My windows still has no virus and threat protection tab in windows security even though I have tried to edit gpedit

Question

I still have no access to my virus and threat protection even though I have tried to edit my policies in gpedit

Answer 1

If the "Virus & threat protection" tab is still missing in Windows Security even after editing Group Policy (gpedit.msc), here are several steps to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue:

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✅ Step-by-Step Fix Guide

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1. Check if Microsoft Defender Antivirus is Disabled or Removed

Some third-party antivirus software or system administrators disable or remove Defender.

• Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

    Get-MpPreference
  

  If the output shows DisableRealtimeMonitoring or DisableAntiSpyware as True, Defender might be disabled. Run this to re-enable it:

    Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $false
  

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2. Re-enable Defender via Group Policy

Make sure these policies are Not Configured:

Open gpedit.msc

Navigate to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Ensure the following policies are set to Not Configured:

Turn off Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Disable anti-spyware

Hide the Virus and Threat Protection area in the Windows Security app

Then restart your system.

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3. Check Registry Settings

If Group Policy changes are not reflecting, check the registry:

Press Win + R, type regedit, and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

Look for a value named DisableAntiSpyware. If it exists and is set to 1, right-click and delete it or set it to 0.

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4. Check Windows Services

Ensure required services are running:

Press Win + R, type services.msc

Make sure these services are Running and set to Automatic:

Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service

  **Security Center (wscsvc)**
  
     **Windows Defender Firewall**
     

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5. Use Windows Security Troubleshooter (Optional)

If you have Windows 11/10, you can run a System File Check:

sfc /scannow

And then:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

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6. Check for Tamper Protection

If your PC is part of a managed environment (e.g., school/work), Tamper Protection or Microsoft Intune policies might be locking Defender settings. You may need to contact your IT admin.

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💡 Optional: Reinstall Microsoft Defender (if removed)

If you're sure Defender is removed, you can reinstall via PowerShell (Windows 10/11):

Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name "Microsoft.WindowsDefender" -Source "C:\mount\windows" -LimitAccess

(You will need installation media for this.)

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If you'd like to send a screenshot or run a diagnostic script to gather more data, I can guide you with that as well.If the "Virus & threat protection" tab is still missing in Windows Security even after editing Group Policy (gpedit.msc), here are several steps to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue:

---

✅ Step-by-Step Fix Guide

---

1. Check if Microsoft Defender Antivirus is Disabled or Removed

Some third-party antivirus software or system administrators disable or remove Defender.

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

Get-MpPreference

If the output shows DisableRealtimeMonitoring or DisableAntiSpyware as True, Defender might be disabled.

Run this to re-enable it:

Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $false

---

2. Re-enable Defender via Group Policy

Make sure these policies are Not Configured:

Open gpedit.msc

Navigate to:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Ensure the following policies are set to Not Configured:

Turn off Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Disable anti-spyware

Hide the Virus and Threat Protection area in the Windows Security app

Then restart your system.

---

3. Check Registry Settings

If Group Policy changes are not reflecting, check the registry:

Press Win + R, type regedit, and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

Look for a value named DisableAntiSpyware. If it exists and is set to 1, right-click and delete it or set it to 0.

---

4. Check Windows Services

Ensure required services are running:

Press Win + R, type services.msc

Make sure these services are Running and set to Automatic:

Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service

  **Security Center (wscsvc)**
  
     **Windows Defender Firewall**
     

---

5. Use Windows Security Troubleshooter (Optional)

If you have Windows 11/10, you can run a System File Check:

sfc /scannow

And then:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

---

6. Check for Tamper Protection

If your PC is part of a managed environment (e.g., school/work), Tamper Protection or Microsoft Intune policies might be locking Defender settings. You may need to contact your IT admin.

---

💡 Optional: Reinstall Microsoft Defender (if removed)

If you're sure Defender is removed, you can reinstall via PowerShell (Windows 10/11):

Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name "Microsoft.WindowsDefender" -Source "C:\mount\windows" -LimitAccess

(You will need installation media for this.)

---

If you'd like to send a screenshot or run a diagnostic script to gather more data, I can guide you with that as well.