4 Ways to Temporarily Disable Windows Security in Windows 11

Is Windows Security getting in the way? Here’s how to disable it for a short spell on Windows 11.

Windows Security is the built-in security app for Windows 11. You should always keep it enabled as it protects your computer from online and offline threats. However, you may come across situations where you might need to disable it.

Whether you want to disable it for personal preference or install an app that’s facing interference by it, here’s how to temporarily disable Windows Security in Windows 11.

1. Temporarily Disable Windows Security Using the Settings App

The Settings app is the central hub of Windows OS, from where you can manage important system settings. You can use it to personalize your computer, change privacy settings, update Windows, and do much more. It’s also one of the places to disable Windows Security on your computer. Here’s how:

1. Press the Win + I hotkeys to open the Settings app.
2. Choose Privacy & security from the left sidebar.
3. Click the Open Windows Security button on the right pane.

   

4. In the Windows Security app, choose the Virus & threats protection option from the left sidebar.
5. Click Manage settings under the Virus & threats protection section.
6. Disable the toggle under the Real-time protection option.

   

2. How to Temporarily Disable Windows Security Using the Registry Editor

Windows Registry is a massive database of important settings and software installed on your computer. You can access and edit that database using a built-in tool called the Registry Editor.

The Registry Editor can also come in handy in temporarily disabling Windows Security. Here’s how to do that:

1. Open the Start Menu by pressing the Win key.
2. In the search bar, type Windows Security and press Enter.
3. Select Virus & threat protection from the left sidebar.
4. Turn off the toggle under the Tamper protection option.

   

5. Click Yes to the UAC that crops up.

Now it’s time to open the Registry Editor. Check out how to open the Registry Editor on Windows 11 for steps on how to do this.

1. When the Registry Editor opens, navigate to the following location:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender 

2. Right-click on Windows Defender in the left sidebar and choose Permissions.

   

3. Click the Advanced options.

   

4. Click Change next to the Owner option.
5. In the Select User or Group window, click the Advanced button.

   

6. Click the Find Now button and then select the admin account.

   

7. Click OK > OK to save the changes.
8. Check the Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object box.

   

9. Click Apply > OK.
10. Next, head towards the Permission for Windows Defender window, and check the box next to Full control.

    

11. Click Apply > OK.
12. Right-click on the blank space in the right pane, and create three DWORD (32-bit) Value with the following names:

     DisableAntiVirus
    DisableAntiSpyware
    ServiceStartStates 

13. Double-click on each value, type 1 in Value data, and click OK.

Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

3. Temporarily Disable Windows Security Using the Local Group Policy Editor

Another quick way to temporarily turn off Windows Security is through the Local Group Policy Editor. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open the Run dialog box, type gpedit.msc, and click OK.
2. In the Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Defender Antivirus.
3. Double-click on the Turn off Microsoft Defender Antivirus policy.

   

4. Click Enabled.

   

5. Click Apply > OK.

Once your work is done, you can enable Windows Security by choosing Disabled for the Turn off Microsoft Defender Antivirus policy.

4. Temporarily Disable Windows Security Using Autoruns

Autoruns is a Windows utility using which you can turn off the service responsible for starting Windows Security at startup. Before you use Autoruns, disable Tamper Protection by following the steps in method 2.

Follow the below instructions to disable Windows Security using Autoruns:

1. To begin with, download Autoruns on your computer.
2. Extract the downloaded file on your computer.
3. Next, boot your computer in safe mode (see how to boot in safe mode on Windows) and then open the extracted Autoruns folder.
4. Double-click on the Autoruns64 file and then choose Run from the prompt that crops up.

   

5. Click Agree in the Autoruns Licence Agreement window.
6. In the Autoruns window, click Options and uncheck Hide Windows Entries.

   

7. Click Services.
8. Uncheck the WinDefend box and then close the Autoruns window.

   

Now, to boot in normal mode, open the System Configuration window, select Normal startup, and then OK.

Stop Windows Security for a Little While on Windows 11

The new Window Security app ensures you don’t have to install a dedicated antivirus program to safeguard your computer. However, the strict policy of Windows Security can sometimes block the installation of third-party apps on your computer. Fortunately, you can disable Windows Security by following the above methods.