Solve the Windows Defender turned off by Group Policy Issue

Windows Defender is an in-built security application that comes along with Windows Operating Systems. This application is capable of protecting your computer from a variety of threats as Microsoft regularly updates the virus database.

However, even if the Windows Defender application continuously protects the computer from malicious programs, but, still it can get many errors. Now, about one such error, you will get a discussion here is Windows Defender blocked by Group Policy.

You can get this problem as the following message – “This app is turned off by Group Policy”. Basically, when you install another security application that is not compatible with the Windows Defender, then the above error message can appear.

Solve the Windows Defender turned off by Group Policy Issue

Here, there will be various methods that will help you to fix this problem as soon as possible.

1: Utilize the Group Policy Editor

Since the Windows Defender application has been deactivated by the Group Policy Editor. Therefore, the most feasible answer to resolve this issue is to access the Group Policy Editor itself. In order to do it, follow the steps below.

First, press the combination of ‘Windows + R’ keys together. This will open a new ‘Run’ dialog box.
In that dialog box, write “gpedit.msc” and then hit the ‘Enter’ key. Now, a new window having the title ‘Local Group Policy Editor’ will come up.
Inside that window, go to the left pane and double-click on the ‘Local Computer Policy’ heading, which will reveal two options.
Out of those two options, locate the ‘Computer Configuration’ and double-click on the same. This action will reveal all the folders present inside it.
Now, double-click on every folder in the following path – “Administrative Template/Windows Components/Windows Defender Antivirus”
Navigate to the right-hand side then locate and double-click on the ‘Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus’
A new window will come up, in it, click on the ‘Disabled’ option then press on both the keys ‘Apply’ and ‘OK’ buttons respectively.

2: Activate the Windows Defender via Command Prompt

Here, you will get steps to activate the Windows Defender application with the help of Windows PowerShell.

First, hit on both the keys ‘Windows + S’ keys simultaneously. This will launch the default search area.
Inside that area type powershell, then from the output list locate the ‘Windows PowerShell’ option and right-click on the same.
After that, from the popup menu, select the ‘Run as administrator’ option. Now, once the ‘User Account Control’ dialog box appears, next, click on the ‘OK’ button.
As soon as you tap on that button, then a new window with a blue background and white text will appear having the title ‘Administrator: Windows Powershell’ will appear.
In that window, type the command as follows- “Set-MpPreference-DisableRealtimeMonitoring 0” and then press the ‘Enter’ key.
This command after its execution will enable the Windows Defender application.

3: Inspect the Windows Defender Service

If the service of Windows Defender is not running, then for that reason there is a chance you can get this issue. Now, the best answer to get rid of this problem is to enable the Windows Defender service. You will get the steps here on how to do it.

Press the combination of ‘Windows + X’ keys together to open the ‘Options’ menu.
Now, from that menu locate and choose the ‘Run’ option. This action will launch a new ‘Run’ dialog box.
In that dialog box, enter the following text ‘services.msc’ on the blank area beside the ‘Open:’ label and then hit the ‘Enter’ key.
Once you click on that key, next, a new window having the name ‘Services’ will come up. This window consists of a list full of all the services for the Windows applications.
Now, from that list, locate and double-click on the ‘Windows Defender Antivirus Service’. This will open a new ‘Properties’ window for the chosen service.
Inside that window, go to the ‘Startup type’ field and set it to ‘Automatic’ from the drop-down menu. Next, move down to the ‘Service status’ section and then click on the ‘Start’ button.
If this service is already running, then click on the ‘Stop’ and next ‘Start’ buttons respectively. Once you have started this service, next, tap on the ‘Apply’ and ‘OK’ button respectively.

4: Via Settings application activate the Windows Defender

You can solve the Windows Defender blocked by Group Policy error message by turning it on from the Settings application. In order to do that, follow these steps below.

First, go to the right side of the taskbar and then click on the ‘Notifications’ icon, to open a panel that shows notifications and quick access buttons.
Next, on that panel click on the ‘Expand’ link, then locate and choose the ‘All Settings’ button. This action will open a new window that has the title ‘Settings’.
Now, inside this window, go to the setting category ‘Update & Security’ and select it. As you click on that category, then a new page will appear, in it, navigate to the left pane and choose the ‘Windows Defender’ option.
Next, go to the right side of that page and click on the ‘Open Windows Defender Security Center’ button. This will launch a new ‘Windows Defender Security Center’ window, in it, find and choose the ‘Virus & threat protection’ button.
When a new page appears, next, scroll down and select the ‘Virus & threat protection settings’ link. On the new page locate the ‘Real-time protection’ option and turn it on.

5: Remove other reliable security Software

If the computer has any other reliable security software installed within it, then you can even encounter this problem. Now, the most feasible solution to this issue is to uninstall the reliable security software from the computer. Get steps here on how can you do it.

First, click on the ‘Windows’ logo to open the ‘Start’ menu. Next, from that menu, scroll down to the ‘Windows’ folder and click on it to expand the same.
After that, from the list of applications within the ‘Windows’ folder, click on the ‘Control Panel’. This will launch a new ‘Control Panel’ window with many setting categories for the computer that you can adjust at your will.
Now, out of all those categories, locate and choose the one that says ‘Programs’. Next, a new page will come up, in it, select the ‘Programs and Features’ option.
Once you click on that option, next, a new page with a list full of all the applications installed within the computer will come up.
From the list, find reliable security software and then right-click on the same. Next, from the popup menu that shows up, choose the ‘Uninstall’ option.
When an uninstaller window for the reliable security application appears, next, follow the on-screen instructions there and then accordingly choose the ‘Uninstall’ button.
Once the removal process is complete, next, restart the computer to apply the changes.
At last, check if the Windows Defender application works or not.

6: Enable Windows Defender via the Registry Editor

If not a single method above can rectify this issue, then as a last resort all you can do is activate the Windows Defender via Registry Editor. You will get the steps regarding the activation of Windows Defender here.

Go to the first method and follow the initial step to open the ‘Run’ dialog box. Within that dialog box, input ‘regedit’ and press the ‘Enter’ button.
Once you click on that button then a new ‘Registry Editor’ window will appear.
Inside it, go to the left pane and double-click on every folder present on the following path – “Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender”.
Now, go to the right panel then locate and double-click on the ‘DisableAntiSpyware’ key. When a new ‘Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value’ dialog box appears, next, set the Value data field to ‘zero’ or you can leave it blank.
Finally, click on the ‘OK’ button and restart the machine.