Windows Defender, also known as Windows Security, is the default antivirus software on your computer. By default, it blocks all real and perceived threats. That means Windows Defender can be aggressive and block legitimate programs and apps from executing and running normally. In those situations, you can quickly exclude those apps in Windows Defender so that you can run them without hiccups.
For example, I recently downloaded a program that I know is genuine directly from the developer’s website. However, because of how it works, Windows Defender perceived it as a threat. It then immediately blocked the program from executing and quarantined the executable. To fix the problem, I simply excluded the program’s exe file in Windows Defender and I’m good to go.
Like me, if you are facing an issue where Windows Defender, this is the guide for you. Follow the steps given below to exclude the apps and programs in Windows Defender.
Before You Begin
- Ensure that the program, app, or executable file you are excluding is genuine and you trust it explicitly.
- You need administrator rights to exclude apps in Windows Defender.
- You need to know the program’s executable file path.
- Windows Defender is known as Windows Security in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
- The steps below are tested to work on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Exclude Apps & Programs in Windows Defender
- Press the Start button on the taskbar.
- Search and open “Windows Security” in the Start menu.
- Go to the “Virus & threat protection” tab.
- Click “Manage settings” under “Virus & threat protection settings”.
- Scroll down and click “Add or remove exclusions“.
- Click the “Add an exclusion” button.
- Select the “File “option.
- Browse to the exe file’s location, select it, and click “Open“.
- With that, you’ve excluded the program in Windows Defender.
- You can close Windows Defender.
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
First, open the Windows Security app. You can do that by searching for “Windows Security” in the Start menu. Once the app opens, go to the “Virus & threat protection” tab on the sidebar, scroll down the right page, and click the “Manage settings” option under the “Virus & threat protection settings” section.
On this page, scroll down to the “Exclusions” section and click the “Add or remove exclusions” option under it.
Now, click the “Add an exclusion” button and then select the “File” option.
In the “Browse” window, go to the program’s exe file location, select it, and click the “Open” button.
As soon as you do that, the program or app is excluded from Windows Defender. From now on, Windows Defender will not block that specific program or quarantine it.
When you no longer need to the exclusion, simply click the exclusion entry and click the “Remove” button.
Wrapping Up — Excluding Programs and Apps in Windows Defender (Windows Security)
As you can see, excluding a program in Windows Defender is a fairly straightforward process. In fact, follow the same steps, you can exclude any file or folder. Keep in mind that you have to be 100% sure that the program you are excluding is genuine and will not harm your computer. So, only exclude programs you trust. If you are unsure, don’t use the program or if it’s really needed, run it in Windows Sandbox or virtual machine (on Hyper-V).
Also, even after excluding a program using its exe file (executable file), Windows Defender might still block any other programs or exe files that the excluded exe file might launch. In that case, you have to manually exclude them too.
If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to help.
