Toggle the switch below Real-time protection to the Off position. To temporarily disable Windows Defender, head to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Defender. In this article we will show you how to turn off Windows Defender.Īre you interested in learning how to disable Windows Defender? There are two ways do do this, one will disable Windows Defender Windows 10 temporarily and the other will disable However, if you find that Windows Defender is preventing you from running/installing programs or downloading files, you can remove it manually. It scans your PC in real-time for malicious software, and it is automatically disabled once you have installed an antivirus software on your system. Windows 10 includes Windows Defender, a built-in antivirus software that's a first line of defense against malware infections.