Summary :

Windows Defender not turning on

Is your Windows Defender not turning on? Are you looking for full solutions to go rid of this issue? This postal service will show you how to repair Windows Defender in Windows xi/10/8/seven so your PC tin can exist protected from viruses. We will also introduce a professional backup software for PC protection.

Quick Navigation :

  • Windows Defender Will Not Plough on Windows eleven/10/viii/7
  • How to Repair Windows Defender Windows eleven/10/8/vii
  • Use 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 Plough on Windows xi/ten/8/7

Windows Defender (besides chosen Windows Defender Security Center in Windows 10 1703 or afterwards), a fully integrated role of Windows, is an antivirus plan. It can offer real-fourth dimension protection from diverse threats like spyware, malware, and viruses to your PC. Once it scans and finds potential threats, this program will stop them.

Even so, many users have reported that their Windows Defender tin't be turned on for virus defense in Windows xi/ten/eight/vii when they click on theTurn onbutton.

Windows Defender will not turn on Windows 10

1 Windows 10 user from tomsguide said:

"A few days back I turned information technology off completely using group edit policy, only now when I try to put on the existent-fourth dimension protection slider, it asks for permission but so nothing happens..."tomsguide

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

To put it simply, this issue is possibly caused by the installation of third-party antivirus software, a corrupted registry, software conflicts, and then on. For Windows 7, Windows 8,  Windows 10 and Windows 11 users, information technology is fairly common.

Well then, what to practice if you are troubled by Windows Defender not working? How to plough on Windows Defender in Windows 8/10/seven successfully? Take it easy! Become the full solutions from the following part to help you out.

Further tip: If your Windows Defender tin can work ordinarily, but you take a need to disable it, you can sentinel the post-obit video.

How to Repair Windows Defender Windows 11/10/viii/seven

Method 1: Uninstall Third-party Antivirus Software

If y'all have installed whatever third-party software on your computer, Windows operating organisation volition automatically detect it and plow itself down. Thus, the offset thing you can 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 mail service shows yous multiple methods for this work.

If that is not working, the best fashion is to completely remove them. To do this, go toCommand Panel >Programs and Features in Windows 7 or navigate toControl Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program in Windows eleven/10/8.

Then find your third-party program, right-click on it and cullUninstallor Uninstall/Modify to remove it to go rid of Windows Defender non turning on upshot.

uninstall third-party antivirus program

Alternatively, you lot can use a professional removal tool to uninstall your security applications, remove all files (including undetected files) and registry entries associated with the awarding, which may too prevent you from running Windows Defender.

Finally, restart your PC and try launching Windows Defender again to see if it tin be turned on for virus, spyware and other threats protection.

Method 2: Restart the Security Center Service

In order to let Windows Defender work properly, y'all need to enable certain services. If those services aren't running well, the outcome of Windows Defender not turning on will happen on Windows xi/10/8/7. So, follow the instructions to restart necessary services, and here nosotros will testify you enabling Security Center service.

Pace one: Click Win and R keys on your keyboard to launch the Run box.

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

Step iii: In the Services interface, search for Security Center service and right-click on it to choose the Restart option.

restart Security Center

Once this service is restarted, you can check if the issue -Windows Defender not starting is solved.

Method 3: Run an SFC Browse

If Windows Defender will not turn on Windows x/11/viii/7 and runs into an unexpected error, mayhap at that place is something incorrect with your system files. So, you lot can perform an SFC scan.

SFC, known as System File Checker, is a utility in Windows that allows yous to scan for corruptions in Windows system files and restore them. How to browse your system files and repair missing or corrupted files? Here are the steps.

Step 1: Type cmd in the search box of Windows 7/viii/10 and right-click on it to run this programme every bit administrator.

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

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

Step iii: Later, exit the CMD window to 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 issue and if you have this issue, try solutions in this post to easily become rid of the problem.

Tip:Sometimes, SFC scan will fail to work with an fault message. Fortunately, y'all can find solutions from this post - Apace Set SFC Scannow Not Working (Focus on two Cases).

