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Disabling the Windows Defender service could be quite helpful for some Windows 8 devices, but there’s something very important that needs to be considered before doing it.
Turning off Windows Defender could expose your files, as this is the app that protects your computer from malware and other threats. In Windows 8, Windows Defender cannot be removed, but only disabled either manually or automatically when you install a third-party security tool.
This particular trick is only recommended on Windows RT tablets, as no malware has been developed to exploit such a device without anti-virus protection.
Here’s what you need to do to disable Windows Defender:
Launch the Registry Editor by going over to the Start screen and typing “regedit.exe.” Navigate to the following path:
Registry Location:
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HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender
Take ownership of the key by right-clicking it and hitting the “Permissions” option. Click “Additional settings,” go to “Owner” and type in your username. Now go back to “Permissions,” click on “Add” and write down your username once again. Check the “Full Access” option and save.
Look for the “DisableAntispyware” option in the right side of the screen and change its value to 1.
Reboot the computer and that should be it.