Windows Defender won't open? Here's how to fix it! (Windows 11)

Anonymous
2022-02-17T05:36:47+00:00

Last edited: 23/4/2024

[PLEASE NOTE BEFORE READING]

This fix is more than 2 years old. There is a high likelihood that it may not work on your system.

BEFORE YOU COMMENT, "It doesn't work" or "Not working," PLEASE REMEMBER! There are actual users looking in the replies for other solutions as well. If it does not work for you, please also include the errors that you encountered and which step you got stuck on. This way also gives me a chance to possibly help you.

If you can't or do not want to include more information on not being able to proceed with this fix, simply move on and try other fixes.

=================

Remember: Make sure you are using an administrator account, are the owner of the device, or have permission from the administrator to proceed with these steps.

Windows 11 is a brand new OS. Windows Security may not be opening, as many users have said. The following steps may fix this issue for you:

Step 1: In search, type "PowerShell"

Step 2 As PowerShell appears, press "Run as Administrator" Click "Yes" on the following prompt.

Step 3: Enter the following commands separately in order shown.

1. Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

(If it prompts you with (Y/N) which is "Yes or No", type Y. If not, proceed to the next step)

2. Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}

Added by mod (ty): Revert execution policy.

3. Set-ExecutionPolicy Restricted

Try opening Windows Security after. It should now work. Feel free to post any other solutions and questions.

EDIT:

This second option will work even if you are not an administrator:

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-insider-program/issue-with-windows-defender-on-windows-11/m-p/3261866/highlight/true#M15320

Link suggested by hiThereSomeUserHere.

Suggested by Amirali Hendi:

Download the Windows Security App from the Microsoft website. The link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-defender-for-individuals

launch it and log in to your Microsoft account. Then close it. Now you can launch the Windows Security app!

(I am not a Microsoft official, so I cannot promise that this will not harm your computer. Make sure you have permission from the administrator before doing this.)

Windows for home | Windows 11 | 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.

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-11-30T09:32:49+00:00

    Add-AppxPackage : Cannot find path 'C:\AppXManifest.xml' because it does not exist. At line:1 char:38 + ... | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.I ... + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + CategoryInfo : ObjectNotFound: (C:\AppXManifest.xml:String) [Add-AppxPackage], ItemNotFoundException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : PathNotFound,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.AddAppxPackageCommand Add-AppxPackage : Deployment failed with HRESULT: 0x80073D06, The package could not be installed because a higher version of this package is already installed. Windows cannot install package Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00_14.0.30704.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe because it has version 14.0.30704.0. A higher version 14.0.32530.0 of this package is already installed. NOTE: For additional information, look for [ActivityId] c1ba8fe0-236b-0000-e907-bbc16b23da01 in the Event Log or use the command line Get-AppPackageLog -ActivityID c1ba8fe0-236b-0000-e907-bbc16b23da01 At line:1 char:38 + ... | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.I ... + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (C:\Program File...ppXManifest.xml:String) [Add-AppxPackage], Exception + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DeploymentError,Microsoft.Windows.Appx.PackageManager.Commands.AddAppxPackageCommand

    its showing me this error

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-10-07T10:41:27+00:00

    If after all it still does not work follow these steps:

    1. Press Windows key+X
    2. Go to tasks manager
    3. Press CTL+F
    4. Search for "Security" and it should show you all the processes of windows defender
    5. Select one of the processes
    6. Click on end task
    7. Go back and redo the steps mentioned by @Skorper.
    8. After that search for windows defender in the search bar it should relaunch normally

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-09-09T21:57:26+00:00

    the second code did not work

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