How to Fix Windows Defender Automatically Disabled

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Check How to Fix Windows Defender Automatically Disabled

Microsoft Defender is the default antivirus/malware solution in Windows 11, just as it was in Windows 10. It defends your computer from malware and virus attacks. Although Windows Defender is one of the strongest antivirus solutions available today, you may want to disable it for testing purposes or on devices that are not connected to the Internet. Please note that when you install another antivirus program, Windows Defender is immediately disabled. So you don’t have to worry about that. In this post, I will show you how to completely disable Windows Defender in Windows 11 and how to temporarily disable it.

Windows 11 Defender keeps shutting down

Windows Defender, also called Windows Security, is an important tool in Windows 11 and 10 that is used to offer real-time protection against threats like viruses, malware, ransomware, spyware, etc. This antivirus software offers options to keep you protected online, maintain the health of your device, run regular scans, and more. Windows Defender gives you multiple scanning options including quick scan, full scan, custom scan and offline scan to keep your PC safe. To run this program, go to Windows Settings > Privacy and Security > Open Windows Security.

However, this antivirus program may not always work properly. Sometimes Microsoft Defender offline scanning may not work. Also, Windows Defender doesn’t work often. Sometimes Windows 11 Defender keeps shutting down. This topic will be discussed in this post. To be specific, it turns it on but is only active for 2-3 seconds and then turns off again. Not only in Windows 11, but this problem can also occur in Windows 10. Some users have reported that Windows 11 virus and threat protection keeps turning off. What should you do if Windows Defender randomly shuts down or Windows 11 virus and threat protection is not working in Windows 11/10? Skip to the next part to find solutions.

How to fix Windows 11 Defender keeps shutting down

Update Windows Defender

Microsoft usually provides an update to fix known issues. So, if Windows Defender doesn’t stay on or Windows 11 virus and threat protection keeps turning off due to current security intelligence, try updating Windows Defender to the latest version.

  • Press Win + I to open Settings.
  • On the Privacy and Security page, click Open Windows Security.
  • Click Virus & Threat Protection, scroll down to Virus & Threat Protection Updates, and click Protection Updates.
  • Click Check for updates.

After the update, restart your PC and go check if Windows Defender keeps shutting down. If this solution doesn’t work, try other troubleshooting tips.

Uninstall other antivirus software

If you install third-party antivirus software on your PC, there will be a conflict with Windows security, causing Windows 11 virus and threat protection to not work or Windows 11 security to not open or turn off. To get rid of the problem, go to uninstall that antivirus program from your PC.

  • Type control panel in the search bar and click the best match to run this tool.
  • List the items by category and click Uninstall a program in the Programs section.
  • Locate the antivirus software, right click on it and select Uninstall.

Update Windows Defender Firewall Service

The Windows Defender Firewall service is responsible for preventing unauthorized users from accessing your PC over a network to keep your PC secure. But if this service fails, the Defender tool will be the last victim and the situation may appear: Windows 11 Defender keeps shutting down. To get out of the stuck, you can try restarting or updating this service by following the steps below.

  • Press Win + R to get the Run dialog, type services.msc and click OK.
  • Locate Windows Defender Firewall and right-click on it to choose Restart.
  • If this option is grayed out, it means that this service is running in the background. And you can choose Update. After that, go check if the Windows security is working normally.

Disable Turn off Windows Defender in Group Policy

Sometimes Windows Defender is disabled by group policy, as a result, Windows Defender will not stay enabled on your Windows 11 computer. So please disable the option to Turn off Windows Defender by following the steps below.

  • Open the Run command by pressing Win + R, type gpedit.msc and click OK to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
  • Go to Local Computing Policy > Administrative Templates > Windows Components.
  • In the Windows Defender Antivirus folder, double-click Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus to open a new window.
  • Check Disabled and save the change by clicking Apply > OK.

Disable AntiSpyware in the Registry

When Windows 11 Virus & Threat Protection keeps turning off or Windows Defender doesn’t stay on, you can try enabling it in the registry by turning off AntiSpyware. AntiSpyware file has been proven to be a hindrance for a long time. Although you cannot completely uninstall it from your PC, you can disable it by modifying the registry value.

