How to Disable Antivirus on Your Computer

Antivirus software protects your computer by scanning every file you download for viruses and other malware. Most of the time, you’ll want to leave your antivirus program running as-is. If it’s causing issues, you can typically change a few settings or set up an exception rather than turning your antirivirus app completely off. However, you might need to temporarily disable your antivirus to perform certain tasks -- but this should always be a last resort. Let’s look at the specific instances where you may need to turn your antivirus off and how to do it.

Why you might need to disable antivirus on your computer

Antivirus software is an essential tool for keeping your computer safe, but there are a few reasons to temporarily disable it:

• To free up system resources: Antivirus software is constantly running and can use up a significant amount of processing power. You may wish to momentarily disable your antivirus software if it’s eating up enough RAM or processing power to disrupt other activities. However, leaving your computer unprotected can lead to major problems, so I recommend seeking out a new antivirus tool if you frequently encounter this problem.
• To install a program: Your antivirus may occasionally block programs you need to complete certain projects. While most antivirus software lets you add firewall exceptions, you might not have a choice other than temporarily turning off your antivirus software. However, you’ll want to make sure you fully trust a program before disabling your antivirus to install it.
• To avoid false flags: Similarly, your antivirus may falsely identify files as harmful and prevent you from downloading them. You can temporarily disable the antivirus, download the files and restore it once you’ve got what you need. However, you’ll want to be 100% certain a file is trustworthy before doing this.
• To maintain privacy: Antivirus programs track and scan programs and files downloaded onto your computer, comparing them to company records to identify malware. Some may also scan email and browser activity for things like phishing. You may want to disable your antivirus if you’re worried your data isn’t being anonymized or is being sold. However, you don’t want to be without antivirus software for long. I recommend switching to another antivirus if you’re concerned about your current software’s privacy protocols.

How to disable antivirus on Windows

Let’s take a look at how to disable Microsoft Defender on Windows 11. This is the built-in antivirus solution on Windows, so it’s the one you’re most likely to be disabling if you’re using a recent version of Windows. The steps to disable it may look slightly different if you’re using Windows 10 -- or if you’re using another antivirus tool -- but the general process is the same.

1. Open Microsoft Defender

Open the Start menu and click on the gear symbol to open your system settings. From there, open Updates and Security, then select Windows Security.

Finally, choose Virus & Threat Protection. This opens the settings for Microsoft Defender, one of the programs bundled into the Windows Security suite.

2. Disable Microsoft Defender

Select Manage Settings and disable the following:

• Real-time Protection
• Cloud-delivered Protection
• Automatic Sample Submission
• Tamper Protection

3. Disable the firewall

If you’re attempting to download a program or file that has been blocked and you’re 100% certain it’s safe to download, you should check if you can create a firewall exception for it. If that’s not an option, you may need to temporarily disable the firewall. You can do this by going to the Firewall & Network Protection area of Windows Security.

From here, click Advanced Settings, then right-click Windows Defender Firewall. Here, you’ll see that the firewall status is still On. Toggle the dropdown to Off, then click Apply. This will fully disable Windows Defender.

How to disable antivirus on MacOS

MacOS uses three layers of antivirus protection. The first layer of protection, Gatekeeper, scans all files downloaded from the app store for malicious code. Programs Gatekeeper identifies as malicious are automatically blocked, and it is impossible to turn Gatekeeper off on recent editions of MacOS. 

The second layer of protection, Notarization, scans downloaded software for a specialized notary signature. You’ll receive a warning if a program you download isn’t notarized, but you will still be able to open it, so turning Notarization off isn’t necessary.

X-Protect scans apps already on your computer before they launch and when they receive updates, blocking anything identified as malware. You can turn this off in the System Settings or System Preferences area (depending on your edition of MacOS), but it won’t allow you to download programs or files that Gatekeeper has identified as suspicious.

Things to consider before disabling your antivirus

Disabling your antivirus leaves your computer vulnerable to malware that can steal your data, compromise your identity and make your computer unusable. Don’t disable your antivirus unless it’s absolutely necessary. If you must disable it, take the following steps to keep your computer safe:

• Close all non-essential programs while your antivirus is disabled. This includes closing any browser tabs that aren’t connected to a program or file you need to download while the antivirus is disabled.
• Only download files you are 100% certain you can trust. You should know and trust the sender, understand exactly what the file is and make sure you’re downloading it from the correct place.
• Re-enable your antivirus as soon as possible. Restore your computer’s protection the moment you’ve finished the download or project that required you to turn your antivirus off.

Final advice: You can turn off your antivirus software, but that should only be a temporary solution

You may occasionally need to disable your antivirus to download a specific file or program. This process is generally straightforward on Windows computers -- open your antivirus, go to the settings area and turn off all related settings -- and easy to reverse. However, you should only disable your antivirus if you’ve exhausted all other options.