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Use Group Policy settings to configure and manage Microsoft Defender Antivirus

  • Article

Applies to:

Platforms

  • Windows

We recommend using Microsoft Intune to manage Microsoft Defender Antivirus settings for your organization. However, you can use Group Policy to configure and manage some settings for Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

Important

If tamper protection is enabled in your organization, any changes made to tamper-protected settings are ignored. In addition, you cannot turn off tamper protection by using Group Policy.

If you must make changes to a device and those changes are blocked by tamper protection, we recommend using troubleshooting mode to temporarily disable tamper protection on the device. Note that after troubleshooting mode ends, any changes made to tamper-protected settings are reverted to their configured state.

Configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus using Group Policy

In general, you can use the following procedure to configure or change some settings for Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

  1. On your Group Policy management machine, open the Group Policy Management Console, right-click the Group Policy Object (GPO) you want to configure and select Edit.

  2. Using the Group Policy Management Editor go to Computer configuration.

  3. Select Administrative templates.

  4. Expand the tree to Windows components > Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

  5. Expand the section (referred to as Location in the table in this article) that contains the setting you want to configure, double-click the setting to open it, and make configuration changes.

  6. Deploy the updated GPO as you normally do.

Group Policy settings and resources

The following table lists commonly used Group Policy settings that are available in Windows 10.

Tip

For the most current settings, see get the latest ADMX files in your central store to access the correct policy options. See How to create and manage the Central Store for Group Policy Administrative Templates in Windows and download the latest files.