In order to set up the effect of Windows Defender Antivirus not turning on, you can endeavour using DISM scan instead. To do that, follow the guide:

Step one: Run Command Prompt as ambassador.

Pace 2: In the pop-up window, enter DISM /Online /Cleanup-Epitome /RestoreHealth and hit Enter to execute this command line. Similarly, this scan will take some time, simply expect 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 crusade the issue of Windows Defender not turning on. Some users reported that they had been able to fix the issue but by installing the latest Windows update - latest signature updates are necessary for Windows Defender to keep your PC secure.

Note: Installing Windows update may give rise to information loss, thus, you lot had better support your of import files earlier an update so that you tin restore the computer to a previous state in instance of accidents.

recover files after windows update thumbnail

You must exist eager to know the mode to recover lost files later on Windows update if you find needed files disappear subsequently the update is finished.

Support Files or Windows Bone before an Update

To support crucial files, y'all tin cull the professional fill-in software for Windows eleven/ten/eight/7, MiniTool ShadowMaker since information technology allows y'all to back up files into an paradigm and sync files or folders to other safety locations. At present, become MiniTool ShadowMaker Trial Edition on your computer and then install it for file backup.

Free Download

Step 1: Run MiniTool ShadowMaker Trial.

Step two: In the Fill-in page, go to Source > Folders and Files to choose important files that you lot want to back up.

choose files to back up

And then get to Destination to cull the place where you need to relieve the backup. Hither an external hard drive, USB drive, NAS, etc. can exist available.

Stride 3: After finishing all the selections, click Support Now button to beginning the backup performance.

MiniTool ShadowMaker file backup

In addition, yous tin take total advantage of the Sync feature to synchronize your of import files. This tutorial - How to Sync Folders Windows 10 to External Drive? 3 Tools Are Hither shows you lot detailed operating steps.

Upgrade Windows Bone

Now, it is time for you to install the latest Windows operating system. How to perform a Windows update? Here is the guide:

Pace 1: In Windows 7, go to Control Panel and click Windows Update. In Windows eight, 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 11, go to Settings > Windows Update.

Pace 2: Click Check for updates. If there are available updates, install them and restart your PC.

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

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

Method 5: Change Your Group Policy

Sometimes, Windows Defender won't turn on in Windows x/eleven/8/7 because information technology is turned off by your group policy. This can exist a problem but you are able to fix it simply by changing the grouping policy.

To do that, follow the stride-by-footstep guide:

Step 1: Open the Run dialog by clicking Win + R keys on the keyboard.

Step 2: Type gpedit.msc and printing the OK button.

Stride 3: In the Local Group Policy Editor interface, go to the left pane and navigate to Figurer Configuration > Administrative Template > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus.

Step 4: In the right pane, double-click on Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus.

Footstep v: In the pop-up window, choose Not Configured, click the Employ and OK button.

change Windows Defender by group policy

After these changes are brought into effect, the issue of Windows Defender non working due to the group policy being turned off should exist solved, and you can run it to protect your PC.

Method 6: Alter Windows Registry

When you fail to enable Windows Defender in Windows 11/10/eight/7, the problem may be related to your registry. And then, you can modify it to fix this upshot.

Annotation: We strongly recommend you to back up Windows registry before modifying it to avert organisation accidents.

Step 1: Input regedit in the text box of the Run window.

Stride 2: In the Registry Editor interface, go to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

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

Step iv: Right-click on it and set its Value information to 0.

set DisableAntiSpyware value data of Windows Defender to 0

Afterward you accept changed Windows Defender using Registry Editor, y'all can check if Windows Defender Antivirus not turning on is solved.

Method 7: Perform a Make clean Boot

If you start the Windows arrangement in normal start-upwardly performance, in that location might be many third-party applications running in the background. These applications tin can cause software conflicts and interfere with Windows. As a result, y'all can't turn on Windows Defender in Windows 11/10/8/7.

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

Stride 1: Launch the Run window, and enter msconfig in the textbox.

