windows defender delays computer bootup several minutes

Question

every time i restart my computer i have to wait over one minute, sometimes 2, for the ms defender service to complete. how can i reduce the startup time of defender

Answer 1

To reduce the startup time of Microsoft Defender, you can consider the following steps:

1. Allow Fast Service Startup: This setting controls the load priority for the antimalware service. Enabling it allows the service to start with normal priority, which can improve startup times. You can configure this through Group Policy or the registry.
2. Check and Optimize Services: Ensure that the necessary services for Microsoft Defender are running. You can check the status of these services using PowerShell commands. Make sure that the Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service (WinDefend) is set to start automatically.
3. Reset Microsoft Defender: If you are experiencing delays, resetting Microsoft Defender can help. You can do this by running the DISM and SFC commands in an elevated Command Prompt to repair any potential issues with the service.
4. Update Security Intelligence: Keeping your security definitions up to date can also help improve performance. You can run commands to update the security intelligence definitions.
5. Uninstall Non-Microsoft Antivirus Software: If you have third-party antivirus software installed, it may conflict with Microsoft Defender and cause delays. Uninstalling it can help improve startup times.
6. Run Microsoft Update: Ensure that your system is fully updated, as updates can include performance improvements for Microsoft Defender.

By implementing these steps, you should be able to reduce the startup time of Microsoft Defender on your computer.

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References:

• Troubleshoot Microsoft Defender Antivirus service startup problems
• Policy CSP - ADMX_MicrosoftDefenderAntivirus