Location Setting Article
Client interface Enable headless UI mode Prevent users from seeing or interacting with the Microsoft Defender Antivirus user interface
Client interface Display more text to clients when they need to perform an action Configure the notifications that appear on endpoints
Client interface Suppress all notifications Configure the notifications that appear on endpoints
Client interface Suppresses reboot notifications Configure the notifications that appear on endpoints
Exclusions Extension Exclusions Configure and validate exclusions in Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans
Exclusions Path Exclusions Configure and validate exclusions in Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans
Exclusions Process Exclusions Configure and validate exclusions in Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans
Exclusions Turn off Auto Exclusions Configure and validate exclusions in Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans
MAPS Configure the "Block at First Sight" feature Enable block at first sight
MAPS Join Microsoft MAPS Enable cloud-delivered protection
MAPS Send file samples when further analysis is required Enable cloud-delivered protection
MAPS Configure local setting override for reporting to Microsoft MAPS Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
MpEngine Configure extended cloud check Configure the cloud block timeout period
MpEngine Select cloud protection level Specify the cloud-delivered protection level
Network inspection system Specify more definition sets for network traffic inspection Not used (deprecated)
Network inspection system Turn on definition retirement Not used (deprecated)
Network inspection system Turn on protocol recognition Not used (deprecated)
Quarantine Configure local setting override for the removal of items from Quarantine folder Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
Quarantine Configure removal of items from Quarantine folder Configure remediation for Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans
Real-time protection Configure local setting override for monitoring file and program activity on your computer Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
Real-time protection Configure local setting override for monitoring for incoming and outgoing file activity Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
Real-time protection Configure local setting override for scanning all downloaded files and attachments Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
Real-time protection Configure local setting override to turn on behavior monitoring Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
Real-time protection Configure local setting override to turn on real-time protection Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
Real-time protection Define the maximum size of downloaded files and attachments to be scanned Enable and configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus always-on protection and monitoring
Real-time protection Monitor file and program activity on your computer Enable and configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus always-on protection and monitoring
Real-time protection Scan all downloaded files and attachments Enable and configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus always-on protection and monitoring
Real-time protection Turn off real-time protection Enable and configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus always-on protection and monitoring
Real-time protection Turn on behavior monitoring Enable and configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus always-on protection and monitoring
Real-time protection Turn on process scanning whenever real-time protection is enabled Enable and configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus always-on protection and monitoring
Real-time protection Turn on raw volume write notifications Enable and configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus always-on protection and monitoring
Real-time protection Configure monitoring for incoming and outgoing file and program activity Enable and configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus always-on protection and monitoring
Remediation Configure local setting override for the time of day to run a scheduled full scan to complete remediation Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
Remediation Specify the day of the week to run a scheduled full scan to complete remediation Configure scheduled Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans
Remediation Specify the time of day to run a scheduled full scan to complete remediation Configure scheduled Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans
Reporting Turn off enhanced notifications Configure the notifications that appear on endpoints
Root Turn off Microsoft Defender Antivirus Not used. If you're using or planning to use a non-Microsoft antivirus product, see Microsoft Defender Antivirus compatibility with other security products.
Root Define addresses to bypass proxy server Configure device proxy and Internet connectivity settings
Root Define proxy autoconfig (.pac) for connecting to the network Configure device proxy and Internet connectivity settings
Root Define proxy server for connecting to the network Configure device proxy and Internet connectivity settings
Root Configure local administrator merge behavior for lists Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
Root Allow antimalware service to start up with normal priority Configure remediation for Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans
Root Allow antimalware service to remain running always Configure remediation for Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans
Root Turn off routine remediation Configure remediation for Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans
Root Randomize scheduled task times Configure scheduled scans for Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Allow users to pause scan Prevent users from seeing or interacting with the Microsoft Defender Antivirus user interface (Not supported on Windows 10)
Scan Check for the latest virus and spyware definitions before running a scheduled scan Manage event-based forced updates
Scan Define the number of days after which a catch-up scan is forced Manage updates for endpoints that are out of date
Scan Turn on catch up full scan Manage updates for endpoints that are out of date
Scan Turn on catch up quick scan Manage updates for endpoints that are out of date
Scan Configure local setting override for maximum percentage of CPU utilization Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
Scan Configure local setting override for schedule scan day Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
Scan Configure local setting override for scheduled quick scan time Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
Scan Configure local setting override for scheduled scan time Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
Scan Configure local setting override for the scan type to use for a scheduled scan Prevent or allow users to locally modify policy settings
Scan Create a system restore point Configure remediation for Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans
Scan Turn on removal of items from scan history folder Configure remediation for Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans
Scan Turn on heuristics Enable and configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus always-on protection and monitoring
Scan Turn on e-mail scanning Configure scanning options in Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Turn on reparse point scanning Configure scanning options in Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Run full scan on mapped network drives Configure scanning options in Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Scan archive files Configure scanning options in Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Scan network files Configure scanning options in Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Scan packed executables Configure scanning options in Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Scan scripts Configure scanning options in Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Also see Defender/AllowScriptScanning.
Scan Scan removable drives Configure scanning options in Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Specify the maximum depth to scan archive files Configure scanning options in Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Specify the maximum percentage of CPU utilization during a scan Configure scanning options in Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Specify the maximum size of archive files to be scanned Configure scanning options in Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Specify the day of the week to run a scheduled scan Configure scheduled scans for Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Specify the interval to run quick scans per day Configure scheduled scans for Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Specify the scan type to use for a scheduled scan Configure scheduled scans for Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Specify the time for a daily quick scan Configure scheduled scans for Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Specify the time of day to run a scheduled scan Configure scheduled scans for Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Scan Start the scheduled scan only when computer is on but not in use Configure scheduled scans for Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Security intelligence updates Allow security intelligence updates from Microsoft Update Manage updates for mobile devices and virtual machines (VMs)
Security intelligence updates Allow security intelligence updates when running on battery power Manage updates for mobile devices and virtual machines (VMs)
Security intelligence updates Allow notifications to disable definitions-based reports to Microsoft MAPS Manage event-based forced updates
Security intelligence updates Allow real-time security intelligence updates based on reports to Microsoft MAPS Manage event-based forced updates
Security intelligence updates Check for the latest virus and spyware definitions on startup Manage event-based forced updates
Security intelligence updates Define file shares for downloading security intelligence updates Manage Microsoft Defender Antivirus protection and security intelligence updates
Security intelligence updates Define the number of days after which a catch up security intelligence update is required Manage updates for endpoints that are out of date
Security intelligence updates Define the number of days before spyware definitions are considered out of date Manage updates for endpoints that are out of date
Security intelligence updates Define the number of days before virus definitions are considered out of date Manage updates for endpoints that are out of date
Security intelligence updates Define the order of sources for downloading security intelligence updates Manage Microsoft Defender Antivirus protection and security intelligence updates
Security intelligence updates Initiate security intelligence update on startup Manage event-based forced updates
Security intelligence updates Specify the day of the week to check for security intelligence updates Manage when protection updates should be downloaded and applied
Security intelligence updates Specify the interval to check for security intelligence updates Manage when protection updates should be downloaded and applied
Security intelligence updates Specify the time to check for security intelligence updates Manage when protection updates should be downloaded and applied
Security intelligence updates Turn on scan after Security intelligence update Configure scheduled scans for Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Threats Specify threat alert levels at which default action should not be taken when detected Configure remediation for Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans
Threats Specify threats upon which default action should not be taken when detected Configure remediation for Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans

Tip

If you're looking for Antivirus related information for other platforms, see:

Tip

Performance tip Due to a variety of factors (examples listed below) Microsoft Defender Antivirus, like other antivirus software, can cause performance issues on endpoint devices. In some cases, you might need to tune the performance of Microsoft Defender Antivirus to alleviate those performance issues. Microsoft's Performance analyzer is a PowerShell command-line tool that helps determine which files, file paths, processes, and file extensions might be causing performance issues; some examples are:

  • Top paths that impact scan time
  • Top files that impact scan time
  • Top processes that impact scan time
  • Top file extensions that impact scan time
  • Combinations – for example:
    • top files per extension
    • top paths per extension
    • top processes per path
    • top scans per file
    • top scans per file per process

You can use the information gathered using Performance analyzer to better assess performance issues and apply remediation actions. See: Performance analyzer for Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

See also

Tip

Do you want to learn more? Engage with the Microsoft Security community in our Tech Community: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Tech Community.