Pace ii: In the Organisation Configuration interface, go to the General tab, choose Selective startup and uncheck Load startup items.

selective startup

Pace 3: Under the Services tab, tick Hide all Microsoft services and click Disable all.

hide all Microsoft services

Pace iv: Click the OK and Restart push to reboot your PC.

Note:Later finishing your troubleshooting, go to System Configuration > Full general to change the startup setting to Normal startup. And enter the Services tab to enable all Microsoft services.

Now, all of the possible means to fix Windows Defender not turning on have been shown to you. Simply try them i by ane to repair Windows Defender in Windows eleven/x/8/vii. If you think these ways are helpful, y'all can also share them on Twitter to let more than people know.

Click to tweet

windows defender not working thumbnail

If Windows Defender or Windows Security is non working in Windows eleven, what should you do to fix this result? Read this post to observe some useful methods.

In club to protect your estimator against spyware, ransomware, adware, viruses and other threats, you tin can try another style that is to utilize MiniTool ShadowMaker to support your computer.

MiniTool ShadowMaker, one of the best backup software for Windows xi/x/eight/7 users, is actually worth recommending. In add-on to bankroll upwardly your of import files (as mentioned in a higher place), information technology can help you easily and effectively back up your Windows operating system, deejay, and partition. If your system e'er goes incorrect, you can use the backup to restore it to a normal country.

Additionally, it supports disk cloning, which helps you lot transfer all the content on a disk to some other for the unabridged disk information backup. For organization deejay cloning, the cloned drive tin exist used to kicking the PC in case of a organisation crash.

Are you interested in this backup software? At present become MiniTool ShadowMaker Trial Edition (30 days trial) from the following button.

Free Download

Step 1: Run this gratuitous backup software, go on to use the Trial Edition and choose the local fill-in mode.

Step ii: After entering the Backup page, you can see this program volition support your Windows system past default since the organization partitions and destination path are chosen. Of grade, you tin click the Source and Destination module to decide what you want to back up and where you demand to save the paradigm.

Next, simply click Support Now button to execute the operation in Manage page.

use MiniTool ShadowMaker to back up your PC

Tip: In lodge to protect your PC well, y'all tin take full reward of its Schedule choice to automatically back up your files or the Windows Os.

In addition, you tin choose the entire system disk to create a hard drive epitome. Or go to Tools folio to use its Clone Disk feature to perform a deejay cloning for fill-in.

Related commodity: How to Clone a Hard Bulldoze to SSD in Windows 11/10/8/7?

Bottom Line

Tin't plow on Windows Defender Windows 10/11/viii/7? How to turn on Windows Defender in Windows 11/ten/eight/seven? We have shown you solutions to ready the effect of Windows Defender non turning on; simply try them one by 1.

To keep your PC safe, y'all should use the professional and reliable PC backup software, MiniTool ShadowMaker to back up the of import files or Windows system automatically.

If you have any other solution to Repair Windows Defender or any question related to MiniTool software, delight contact us via [electronic mail protected] or leave your idea in the comment part below.

Windows Defender Not Turning on FAQ

What to practise if Windows Defender is non working?

  1. Uninstall third-party antivirus software
  2. Restart the Security Center Service
  3. Run an SFC browse
  4. Install the latest update
  5. Change your group policy
  6. Modify Windows Registry
  7. Perform a make clean boot

Why my Windows Defender is not updating?

The causes for Windows Defender non updating are various, such as connectivity bug, Windows Defender services not running, corrupted organization files, a Windows update problem, etc. The solutions should depend on the fault message that you have received. Merely search the specific error online for the fixes.

How practise I make Windows Defender default?

By default, Windows Defender automatically enables cloud-based protection, sample submission, and existent-time protection. You tin can go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Defender > Open Windows Defender Security Center. Then, click Settings > Virus & threat protection settings to check these settings.

Practise I need antivirus if I take Windows Defender?

Although yous accept Windows Defender - the built-in antivirus software in Windows ten, you may also need a third-party antivirus programme. This post- Is Windows Defender Enough? More than Solutions to Protect PC shows yous some things that Windows Defender cannot practise, every bit well every bit some other methods for keeping PC rubber.