Windows Defender Turned off or Not Working
By Timothy Tibbettson 07/05/2023 |
Windows Defender or Windows Defender Security Center, as it's now called, has become the default antivirus protection for many users, ourselves included. In this article, we're going to look at how you can get Windows Defender up and running should it somehow get turned off or stop working.
Before we begin, we understand this seems like a lot of steps; however, Windows Defender problems have a lot of possible reasons and solutions. Most of these steps are relatively straightforward, so take your time.
1: Delete a Registry Entry
Open an elevated Command Prompt and type in:
REG DELETE "HKLMSOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows Defender" /v DisableAntiSpyware
2: Verify Services Are Running
Press the Windows Key + R and type in services.msc. Windows Defender Antivirus Service should be set to Automatic. If not, double-click on it and change the Startup Type to Automatic and click Start followed by OK.
2: Disable Other Security Software
If you've installed other antivirus software, then the odds are that disabled Windows Defender. Running more than one antivirus is pointless, so if you're doing so, pick one. If you uninstall your other antivirus, Windows Defender should automatically take over. It's also possible that additional security software isn't compatible, although that's rare nowadays. It might be worth disabling other security software or uninstalling any security software you no longer use.
Another possibility is that you uninstalled an antivirus program, but it didn't completely uninstall. Your best bet is to reinstall the antivirus software, then uninstall it using a program uninstaller like IObit Uninstaller. If you were using a brand name antivirus, you could try to find their own uninstall tool. Mcafee and Norton offer tools to completely uninstall their antivirus if you suspect that's your problem.
4: Re-Register DLL Files
Open an elevated Command Prompt and try typing in each of the following, one at a time followed by Enter after each.
regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
regsvr32 wucltui.dll
regsvr32 softpub.dll
regsvr32 wintrust.dll
regsvr32 initpki.dll
regsvr32 wups.dll
regsvr32 wuweb.dll
regsvr32 atl.dll
regsvr32 mssip32.dll
6: Restore or Refresh Your Computer
Windows 10 users might consider using Reset this PC. Press Windows Key + S and begin typing in reset and click on Reset this PC. Follow the prompts.
Reset this PC is similar to System Restore so if you're using an older version of Windows. Press Windows Key + S and begin typing in restore and click on System Restore. Choose a restore point that was prior to your issue.
Hopefully, we solved your problem!
Similar:
What's the Best Antivirus and Is Windows Defender Good Enough - 2018 Edition
Solved: Microsoft Defender Threat Service Has Stopped
Windows Defender Security Center - Sign in to Microsoft for Enhanced Security
Enable Windows Defender Application Guard for Microsoft Edge
Windows Defender Is Turned off by Group Policy
comments powered by Disqus
Before we begin, we understand this seems like a lot of steps; however, Windows Defender problems have a lot of possible reasons and solutions. Most of these steps are relatively straightforward, so take your time.
1: Delete a Registry Entry
Open an elevated Command Prompt and type in:
REG DELETE "HKLMSOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows Defender" /v DisableAntiSpyware
2: Verify Services Are Running
Press the Windows Key + R and type in services.msc. Windows Defender Antivirus Service should be set to Automatic. If not, double-click on it and change the Startup Type to Automatic and click Start followed by OK.
2: Disable Other Security Software
If you've installed other antivirus software, then the odds are that disabled Windows Defender. Running more than one antivirus is pointless, so if you're doing so, pick one. If you uninstall your other antivirus, Windows Defender should automatically take over. It's also possible that additional security software isn't compatible, although that's rare nowadays. It might be worth disabling other security software or uninstalling any security software you no longer use.
Another possibility is that you uninstalled an antivirus program, but it didn't completely uninstall. Your best bet is to reinstall the antivirus software, then uninstall it using a program uninstaller like IObit Uninstaller. If you were using a brand name antivirus, you could try to find their own uninstall tool. Mcafee and Norton offer tools to completely uninstall their antivirus if you suspect that's your problem.
4: Re-Register DLL Files
Open an elevated Command Prompt and try typing in each of the following, one at a time followed by Enter after each.
regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
regsvr32 wucltui.dll
regsvr32 softpub.dll
regsvr32 wintrust.dll
regsvr32 initpki.dll
regsvr32 wups.dll
regsvr32 wuweb.dll
regsvr32 atl.dll
regsvr32 mssip32.dll
6: Restore or Refresh Your Computer
Windows 10 users might consider using Reset this PC. Press Windows Key + S and begin typing in reset and click on Reset this PC. Follow the prompts.
Reset this PC is similar to System Restore so if you're using an older version of Windows. Press Windows Key + S and begin typing in restore and click on System Restore. Choose a restore point that was prior to your issue.
Hopefully, we solved your problem!
Similar:
What's the Best Antivirus and Is Windows Defender Good Enough - 2018 Edition
Solved: Microsoft Defender Threat Service Has Stopped
Windows Defender Security Center - Sign in to Microsoft for Enhanced Security
Enable Windows Defender Application Guard for Microsoft Edge
Windows Defender Is Turned off by Group Policy
comments powered by Disqus
