How to Stop Malwarebytes from Disabling Windows Defender

Learn the steps to stop Malwarebytes from disabling Windows Security (Windows Defender) so you can use both without conflicts.

Malwarebytes is one of the most popular anti-malware software programs, which is quite effective at protecting your system from malware, viruses, adware, and other threats. Most Windows users typically use Malwarebytes alongside their primary antivirus software, such as Windows Security (also known as Windows Defender).

While Malwarebytes works perfectly alongside Windows Defender, sometimes, it might register itself as the primary or default antivirus and disable Windows Defender. This is especially true if you’ve enabled real-time protection in Malwarebytes.

Generally, allowing security software like Malwarebytes to handle primary protection is fine. However, if you specifically want Windows Defender to be your main antivirus, you can adjust Malwarebytes’ settings to prevent it from superseding Windows Defender’s real-time protection.

In this quick and straightforward guide, let me show you the steps to configure Malwarebytes from disabling Windows Defender (Windows Security) in Windows 11 and Windows 10. Let’s get started.

Good to know: How to download Malwarebytes offline installer

Stop Malwarebytes From Disabling Windows Defender

To stop Malwarebytes from disabling Windows Defender, you must disable the “Always register Malwarebytes in the Windows Security Center” option. Here’s how.

1. Open the Start menu by pressing the “Windows key”.
2. Search and open “Malwarebytes“.
3. Click the “Settings” icon on the left sidebar.
4. Navigate to the “General” tab.
5. Turn OFF the “Always register Malwarebytes in the Windows Security Center” toggle.
6. Close the Malwarebytes application.
7. Restart your computer.
8. From now on, Malwarebytes will not disable Windows Defender.

Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)

First, open Malwarebytes. To do that, open press the “Windows key” to open the Start menu, search for “Malwarebytes”, and click “Open”. Alternatively, you can also double-click the Malwarebytes icon on the taskbar.

After Malwarebytes has been opened, click the “Settings” icon on the sidebar. This action opens the Malwarebytes Settings page.

Here, go to the “General” tab. Next, scroll down the right page and turn OFF the “Always register Malwarebytes in the Windows Security Center” toggle.

Finally, close the Malwarebytes settings window and restart your computer. After restarting, Malwarebytes will not disable Windows Defender.

To verify it, Open Windows Security by searching for it in the Start menu or by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Open Windows Security, and you should see a Green checkmark in the Virus & Threat Protection section.

That is all. It is that simple to stop Malwarebytes from disabling Windows Security (Windows Defender). If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.

Update: The tutorial has been updated to reflect the changes to the Malwarebytes user interface.