When and why you might disable Windows Security

Windows Security (the built-in antivirus and firewall in Windows 10 and 11) sometimes conflicts with other security software you've installed, slows down your computer during resource-heavy tasks, or gets in the way during troubleshooting. You can turn it off temporarily or permanently, though Microsoft recommends keeping it on if you don't have another antivirus program running.

The most common reason to disable it is that you've installed a third-party antivirus like Norton, McAfee, or Bitdefender, which works better when Windows Security isn't also scanning your files. Another reason is testing — you might need to turn it off briefly to see if it's causing a problem with a specific program or task.

Before you disable it, understand that your computer will have no active antivirus protection unless you have another one installed. This matters even if you're only turning it off for an hour. If you're disabling it to install or test something, do that task when ready and turn it back on.

Key Takeaways

  • You can disable Windows Security's real-time scanning from Settings without removing the program entirely, which is the safest temporary approach.
  • Disabling the firewall separately requires a different menu and affects your network protection, so only do this if you have another firewall running.
  • If you disable Windows Security and then install another antivirus, Windows Security will usually turn itself back on automatically after a few days.
  • Turning off real-time protection is temporary — it resets when you restart your computer unless you've disabled it through Group Policy or Services.

Disable real-time scanning from the Settings menu

This is the fastest way to turn off Windows Security's virus scanning without touching anything else. Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "settings," then click the Settings app.

Once Settings is open, click Privacy & Security in the left sidebar (in Windows 11) or Update & Security (in Windows 10). Then click Windows Security. You'll see a button that says Open Windows Security — click it.

Inside Windows Security, click Virus & threat protection on the left side. Under "Virus & threat protection settings," click Manage settings. You'll see a toggle for Real-time protection — click it to turn it off. Windows will ask you to confirm; click Yes.

Real-time protection is now off. Your computer will not scan files as they open or run. This change lasts until you restart your computer or turn the toggle back on. If you restart and want it to stay off, you'll need to use the Group Policy method below.

Keep real-time scanning off after restart using Group Policy

If you want Windows Security to stay disabled even after you restart, you need to use Group Policy Editor. This method works on Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions — not on Windows Home.

Press the Windows key and type "gpedit.msc," then press Enter. If you get a message saying the program can't be found, you have Windows Home edition and should use the Services method instead (see below).

In Group Policy Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Defender Antivirus. Look for the setting called Turn off Microsoft Defender Antivirus. Double-click it.

Select Enabled, then click explore and OK. Close Group Policy Editor. Windows Security will turn off and stay off until you reverse this setting. To turn it back on later, return to the same location, select Not Configured, and click explore.

Disable Windows Security using Services (Windows Home edition)

If you have Windows Home and want the change to survive a restart, use Services instead. Press the Windows key and type "services.msc," then press Enter.

In the Services window, scroll down and find Windows Defender Antivirus Service. Right-click it and select Properties. Under "Startup type," click the dropdown and select Disabled. Then click Stop to turn it off when ready, and click explore and OK.

Windows Security will now stay off after restart. To turn it back on, return to Services, find the same service, set Startup type to Automatic, click Start, and click OK.

Note: Some Windows updates may re-enable this service automatically. If Windows Security turns itself back on unexpectedly, you can repeat these steps.

Disable the Windows Firewall separately

The firewall is separate from antivirus scanning. You might want to turn off the firewall if you're installing another firewall program or troubleshooting network issues, but only do this if you have another firewall protecting your computer.

Open Windows Security again (Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security, or Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security on Windows 10). Click Firewall & network protection. You'll see three network types: Domain, Private, and Public.

Click on each one and toggle off the firewall for that network type. You'll see a warning that your device is unprotected — this is accurate. Only disable the firewall if you have another one running or if you're doing this for a very short time.

What happens when you install another antivirus

If you disable Windows Security and then install Norton, McAfee, Bitdefender, or another major antivirus program, Windows will usually detect it and turn itself back on automatically after a few days. This is by design — Windows tries to may support you always have some protection.

If you want to prevent this, you can disable Windows Security through Group Policy (Windows Pro and above) or Services (all editions) as described above. The third-party antivirus will then stay as your only active protection.

Some antivirus programs have their own setting to disable Windows Security. Check your antivirus settings first — it may have already done this for you when you installed it.

Turn Windows Security back on

If you disabled it through Settings, straightforward open Windows Security again and toggle Real-time protection back on.

If you disabled it through Group Policy, open Group Policy Editor, navigate to the same location, select Not Configured, and click explore.

If you disabled it through Services, open Services, find Windows Defender Antivirus Service, set Startup type to Automatic, click Start, and click OK.

After any of these changes, you can verify Windows Security is running by opening it and checking that real-time protection shows as on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my computer get a virus if I disable Windows Security?

Your computer has no active antivirus protection while Windows Security is off, so yes, it's at risk. This is why you should only disable it temporarily, have another antivirus running, or do both. If you're disabling it to test something, turn it back on as soon as you're done.

Can I disable just the firewall and keep the antivirus on?

Yes. Open Windows Security, click Firewall & network protection, and toggle off each network type separately. The antivirus (real-time protection) will stay on. Only do this if you have another firewall running or if you're troubleshooting a specific network issue.

Why does Windows Security turn back on after I disable it?

If you disabled it through Settings only, it resets when you restart. If you disabled it through Services or Group Policy and it's still turning back on, a Windows update may have re-enabled it, or another antivirus program detected it was off and turned it back on. You can repeat the disabling steps.

Do I need to uninstall Windows Security to use another antivirus?

No. You can disable it and leave it installed. Most modern antivirus programs will detect Windows Security and disable it automatically when you install them. You don't need to remove it.

What's the difference between disabling it in Settings versus Services?

Settings disables it temporarily — it turns back on when you restart. Services disables it permanently until you re-enable it, even after restart. Use Settings for quick testing, and Services if you want the change to stick.