How to activate Windows Defender on Windows 10

Windows Defender is an inbuilt application which comes with Windows 10 to protect your PC from malicious software. When you first install windows 10 and startup your PC, Windows Defender and Firewall will be automatically turn on. But this feature will disable if you install some other third party antivirus protection into Windows 10.

Problem

How to activate the disabled Windows Defender and Firewall back?

Does it requires any other software to activate it back?

Can I activate it by myself or do I have to call for help?

If you get an error message like in the first picture when you are trying to access Windows Defender that means your protection is disabled. Also you can check your protection status by going to All Settings > Update and Security > Windows Defender. If you can’t click anything or do anything (not visible) that means your Windows Defender and Firewall has been disabled.

Solutions

It will not take much time or effect to turn this feature back on. You don’t need to install any other software or you don’t have to take help from anyone to turn it on. Follow these simple steps and you are good to go;

Option 1

Step 1: Go to the search bar and type regedit and open it.

Step 2: Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Policies > Microsoft >    Windows Defender

Step 3: Add a new policy inside Windows Defender by Right click > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value and rename it to “EnableAntiSpyware”

Step 4: Double click on it and change value data to 1 and click OK.

Option 2

Step 1: Go to the search bar and search for gpedit.msc and open it.

Step 2: Go to Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender.

Step 3: Double click on Turn off Windows Defender.

Step 4: Tick Disable check box or Not Configured check box to activate Windows Defender and click OK.

YouTube tutorial link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmjblGay3AM