Overview – Disable Windows Defender
Windows Defender is the built-in Windows Antivirus and Firewall protection responsible for blocking external cyber-attacks including malware, virus, and trojans from accessing, stealing data, and hijacking the system.
It appears that Windows Defender is blocking some apps from installing on your version of Windows, so, that’s why you want to disable Windows Defender in Windows 11.

By the end of this article, you’ll be able to disable Windows Defender in Windows 11:
Method 1: Using Control Panel
Step 1: Open the “Control Panel” from the Start menu.

Step 2: Select the “System and Security” option.

Step 3: Select the “Windows Defender Firewall” option.

Step 4: Select the “Turn off Windows Defender Firewall” option for both the Private and Public Network Settings, and press the “OK” button.

Note: If your antivirus and firewall settings are controlled by a third-party external application such as McAfee antivirus, then you’ll see a notification stating the following message:
“These settings are being managed by vendor application“.
In this scenario, disable the antivirus and follow the steps listed above or refer to other methods listed below.

Method 2: Using Windows Settings
Step 1: Open the “Windows Settings” from the Start menu.

Step 2: Select the “Privacy & Security” option from the sidebar and click the “Windows Security” option.

Step 3: Click the “Virus & Threat Protection” option under the Protection Areas Section.

Step 4: Click the “Manage Settings” option under the Virus & Threat Protection Settings.

Step 5: Toggle off the “Windows Defender Real Time Protection”.

Method 3: Using Registry Editor
Step 1: Type “Registry Editor” or “Regedit” in the start menu and open it.

Step 2: Navigate to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

Step 3: Right-click the “Windows Defender” key and add the “DWORD (32-bit) Value”.

Step 4: Right-click the newly created DWORD 32-bit Value and rename it as “DisableAntiSpyware“.

Step 5: Double-click the Value to modify it, then, set its “value data” from 0 to 1 and press the “OK” button.

Step #6: Restart the device to make changes take effect. The Windows Defender will be disabled the next time you boot your computer.

Method 4: Using Group Policy
Step 1: In the Start menu, type Edit Group Policy and hit the enter key. Also, you can open Windows Run and search for “gpedit.msc” to open Local Group Policy.

Step 2: Navigate to the following path:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

Step 3: Double-click the “Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus” option and select the “Enabled” option and press the apply button.

Step 4: Restart the device to make changes take effect properly.

If you enable this policy setting, Microsoft Defender Antivirus does not run, and will not scan computers for malware or other potentially unwanted software otherwise it will run regardless of any other installed antivirus product.
If you do not configure this policy setting, Windows will internally manage Microsoft Defender Antivirus. If you install another antivirus program, Windows automatically disable Defender.
Reasons why you should disable Windows Defender
1. Improved Windows Performance
The Windows Defender keeps running in the background on a regular basis, thus consuming a high amount of memory. So, stopping the Windows Defender services will free up RAM and enhance the overall performance of Windows.
2. Fix program Installation Problems
Windows Defender sometimes interprets programs as malware due to code conflicts or depreciated file formats, thus ending up blocking its installation on the computer, so, blocking the Windows defender service permanently or temporarily can solve the issue.
Reasons why you shouldn’t disable Windows Defender
1. Reduced Protection
Windows Defender is capable to defend your computer against viruses, trojans, worms, and even ransomware. Your device will be exposed to the vulnerabilities once you disable Windows Defender.
2. No Warnings to inform potential threats
When you visit a spam website, Windows Defender shows a security warning notice informing you that the site is engaged in spammy and phishing activities and is attempting to mislead you into exploring it in order to infect your device with malware.
FAQs Related to Windows Defender
Does Windows 11 Defender scan automatically?
Yes, Windows scans the device automatically at regular intervals. Without interrupting your workflow, it’ll keep running in the background automatically.
Does Windows Defender affect Internet speed?
Certain connections, apps, and websites are sometimes blocked by Windows Defender, which saves a lot of bandwidth and data but sometimes slows down the internet performance on your device.
Does Windows Defender run all the time?
No, the Windows Defender runs at regular intervals and doesn’t keep scanning the system throughout the day. The rate of scanning by Windows Defender depends on the scheduled time you’ve manually set and suspicious activities occurring on your computer.
Next Steps
We’ve covered how to disable Windows Defender in Windows 11 permanently and temporarily.
Windows Defender is a built-in antivirus and firewall protection responsible for Windows security that prevents malware and viruses from penetrating the computer. It’s suggested not to turn it off unless you have a compelling justification to do so, such as if it consumes a large amount of RAM or if the computer is not performing a proper memory allocation.
Further, customize Windows for better performance and protection by following related articles below.
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