For Windows, Malwarebytes is one of the most popular anti-malware software. The good thing about Malwarebytes is that it can work alongside the existing antivirus software, including Windows Defender. However, under certain circumstances, Malwarebytes disables Windows Defender. Here's how to fix Malwarebytes disabling Windows Defender issue.
In the latest v1903 Windows 10 update, due to a bug in Malwarebytes itself, it is registering itself as an antivirus with the Windows Security Center. Due to this Windows Defender disables itself. In case you are wondering, the best practice is to run only one antivirus software. That is why Windows Defender is disabled when another antivirus is running in the background. Actively running more than one antivirus software can cause clashes, increases false positives, and other problems.
The problem is, Malwarebytes is not a full-fledged anti-virus solution and has no real-time protection unless you pay for it. The good thing is, you can easily fix this issue and stop Malwarebytes from disabling Windows Defender.
Fix Malwarebytes Disabling Windows Defender
To stop Windows Defender from disabling itself after installing Malwarebytes, you need to change a simple setting in Malwarebytes. Unfortunately, this option is only available for premium users. If you are using the free version then you have to wait until Malwarebytes fixes the issue from their side.
1. First, open Malwarebytes. You can either double-click on the taskbar icon or search for it in the start menu and click on it.
2. After Malwarebytes has been opened, go to the "Settings" tab appearing on the left pane.
3. On the right panel, select the "Application" tab. You will see a whole lot of options. Scroll down until you see the Windows Action Center section. Under that, select the "Never register Malwarebytes in the Action Center" option.
4. The settings are automatically saved. Reboot Windows and Windows Defender should be active now.
To verify, Open Windows Security and you should see a Green check mark in Virus & Threat Protection section.
That is all.
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