Answered by:
Windows Defender

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Hello,
My windows defender in Win 10 has stopped working and the headline message I get in the pop-up is...
"this app is turned off by group policy"
How do I edit group policy to get defender working again?
Or is their a program that could do it for me?
I can usually get over most problems that arise but I am stumped with this one.
Can anyone help please.
Goozzie
Question
Answers
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Hello my friend !
The message you have received indicates that the Windows Defender is being disabled by a Group Policy Object!
To fix this problem up :
-If your computer has not been joined to an Active Directory Domain : (Means it is a WorkGroup)
1- Open Run via holding Windows Key + R
2- Type Gpedit.msc
3- Go to the following directory :
Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Component/Windows Defender
4-As seen in this picture you would see a setting entitled Turn of Windows Defender.
5-Double click on the setting you will see a dialogue box as the following:
6-Ensure it is being configured as Not Configured or Disabled.
7-Click OK and close Local Group Policy Editor.
8-Open a Command Prompt.
9-Type
:-> Gpupdate /Force
If my reply helped you please mark my reply as the answer.
Regards
- Edited by Ben Loghmanian Saturday, December 19, 2015 12:38 PM
- Proposed as answer by Wendy JiangMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Wednesday, January 06, 2016 9:34 AM
- Marked as answer by Steven_Lee0510Moderator Sunday, January 10, 2016 11:54 AM
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Hello again mate please answer my questions:
Is your computer a member of an Active Directory Domain ? (It is not if its a Home PC you have bought form Best Buy - Asus and etc or if you have installed the OS yourself)
Do you have any other Anti-Malware software like Nod32 or Kasper-Sky ?
- Proposed as answer by Wendy JiangMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Wednesday, January 06, 2016 9:34 AM
- Marked as answer by Steven_Lee0510Moderator Sunday, January 10, 2016 11:54 AM
All replies
-
Hello my friend !
The message you have received indicates that the Windows Defender is being disabled by a Group Policy Object!
To fix this problem up :
-If your computer has not been joined to an Active Directory Domain : (Means it is a WorkGroup)
1- Open Run via holding Windows Key + R
2- Type Gpedit.msc
3- Go to the following directory :
Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Component/Windows Defender
4-As seen in this picture you would see a setting entitled Turn of Windows Defender.
5-Double click on the setting you will see a dialogue box as the following:
6-Ensure it is being configured as Not Configured or Disabled.
7-Click OK and close Local Group Policy Editor.
8-Open a Command Prompt.
9-Type
:-> Gpupdate /Force
If my reply helped you please mark my reply as the answer.
Regards
- Edited by Ben Loghmanian Saturday, December 19, 2015 12:38 PM
- Proposed as answer by Wendy JiangMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Wednesday, January 06, 2016 9:34 AM
- Marked as answer by Steven_Lee0510Moderator Sunday, January 10, 2016 11:54 AM
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Ben,
I have followed your instructions to the letter several times but with no success.
When I have opened a command prompt and entered Gpupdate /Force the computer works and I get the reply on the screen of -----
Computer policy update has completed successfully
User policy update has completed successfully
-----
I have tried re-booting after this but I still cannot get Windows Defender to run.
I am getting the same message as before----"this app is turned off by group policy"
What else do you suggest??
Regards
G
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Hello again mate please answer my questions:
Is your computer a member of an Active Directory Domain ? (It is not if its a Home PC you have bought form Best Buy - Asus and etc or if you have installed the OS yourself)
Do you have any other Anti-Malware software like Nod32 or Kasper-Sky ?
- Proposed as answer by Wendy JiangMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Wednesday, January 06, 2016 9:34 AM
- Marked as answer by Steven_Lee0510Moderator Sunday, January 10, 2016 11:54 AM
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Hi,
Please check the registry keys describled in the following KB article to confirm whether the GP is still applied:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/927367
Thanks,Simon Wu
TechNet Community Support -
Simon,
Many thanks for your info but I am sorry I am just a layman and can fix most problems but this is beyond me. Your info must be good but I am unable to understand it. What I need, f it means changing the registry, a step by step instruction on how to get my Windows Defender to run. As I said your info is good but my understanding of the registry is very limited. I can go through the registry deleting any mention of a program that I have deleted and can find things to be altered if I am told where to look and what to do when I find it. I should have replied to Ben loghmanian some time ago but I had to go away over the holiday period and have only just returned.
So if you are reading this Ben I apologise.
Regards
G
Goozzie
- Edited by Goozzie Wednesday, January 13, 2016 12:27 PM