speedily Fix SFC Scannow Not Working (Focus on ii Cases).

In order to fix the consequence of Windows Defender Antivirus not turning on, you can effort using DISM scan instead. To do that, follow the guide:

Step one: Run Command Prompt as administrator.

Footstep two: In the popular-up window, enter DISM /Online /Cleanup-Epitome /RestoreHealth and hit Enter to execute this command line. Similarly, this scan will take some time, just wait and don't interrupt it.

DISM scan to fix Windows Defender not turning on

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 just by installing the latest Windows update - latest signature updates are necessary for Windows Defender to keep your PC secure.

Note: Installing Windows update may requite ascension to data loss, thus, you had better support your important files before an update then that you tin restore the estimator to a previous state in case of accidents.

recover files after windows update thumbnail

You must be eager to know the way to recover lost files after Windows update if you find needed files disappear afterwards the update is finished.

Back up Files or Windows OS before an Update

To back up crucial files, yous tin cull the professional backup software for Windows 11/10/viii/seven, 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.

Gratuitous Download

Step ane: Run MiniTool ShadowMaker Trial.

Footstep 2: In the Backup folio, go to Source > Folders and Files to cull of import files that you lot want to back up.

choose files to back up

And then get to Destination to choose the identify where you need to save the fill-in. Here an external difficult bulldoze, USB bulldoze, NAS, etc. can exist available.

Footstep 3: After finishing all the selections, click Support Now button to start the backup operation.

MiniTool ShadowMaker file backup

In addition, you lot can take full advantage of the Sync feature to synchronize your important files. This tutorial - How to Sync Folders Windows 10 to External Bulldoze? 3 Tools Are Here shows you lot detailed operating steps.

Upgrade Windows Bone

Now, information technology 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, become 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 eleven, get to Settings > Windows Update.

Footstep 2: Click Bank check for updates. If at that place are available updates, install them and restart your PC.

Afterwards completing Windows updates, the problem of Windows Defender not turning on maybe disappeared.

Tip: Windows failed to cheque for updates? Read this article Windows Update Cannot Currently Check for Updates to look for solutions.

Method five: Change Your Group Policy

Sometimes, Windows Defender won't turn on in Windows ten/11/eight/7 considering information technology is turned off past your group policy. This tin exist a problem only you are able to prepare it simply by irresolute the grouping 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: Blazon gpedit.msc and printing the OK button.

Step iii: In the Local Grouping Policy Editor interface, go to the left pane and navigate to Reckoner Configuration > Authoritative 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.

change Windows Defender by group policy

After these changes are brought into consequence, the issue of Windows Defender not working due to the group policy being turned off should exist solved, and you can run it to protect your PC.

Method half dozen: Modify Windows Registry

When you fail to enable Windows Defender in Windows 11/10/viii/7, the problem may be related to your registry. Then, you lot can change it to fix this issue.

Note: Nosotros strongly recommend y'all to back up Windows registry before modifying information technology to avoid system accidents.

Step i: Input regedit in the text box of the Run window.

Footstep 2: In the Registry Editor interface, get to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

Step 3: Notice DisableAntiSpyware key. If this key is not listed, delight correct-click the blank, choose New and DWORD (32-bit) Value to create it.

Stride 4: Right-click on information technology and set its Value data to 0.

set DisableAntiSpyware value data of Windows Defender to 0

After you take changed Windows Defender using Registry Editor, you tin can cheque if Windows Defender Antivirus not turning on is solved.

Method seven: Perform a Clean Boot

If you start the Windows system in normal outset-up operation, there might be many tertiary-political party applications running in the background. These applications can crusade software conflicts and interfere with Windows. As a result, y'all tin can't turn on Windows Defender in Windows eleven/10/eight/vii.

To repair Windows Defender issue, yous can perform a make clean boot. This method is quite simple and you lot can do by following these instructions:

Step ane: Launch the Run window, and enter msconfig in the textbox.

Footstep 2: In the Arrangement Configuration interface, become to the General tab, choose Selective startup and uncheck Load startup items.

selective startup

Step 3: Nether the Services tab, tick Hide all Microsoft services and click Disable all.

hide all Microsoft services

Footstep 4: Click the OK and Restart button to reboot your PC.

Annotation:Afterwards 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 endeavour them one by one to repair Windows Defender in Windows 11/10/eight/vii. If y'all think these means are helpful, you tin can as well share them on Twitter to let more people know.

Click to tweet

windows defender not working thumbnail

If Windows Defender or Windows Security is not working in Windows 11, what should yous do to ready this issue? Read this post to find some useful methods.

In order to protect your computer against spyware, ransomware, adware, viruses and other threats, you lot tin can try some other manner that is to use MiniTool ShadowMaker to dorsum upwardly your computer.

MiniTool ShadowMaker, ane of the best fill-in software for Windows xi/10/viii/7 users, is really worth recommending. In addition to backing up your important files (as mentioned above), it can assistance you easily and effectively dorsum upwardly your Windows operating system, disk, and partition. If your system always goes wrong, you tin can apply the backup to restore it to a normal state.

Additionally, it supports deejay cloning, which helps you transfer all the content on a disk to some other for the unabridged disk information backup. For system disk cloning, the cloned drive tin can be used to boot the PC in case of a system crash.

Are yous interested in this backup software? Now get MiniTool ShadowMaker Trial Edition (30 days trial) from the post-obit button.

Free Download

Step i: Run this free backup software, continue to use the Trial Edition and choose the local backup mode.

Step 2: After inbound the Fill-in page, yous can see this plan 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 desire to back up and where you need to salve the epitome.

Next, but click Back up Now push button to execute the functioning in Manage page.

use MiniTool ShadowMaker to back up your PC

Tip: In club to protect your PC well, you tin can take full reward of its Schedule option to automatically support your files or the Windows Bone.

In add-on, you tin choose the entire system disk to create a difficult drive prototype. Or go to Tools page to use its Clone Disk feature to perform a deejay cloning for backup.

Related commodity: How to Clone a Hard Drive to SSD in Windows 11/10/8/seven?

Lesser Line

Tin can't turn on Windows Defender Windows 10/eleven/viii/vii? How to turn on Windows Defender in Windows eleven/x/viii/7? We take shown y'all solutions to set the upshot of Windows Defender not turning on; just try them 1 past one.

To proceed your PC safe, you should apply the professional person and reliable PC backup software, MiniTool ShadowMaker to dorsum up the important files or Windows system automatically.

If you have whatsoever other solution to Repair Windows Defender or whatsoever question related to MiniTool software, please contact united states via [email protected] or go out your thought in the comment part below.

Windows Defender Not Turning on FAQ

What to do if Windows Defender is not working?

  1. Uninstall third-political party antivirus software
  2. Restart the Security Center Service
  3. Run an SFC scan
  4. Install the latest update
  5. Change your group policy
  6. Alter Windows Registry
  7. 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 fault message that you take received. Just search the specific error online for the fixes.

How exercise I make Windows Defender default?

Past default, Windows Defender automatically enables cloud-based protection, sample submission, and real-time protection. Yous can become to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Defender > Open up Windows Defender Security Centre. Then, click Settings > Virus & threat protection settings to check these settings.

Do I need antivirus if I take Windows Defender?

Although you lot have Windows Defender - the congenital-in antivirus software in Windows x, you may as well need a tertiary-party antivirus program. This post- Is Windows Defender Plenty? More Solutions to Protect PC shows y'all some things that Windows Defender cannot do, as well as some other methods for keeping PC prophylactic.