Windows Defender in Windows 8.1 Will Not Turn On

Anonymous
2013-11-24T01:31:23+00:00

I recently updated Windows 8 to Windows 8.1.  Windows Defender had been on in Windows 8 and even after the update to 8.1.  I turned it off momentarily but have been unable to turn it back on.  To my knowledge, I have no other anti-virus programs running.  How can I turn it back on?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Security and privacy

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-04-25T08:59:26+00:00

    Thanks Rajeev, this worked for me.

    I'm not sure why MS decided to put the Windows Defender controls under Action Centre and not under ... you know ... Windows Defender.  Seems like a stupid thing to do.  It's not intuitive and that's a major issue for GUI's.

    It's just like trying to find the shutdown button on the original release of Windows 8 (using a mouse and keyboard).  If you have to Google (or Bing *cough*) for the simple things, then there is something wrong with the GUI.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-04-14T17:15:11+00:00

    It is coming up, I just did not see it due to 8.1 changing where it is.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-04-14T08:22:36+00:00

    right click computer icon and then left click MANAGE click services go down the lists of services until you get to windows defender and make sure it's on automatic setting.thenclick restart on the upper left corner.

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  5. Anonymous
    2013-11-29T18:11:27+00:00

    You should have tried to use the Uninstaller in program files. Mine worked that way then I went into the registry to delete all folders I could find on Norton. Also try using this software to uninstall. Advanced system care. They have an uninstaller but download Advanced system care it comes with the uninstaller.

    This uninstaller has a registry scan tool that deletes the files of that program in the registry.

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