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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

165 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Deleted

    This answer has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The answer was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.

    Comments have been turned off. Learn more

  2. Anonymous
    2016-02-06T19:05:45+00:00

    It is my understanding that Windows Defender will not work if it detects another antivirus program. I have AVG Antivirus AND Spybot Search and Destroy on mine and like them just fine and don't care about Windows anything.

    I am running 8.1 (again) as I updated to the new Windows 10 and found out how much it spies on you, especially Cortana, so I went back to 8.1. (and now Windows sends me 500 pop-ups a day to try to get me to go back to 10!)

    Both my Antivirus are free ones, and I have used them for 8 years and rely on them completely without a single problem! So why need W. Defender at all?

    Now I hear that Microsoft is going to try to update your computer to W10 without even asking! (Big Brother?) I guess the NSA and FBI control Microsoft completely now.

    Get AVG free, easy to download, install and use.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2016-02-06T18:59:52+00:00

    Hi, Since my hard disk has been changed, which cost me quite a bit of money but the old one never worked properly, although I bought this laptop new and it is an HP Pavilion, the defender is now working properly. Yes, it would be great if when we pay so much money the products would work properly but they never seem to do! Quality is a lost art..... Best of luck!

    Francisca

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2016-02-06T18:10:08+00:00

    for 3 **** days now I have been trying to turn this god damn thing on,    n seriously all I can say is windows has been nothing but garbage since that "upgraded" past XP,   vista is total ****,  windows 8 n 8.1 are useless n windows 10 is the biggest **** joke I have ever seen,   currently am stuck with win 8.1 on this comp n without a doubt I regret buying this computer but as it is im stuck with it,    I have tried all of these steps to activate my windows defender  but since windows 8.1 is so user friendly  once I click Turn on in the action center its kind enough to supply me with a list of files about 200files long and low and behold none of them are called windows defender  or wndf or anything intelligent in that regard,             with 100% sincerity  this will be the last computer I ever buy that run off windows  its not worth t trouble

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2016-01-13T05:12:40+00:00

    FredKrimmelbein, don't know why u did all of this:

    You have to go to the action center in control panel

    control panel > action center > windows defender

    Just go to control panel, @ the  very bottom is WINDOW DEFENDER!!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments