Keeping the Windows Defender enabled is crucial, especially if you don’t have another antivirus on your PC. However, the Windows Defender sometimes fails to start, leaving your machine defenseless. If you are here, you have probably tried restarting your computer and other tricks, but that didn’t help. Well, you’ve come to the right place. Today’s post will explain how to solve the Windows 10 Defender won’t turn on issue. Show
What Causes This Error on Windows 10 PCs?Windows Defender is likely to fail on launch due to the following reasons:
How to Solve Windows Defender Service Won’t StartSince varying factors trigger this error, we suggest you try different tactics until the problem disappears. Below are the techniques that proved effective on most people’s devices with the same issue. Method 1: Check Your Date and TimeDid you know that many PC apps usually depend on the system date and time to perform some functions? Therefore, if these are incorrect, you could easily experience abnormal behaviors with some programs. Thus , ensure you check if your device reads the correct date and time. If not, correct it immediately and then check for the issue. Method 2: Disable Your Third-Party Antivirus AppAntivirus apps usually work differently. Some can work without interfering with other programs on your computer, while others can’t. If you have an invasive antivirus app, it could be the trigger. Therefore, open the app’s settings and temporarily disable its protection. Then reboot your computer and check if Windows Defender will launch. If it does not, try uninstalling the third-party app to see if that helps. We also recommend installing a professional antivirus program that can protect your computer without interfering with other system functions. A good example of such an app is Auslogics Anti-Malware. RECOMMENDED Protect PC from Threats with Anti-Malware Check your PC for malware your antivirus may miss and get threats safely removed with Auslogics Anti-Malware Auslogics Anti-Malware is a product of Auslogics, certified Microsoft® Silver Application Developer DOWNLOAD NOWMethod 3: Update WindowsWindows is an amazing operating system, but it sometimes gets buggy, triggering issues such as Windows Defender not working correctly. Installing the latest updates is the best solution. Windows can download updates in the background. However, if you have disabled updates on your computer, you might have missed some. Follow these steps to update your operating system:
Don’t give up if you are still getting the error when trying to open Windows Defender. The following tip might help. Method 4: Use the System File Checker SFCFile corruption is a common cause of most issues on Windows PCs. So, it could also be why you can’t successfully launch Windows Defender on your machine. Luckily, the System File Checker can help scan your computer for corrupted system files and immediately repair them. Here is how it works:
Method 5: Change the Registry SettingsSome users also said that tweaking their registry settings helped fix the error. You could try doing the same to see if that helps. However, the registry is pretty sensitive. So, messing up crucial keys could easily damage your computer. Therefore, we suggest that you back up the registry before moving further. Doing so will enable you to easily reverse any mistakes and restore your PC’s health. Follow these steps to back up the registry:
Now use this quick guide to tweak your registry settings:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender
ConclusionThe cannot start Windows Defender error message is quite annoying but not unfixable. This article has discussed the different ways you can go about it. Therefore, we hope that this error is no longer an issue on your Windows PC. However, if you still have any unanswered questions regarding today’s topic, drop them in the section below. How to repair MS Defender?What to do if Windows Defender is not working in Windows 10. Enable real-time protection.. Change date and time.. Use professional software for protection.. Update Windows.. Change Proxy Server.. Disable third-party antivirus.. Run the SFC scan.. Run DISM.. How do I reinstall Microsoft Defender Antivirus?Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security and then Virus & threat protection > Manage settings. (In previous versions of Windows 10, select Virus & threat protection > Virus & threat protection settings.) Switch the Real-time protection setting to On/Off and choose Yes to verify.
Can Windows Defender be uninstalled and reinstalled?When to Reinstall Windows Defender. Technically, you're not really reinstalling the program because Windows doesn't actually let you uninstall it. That said, you might run the above command to reset Windows Defender if it's just not working correctly.
Can I manually install Windows Defender?You can install Windows Defender manually in two ways: Standard method. Using Windows PowerShell.
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