Windows Defender - Virus and spyware definitions couldn't be updated

virus and spyware definitions couldn't be updated

Suddenly I have the same problem. Up until this date & time had no problem w/definition update.

can't update spyware and virus definitions

Hi David,

Since you’ve encountered the same concern, we suggest that you perform the solution we provided above.

Post back if the solution works for you. An update will be appreciated.

Hi Paul,

It’s possible that some files remain undetected and this prevents you from properly running Windows Defender or Installing updates. Just to verify, do you have any 3^rd^ party antivirus program installed on your computer? If you do so, check this link for the list of antivirus removal tools and run the tool available for the antivirus you used before Windows Defender. This is for us to find out if this was caused by the remnants of your previous antivirus program. Once you have run it, restart your computer and check if the issue persists.

In the event that it doesn’t work, we suggest that you perform a clean boot on your computer to minimal start up programs that may be interfered you to update Windows Defender virus and spyware definitions. To properly perform a clean boot on your computer, check this article for the procedures on how it can be done accordingly.

Note: After the troubleshooting, refer to this section: “Reset the computer to start normally after clean boot troubleshooting” on the same support article to boot the computer in normal setups once the issue has been resolved.

Let us know the results of your troubleshooting.