  • Open Registry Editor in Windows 11 by typing regedit in the search bar.
  • Paste the following path into the address bar and press Enter: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows Defender.
  • Locate DisableAntiSpyware. If you can’t see this item, right-click the empty space and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it as DisableAntiSpyware.
  • Double-click on this new value and enter 0 in the Value Data section.
  • After that, restart your PC and check if Windows 11 Defender keeps shutting down.

Reset Windows Defender Yes

Windows 11 virus and threat protection keeps turning off or Windows 11 Defender does not stay on, you can try resetting this antivirus software to its factory default state.

  • Go to start Windows 11 setup via Win + I.
  • Click Apps > Apps & features.
  • Look for Windows Security, click the ellipses and click Advanced Options on its floating menu.
  • Go to the Reset section and click the Repair button. If this doesn’t work, click the Reset button.

Run an SFC scan

It is recommended to run an SFC (System File Checker) scan here. It can scan the entire Windows operating system for corrupt system files and fix the corruption to fix some issues. If Windows 11 Defender keeps shutting down, you can give it a try.

  • Type cmd in the search bar, right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
  • Run the command: sfc /scannow. Just type it in the CMD window and press Enter to start the verification.

system restore

If there is a restore point on your Windows 11 PC, you can restore the machine to a previous state when Windows Defender randomly shut down.

  • Type restore in the search box and click Create a restore point.
  • On the System Protection tab, click System Restore.
  • Select the proper restore point, confirm the restore point and click Finish to start the restore operation.

reset the computer

If none of these solutions work (although it’s a highly unlikely scenario), your last resort is to factory reset your PC. Before starting the reset, you can choose to back up your important files. Just go to Settings > System > Recovery > Recovery Options > Reset PC. Choose the first option to keep your personal files. Then select Cloud Download or Local Reinstall. Finish the operation by following the instructions on the screen.

Ways to protect your Windows 11 PC

Windows Security is quite a useful tool to protect your PC from threats. When it keeps turning off, please try the above ways to help you. If you just use Windows Defender to keep your PC safe, it’s not enough. In this part, we recommend other ways to safeguard the machine.

Back up your PC

Viruses, malware, and other malicious threats can always suddenly enter your PC, but you don’t know it. They attack the system, steal your data and even cause data loss and system crash. Therefore, we recommend backing up the machine to prevent data loss and perform quick system recovery in case of system failure. In terms of PC backup, you can run Windows 11 backup software – MiniTool ShadowMaker. It can be used in Windows 11/10/8/7 to create a system image for system recovery, back up files and folders to prevent data loss, sync files and folders, clone one hard drive to another disk and more. Do you still doubt about it? Simply click the button below to download your trial edition for a 30-day free trial.

  • Start this software by double clicking the icon on your desktop.
  • Click Keep Test to continue.
  • On the Backup page, system partitions were chosen by default. To create a system image, go directly to the next step.
  • If you need to back up data, please click Source > Folders and Files and choose the items you want to back up.
  • Select a path to save the backed up image file and an external hard drive or USB drive is recommended.
  • Start the backup task now by clicking Backup Now.

Apart from PC backup, there are other ways you should follow for PC protection:

  • Do not open emails from unknown users
  • Do not visit suspicious websites
  • Turn on User Account Control (UAC)
  • Do not install cracked software
  • Keep your Windows up to date
  • Pay attention to your downloaded files

Final remarks: How to Fix Windows Defender Automatically Disabled

I hope you understand this article, How to Fix Windows Defender Automatically Disabled. If your answer is no, you can ask anything via the contact forum section related to this article. And if your answer is yes, please share this article with your friends and family to give us your support.

James Hogan
James Hogan
James Hogan is a notable content writer recognized for his contributions to Bollyinside, where he excels in crafting informative comparison-based articles on topics like laptops, phones, and software. When he's not writing, James enjoys immersing himself in football matches and exploring the digital realm. His curiosity about the ever-evolving tech landscape drives his continuous quest for knowledge, ensuring his content remains fresh and relevant.

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