Top 6 Ways to Fix Windows Defender Taking Forever on Your PC

Windows Defender is a powerful malware protection tool that can effectively protect against viruses, Trojans, ransomware and other malicious programs. But sometimes, Windows Defender scans are extremely slow and crazy. This article will provide several practical methods to help you solve the problem of Windows Defender scanning time.

Why is Windows Defender scanning so slow?

Windows Defender provides a variety of scanning modes including fast scan, full scan, custom scan and offline scan. Typically, the scanning time ranges from minutes to hours, depending on the amount and type of data to be scanned.

If your Windows Defender scan is too slow, try the following solution:

How to solve the problem of Windows Defender scanning time being too long?

Method 1: Check related services

Only by ensuring that the relevant services are running normally can Windows Defender work correctly. The operation steps are as follows:

Step 1: Press Win R to open the "Run" dialog box.

Step 2: Enter services.msc and press Enter to start the "Services" window.

Step 3: Locate Microsoft Defender Antivirus Network Inspection Service and Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service in the service list and check their status.

Step 4: If the services are running, right-click them separately and select Start. If the services have stopped, right-click them > select Properties > Set Startup Type to Automatic > Click Start > Click OK.

Method 2: Reset Windows Security Center

If Windows Defender is unresponsive or scans too long, resetting Windows Security Center is a good choice. The operation steps are as follows:

Step 1: Enter Windows Security Center in the search bar, right-click and select Apply Settings.

Step 2: Click "Reset", confirm the operation, and wait for the reset to complete.

Method 3: Adjust the Windows registry

The Windows registry stores program configurations and settings on the computer. Modifying the relevant registry keys can also help resolve the issue of Windows Defender scanning for too long.

Step 1: Enter regedit in the search bar and select the best match.

Step 2: Navigate to: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

Step 3: In the right pane, right-click any blank space and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Step 4: Rename it to DisableAntivirus > Set its "Numerical Data" to 0 > Click OK.

Step 5: Restart the computer to apply the changes.

Method 4: Uninstall third-party antivirus software

Third-party antivirus software may interfere with Windows Defender, causing its scanning time to be too long. Uninstalling third-party antivirus software may be helpful. The operation steps are as follows:

Step 1: Right-click the Start menu and select Run.

Step 2: Enter appwiz.cpl and press Enter to open "Programs and Features".

Step 3: Find the antivirus software you want to uninstall > Right-click it and select "Uninstall" > Confirm action > Follow the on-screen instructions.

Method 5: Run SFC and DISM

System files corruption can also be the cause of the problem. To fix them, you can run System File Checker (SFC) and deploy Image Services and Management (DISM). The operation steps are as follows:

Step 1: Run the command prompt as administrator.

Step 2: In the command window, enter sfc /scannow and press Enter .

Step 3: After the process is completed, run the following command:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Step 4: Restart the computer and scan the computer with Windows Defender to see if the problem persists.

Method 6: Modify the local group policy editor

Modifying certain settings in the local Group Policy Editor can also resolve the issue of excessive scanning time for Windows Defender. It should be noted that the local Group Policy Editor is not available in Windows Home Edition. Windows Home Edition users please try other solutions.

Step 1: Press Win R to open the "Run" dialog box.

Step 2: Enter gpedit.msc and press Enter to start the "Local Group Policy Editor".

Step 3: Expand Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components .

Step 4: In the right pane, locate Windows Defender Antivirus > Double-click it > Double-click to close Windows Defender Antivirus .

Step 5: Select Disabled and save changes.

Conclusion

This article introduces six ways to speed up Windows Defender scanning, and hope one of them can help you. Have a happy use!

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