HOW TO REMOVE THIS GARBAGE DEFENDER/

Question

I've seen this posted on other threads, but GD how the hell can you get this POS program win defender removed and all its other tentacle files?? I saw where there was a reply to one person stating that if they installed another AV prog then they could remove; i DON'T need any AV programs period! Also dont need MS setting it up where when i'm in task manager to end a running process/program it tells me "access denied" when i'm logged in as admin. Id love to wipe this cpu completely and install a reliable linux OS, but my hands are tied because other software i use that needs win. Is my only option to get rid of this "malware win defender" to download another app to uninstall?

Another question along the same lines, in the future can you PLEASE remove these defaults for edge or any other from having "Bing" as the search engine?? If i'm buying the cpu and purchasing the product key with it, i should be able to make my own defaults for what i want to use to browse, search, etc.

Answer 1

Hello,

Windows Defender is the built‑in antivirus program included with Windows, and it is enabled by default.

If you disable Windows Defender, your PC will no longer be protected from threats, so if you temporarily turn it off for any reason, it is recommended to enable it again afterward.

When you install a compatible third‑party antivirus program (non‑Microsoft), Windows Defender will automatically be disabled.

However, this can sometimes lead to issues such as failed Windows Updates, network problems, or other unexpected troubles.

In addition, using a paid third‑party antivirus program may be unnecessary, since Windows Defender is available for free and provides sufficient protection for most users.

Modern Windows 11 PCs are powerful enough that background scans performed by Windows Defender should not cause noticeable performance issues.

Windows also includes Microsoft Edge, a built‑in browser that works together with Windows Defender.

However, you can use third‑party browsers as well, such as Google Chrome or Firefox.

Each browser uses a different search engine, so installing multiple browsers and switching between them is also an option.

If you prefer Microsoft Edge, you can change its default search engine:

Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services > Search and service settings > Address bar and search > Search engine

From there, you can choose your preferred search engine.

Please note that system applications built into Windows such as Microsoft Edge and Windows Security are essential components of the operating system and cannot be removed.

Answer 2

To remove Windows Defender, you typically need to disable it first, as it is integrated into Windows and cannot be uninstalled like a regular application. Here are the steps you can take:

1. Disable Windows Defender: You can turn off real-time protection by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Manage settings. Toggle off Real-time protection.
2. Install Another Antivirus: If you choose to install another antivirus program, Windows Defender will automatically disable itself to avoid conflicts. This is often the easiest way to effectively remove its active protection.
3. Group Policy Editor: If you're using Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise, you can use the Group Policy Editor to disable Windows Defender. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus and set the policy to Disabled.
4. Registry Editor: As a last resort, you can modify the registry to disable Windows Defender, but this is not recommended unless you are comfortable with making changes to the registry.

Regarding your concern about Microsoft Edge and Bing as the default search engine, you can change your default search engine in Edge settings. Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Address bar and search, and you can set your preferred search engine.

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References:

• Unwanted software
• Endpoint Protection client frequently asked questions