Why and when you might disable antivirus
You may need to turn off your antivirus program temporarily when installing software that the antivirus blocks by mistake, when troubleshooting a problem that the antivirus itself is causing, or when running a legitimate program that conflicts with real-time scanning. The key word is temporarily — antivirus should be back on within minutes, not hours.
Disabling antivirus leaves your device unprotected against malware during that time. Only turn it off when you have a specific reason, you understand what you are about to do, and you plan to re-enable it when ready after. If you are not sure whether you need to disable it, the safer choice is to leave it on and contact the software maker or your IT support instead.
Key Takeaways
- Most antivirus programs can be disabled through their own settings menu, usually labeled "Protection", "Real-time scanning", or "Shield".
- Disabling antivirus is temporary — you should re-enable it within minutes, not leave it off for hours or days.
- Some antivirus programs require you to restart your device before the change takes effect, while others disable when ready.
- If you cannot find the disable option in your antivirus menu, the program may require administrator permission or may not allow disabling at all.
- Windows Defender (built into Windows) and third-party antivirus programs like Norton, McAfee, and Kaspersky all have different menu layouts, but the concept is the same.
How to disable Windows Defender on Windows
Windows Defender is the antivirus built into Windows 10 and Windows 11. To turn off real-time protection temporarily, open the Windows Security app by typing "Windows Security" into the search box and pressing Enter. Click "Virus & threat protection" on the left side.
Under "Virus & threat protection settings", you will see "Real-time protection" with a toggle switch next to it. Click the toggle to turn it off. Windows will ask you to confirm — click "Yes" to proceed. Real-time scanning stops when ready, but Windows Defender itself remains installed and can be turned back on the same way.
To re-enable it, open Windows Security again, go to "Virus & threat protection", and click the toggle next to "Real-time protection" to turn it back on. If the toggle is grayed out or you cannot click it, your device may be managed by your workplace or school, and you may not have permission to change this setting.
How to disable third-party antivirus programs
Programs like Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky, Bitdefender, and Avast all have their own control panels. Open the antivirus program by clicking its icon in the system tray (the small icons in the bottom right corner of your screen) or by searching for its name in the Start menu.
Look for a menu option labeled "Protection", "Real-time scanning", "Shield", "Firewall", or "Settings". The exact name varies by program. Once you find it, you should see a toggle or button to disable real-time protection. Click it and confirm when prompted. Some programs will ask how long you want protection disabled — choose the shortest option (usually 15 minutes or 1 hour) so you do not forget to turn it back on.
After you have finished with whatever task required the antivirus to be off, open the program again and re-enable protection using the same menu. If you cannot find the disable option, check the program's help menu or contact the maker — some antivirus software does not allow disabling, only pausing for a set time.
What to do if your antivirus will not let you disable it
Some antivirus programs, especially those installed by your workplace or school, do not allow you to turn them off at all. If you click the disable option and nothing happens, or if there is no disable option visible, your device is likely managed by an organization that requires protection to stay on.
In this case, contact your IT department or help desk before trying other workarounds. They can temporarily disable it for you if there is a legitimate reason, or they can help you troubleshoot the actual problem without leaving your device unprotected. Trying to force an antivirus off through system settings or by uninstalling it can cause other problems and may violate your organization's policies.
How to disable antivirus on Mac
macOS comes with built-in protection called XProtect, which runs in the background and cannot be disabled through normal settings. If you are using a third-party antivirus on Mac — such as Norton, McAfee, or Kaspersky — open the program and look for "Protection", "Real-time scanning", or "Settings" in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
Click the menu and select the option to disable or pause protection. Most Mac antivirus programs allow you to pause for 15 minutes to 1 hour. After that time, protection turns back on automatically. If you need to disable it for longer, you will need to pause it again manually.
How to disable antivirus on Android and iPhone
Android devices do not have a single antivirus program the way Windows does. Instead, Google Play Protect scans apps when you read them and regularly checks installed apps for malware. You cannot disable Play Protect entirely, but you can turn off automatic scanning by opening the Google Play Store app, tapping your profile icon in the top right, selecting "Manage your Google Account", going to the "Security" tab, and scrolling to "Google Play Protect". Toggle "Scan apps with Play Protect" off.
If you installed a separate antivirus app from the Play Store, you can disable it by opening the app, finding its settings or protection menu, and turning off real-time scanning. Then re-enable it when you are done.
iPhones do not run traditional antivirus software. Apple's built-in security scans apps before they are allowed on the App Store and monitors your device for threats automatically. You cannot disable this protection, and third-party antivirus apps for iPhone do not actually scan your device — they only offer VPN services or other security features. If you are concerned about iPhone security, the best approach is to keep iOS updated and read apps only from the App Store.
What happens while antivirus is disabled
When antivirus is off, your device has no active protection against malware, viruses, or other threats. Malicious files can be downloaded and executed without being caught. This is why you should only disable antivirus for the specific task that requires it, then turn it back on when ready.
Do not browse the internet, open email attachments, or read files from untrusted sources while antivirus is disabled. Do not leave antivirus off while you step away from your device. If you forget to re-enable it and discover hours later that protection was off, turn it back on right away and run a full scan to check for any threats that may have been missed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling antivirus make my device faster?
Antivirus does use some system resources, but the slowdown is usually small on modern devices. If your device feels slow, the problem is more likely a full hard drive, too many programs running at startup, or a device that needs more memory. Disabling antivirus for speed is not a good trade-off — you lose protection for a small performance gain.
Can I uninstall antivirus instead of just disabling it?
You can uninstall third-party antivirus programs, but Windows Defender cannot be uninstalled — it is part of Windows itself. If you uninstall a third-party program, Windows Defender automatically turns on to protect your device. Uninstalling is permanent, so only do this if you are certain you do not want that antivirus anymore.
What if a program says my antivirus is blocking it?
Before disabling antivirus, check whether the antivirus has an option to add the program to a whitelist or exclusion list. Most antivirus programs let you mark specific programs as safe so they run without being blocked. This is safer than disabling antivirus entirely. Look in the antivirus settings for "Exclusions", "Whitelist", or "Trusted programs".
How do I know if antivirus is actually off?
Open your antivirus program or Windows Security and check the status. It should show "Protection off" or "Real-time protection disabled" in red or yellow. If you see a green checkmark and "Protection on", then antivirus is still running. Some programs show a notification in the system tray when protection is disabled.
Is it safe to disable antivirus while installing software?
Only if the software is from a trusted source — the maker's official website, a major app store, or a reputable retailer. If you are installing software from an unknown source or a website you do not trust, do not disable antivirus. Instead, contact the software maker to ask why their program is being blocked, or look for an alternative program that does not trigger antivirus warnings.