I want to disable Windows defender. Totally. Delete it and never see a trace of it again.

Hi Sabya.

Thanks for your reply, but it doesn't answer my question.

I used regedit and gpedit. Pretty much everything I could find online -> the virus keeps running and even though it's "disabled" everywhere it keeps scanning my PC for threats, as if it's not the most significant virus itself.

I even deleted the stupid thing offline from another OS and yes, it worked for a couple of weeks but now it's back after an update.

I don't want an antivirus on my gaming PC. For everything else, I have Linux/Mac but for gaming - hell no, I don't want Microsoft's **** protection.

IMO this should be regulated like the browser is. If I don't want it I MUST be able to remove it.

Sorry I have just noticed this thread .

Yes you can get rid of the flipping thing called 'Defender' I spent many many hours trying to delete all files , blocking Microsoft updates but it always found a way back onto my machine!!!!! I stumbled on a program called 'Winareo Tweaker ' just google it . It is free utility that lets you get rid of all the Microsoft rubbish you don't need and YES that included Defender 🎉. Doesn't matter if you update or not it will never return unless you want it to using the same program 🙂

yeah windows defender is garbage. you can't remove most of the MS bloatware. I'll try the steps found here but the constant updates to phones, windows, chrome, etc. is GARBAGE.

in the future if there is a critical problem, EMAIL US! G-D how hard would that be instead of bogging down our phones, computers, everything else all the time with CONSTANT updates. software & hardware makers don't talk to each other all the time. so at some point wires are gonna get crossed, your phone/computer will dump, and you'll be left with no device. then the 2 companies will be pointing the finger at each other.

LEAVE THINGS ALONE and let US choose when to update. jeez what the hell is wrong with companies anymore.

Hi ,
I am sorry you cannot permanently delete it, when Windows gets updated it will be back.
You can delete it but when a major update comes it will be reinstated.
If you do not want Microsoft's protection please install any other antivirus and it will be disabled permanently.

Sorry but no, that last statement "please install any other antivirus and it will be disabled permanently" is totally FALSE.

It doesn't matter what antivirus you install, Defender will continue to turn itself on and run until it kills your CPU usage (and in older Surface Pro's, will kill the battery by repeatedly overheating). You all should be ashamed of yourselves for designing something that can't be turned off and does not respect the settings input by the user.

Ha.. that was the first thing i tried... i have spent countless hours researching and attrmpting to get rid of this awful system bogger but NOTHING works. i plan on wiping my laptop clean and installing ubantu linux soon