

There are different ways you can disable Microsoft Defender in Windows 11. If you’re not going to connect your Windows 11 PC to the internet, then there’s no risk in disabling Windows Defender to save system resources. It also uses a significant amount of the device’s resources from CPU to disk space and RAM. Also if you’re using a third-party antivirus program while the Defender is enabled, it may cause issues or conflict with that anti-virus program.Īnother reason might be that when you’re trying to install some third-party software or app, Microsoft Defender may block the installation. Why Turn Off Microsoft Defender?įor instance, if you’re planning to install a better antivirus program with more features and in-depth protection options and you don’t want Microsoft Defender to consume CPU and battery in the background, then you probably need to disable it.

Microsoft Defender works pretty well at keeping your computer safe from viruses and various security threats, though certain situations might call for you to disable it. Microsoft Defender Antivirus is renamed to Windows Security app in the newer releases of Windows 10 and Windows 11.

In addition to antivirus and anti-malware protection, Microsoft Defender also offers account protection, online security, device performance and health monitoring, parental controls, and firewall and network security.

When Windows Security detects a potentially unwanted app you'll get a notification encouraging you to take action on it.Ĭlick on the notification to go to the Virus & threat protection area of Windows Security, then click on the name of the PUA to select the action to take.Microsoft Defender Antivirus (formerly known as Windows Defender) is a built-in free anti-malware program included with Windows 11 that protects the computer from viruses and malware. We recommend that you leave this feature on, and that you enable both block apps and block downloads.īlock apps will detect PUA that you've already downloaded or installed, so if you're using a different browser Windows Security can still detect PUA after you've downloaded it.īlock downloads looks for PUA as it's being downloaded, but it only works with the new Microsoft Edge browser. There you'll find a control that lets you turn potentially unwanted app blocking off, and select if you want to block apps, downloads, or both. To configure potentially unwanted app blocking go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings. Note: Beginning in September of 2021 we will only be blocking cryptomining software as PUA for enterprise customers.
