How to Fix Windows Defender Greyed Out on Windows

A software programme called Windows Defender protects a machine from infection. To prevent unauthorized access and shield Windows systems from malicious malware, an anti-spyware tool was created. It was first included in the Windows Vista installation pack and is currently a component of Microsoft Security Essentials, which can be downloaded for free. When Windows Defender was first introduced in 2006, it came preinstalled with Windows Vista and Windows 7. Later updates added compatibility for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.

Later, Windows Defender was included into Microsoft Security Essentials, a free download that fights a larger variety of malware. Your system is protected from all types of external malware by Windows Security, formerly known as Windows Defender Security. Usually, you can quickly take control of the Windows Security settings and toggle various functions on or off. But occasionally you could notice that Windows Security is fully disabled and that you are unable to change it. We mentioned below are the ways to Fix Windows Defender Greyed Out on Windows.

How to Fix Windows Defender Greyed Out on Windows

Third Party Antivirus Software Should Be Uninstalled

Windows will detect any third-party antivirus software that is installed on the system and disable Defender if it finds it. Users should disable the third-party antivirus programme in order to fix the issue. Users should uninstall the software if the issue still exists. These are the methods that users can follow to remove the software.

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Go to Program and Features.
3. Choose the third-party antivirus program.
4. Right-click it and select Uninstall.

Security Center Service Should Be Restarted

There are some services that must be enabled for Windows Defender to function effectively. If any of these services are not operating properly, the real-time protection will become greyed out and the issue will manifest itself. The actions that users should take to launch the services are listed below.

1. Tab Windows + R key and Run dialog box will appear.
2. Type services.msc and then click Ok or press Enter.
3. Search for Security Center.
4. Right-click the Security Center and then click Restart.
5. After service is restarted, check if the problem has been resolved.

SFC Scan Should Be Done

Due to an unforeseen problem that could happen when turning on Windows Defender real-time protection, it won’t turn on. SFC scanning should be carried out in this situation since system files may include issues that can be fixed. System File Checker, also known as SFC, is an utility that comes with every version of Windows. This utility aids in the recovery of damaged system files. Here are the steps, which users should take to scan the system files with System File Checker.

1. In search box type cmd.
2. Right-click it and select Run as Administrator.
3. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
4. Tool will start checking the files and it takes a few minutes.
5. After process is over, exit the Command Prompt window and check whether the problem has been resolved.

Run DISM Scan

Users should run a DISM scan if they are experiencing issues with Windows Defender Real-Time Protection not turning on. The steps that users should take to execute the command are listed below.

1. In search box type cmd.
2. Right-click it and select Run as Administrator.
3. Enter command DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter.
4. Scan will take a few minutes. Users should not interrupt the scan and let the command run till completion.

Check And Install Latest Windows Update

The out-of-date Windows version causes Window Defender to malfunction. Users should upgrade their Windows so that the operating system and utilities can operate correctly after Microsoft issues a Windows update. Users must be informed that executing Windows updates can result in data loss, therefore they should back up their data first. After the backup is finished, perform the following actions to update Windows to the most recent version.

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Tab on Windows Update.
3. Then tab on Check for Updates.
4. If the updates are available, install them.
5. Restart the system.

Final Words

We hope you like our article on how to Fix Windows Defender Greyed Out on Windows. After installing a pending update, some customers claim that the Windows Defender component is entirely greyed out and unreachable. No matter what method they employ, affected Windows 10 and 11 customers report being unable to re-enable Windows Defender. They are compelled to utilize their computer while malware attacks are possible. After thoroughly researching this problem, we found that both Windows 10 and Windows 11 may exhibit similar behavior for a number of distinct reasons.