Windows security recovery

[123jacky]

i mistakenly disabled windows security. When i try to enable it again all i get is this😭

[Rachel571]

Hi @123jacky 

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like you're facing a frustrating issue after mistakenly disabling Windows Security, and now you're unable to enable it again. When you try to enable it, you might be seeing a message, error, or just not being able to turn it back on.

Here's how to troubleshoot and hopefully fix the issue:

1. Check Windows Security Settings via Settings Menu

First, let's check if Windows Security can be enabled through the normal settings:

• Open the Start menu and type "Windows Security," then select Windows Security from the list.
• In the Windows Security window, click on Virus & Threat Protection.
• If you see an option that says Turn on or Enable, click it to turn the protection back on.

If this doesn’t work or you get an error, proceed with the next steps.

2. Check Group Policy Settings (if applicable)

Sometimes, Windows Security can be disabled via Group Policy settings, particularly if it was inadvertently disabled by a third-party software or a previous configuration.

• Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, and type gpedit.msc, then hit Enter. (Note: Group Policy Editor is only available in Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions. If you're using Windows Home, this method may not be available.)
• In the Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to:
• Look for the policy named "Turn off Microsoft Defender Antivirus". If it’s set to Enabled, double-click it, set it to Not Configured or Disabled, and click OK.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

Rachel571

HP Support