You can disable most antivirus programs through their settings menu, but you should know why you're doing it and what risks come with it

Disabling your antivirus is straightforward — most programs have an on/off toggle in their main window or settings — but the real question is whether you should. Antivirus software runs constantly to catch threats before they reach your files. When you turn it off, that protection stops immediately. You might need to disable it temporarily to install software the program keeps blocking, to troubleshoot a conflict with another program, or to run a game that won't start with active monitoring. But each time you do, you're trading protection for access, and that trade only makes sense if you understand what you're actually risking.

The key is to disable antivirus only when you're about to do something specific, then turn it back on right away. Most programs let you set a time limit — 15 minutes, one hour, or until restart — so protection comes back automatically even if you forget to re-enable it manually.

Key Takeaways

  • Disabling antivirus through the program's own settings is safer than trying to uninstall it, because you can turn protection back on quickly if something goes wrong.
  • Most antivirus programs let you disable real-time scanning for a set time — 15 minutes, one hour, or until restart — rather than turning off completely, which is the safer middle ground.
  • Windows Defender (built into Windows) can be disabled through Settings or Group Policy, but some third-party antivirus programs may prevent you from turning it off while they're active.
  • The moment you disable antivirus, malware can infect your computer if you download or run something malicious, so only disable it when you're about to do something specific and turn it back on immediately after.
  • If a program keeps blocking something you need, the first step is to add that program to your antivirus's exclusion list rather than disabling the whole antivirus.

How to disable antivirus on Windows

If you're using Windows Defender (the antivirus built into Windows 10 and 11), open Settings, go to Privacy & Security, then Windows Security. Click Virus & threat protection, then Manage settings. You'll see a toggle for Real-time protection — switch it off. Windows will ask you to confirm. The protection stays off until you restart your computer or manually turn it back on, which is a built-in safety feature to prevent malware from keeping it disabled.

For third-party antivirus programs like Norton, McAfee, Avast, or Bitdefender, look for the main program window and find a settings or preferences menu. Most have a button or toggle labeled "Disable," "Turn off," or "Pause protection." Some let you choose how long to stay disabled — you might see options like "15 minutes," "1 hour," or "Until I restart." Choosing a time limit is safer than disabling indefinitely, because protection comes back automatically. If you can't find the toggle, right-click the program's icon in your system tray (bottom right of the screen) — the menu often has a disable option there.

How to disable antivirus on Mac

Mac antivirus programs vary more widely than Windows ones, so the steps depend on which program you have. Open the antivirus application and look for Preferences, Settings, or a menu option. Most Mac antivirus tools have a toggle or button to disable real-time scanning. Some programs, like Bitdefender or Norton for Mac, let you pause protection for a specific time. If the program doesn't have an obvious off switch, check the menu bar at the top of the screen — click the program's icon and look for a disable or pause option.

If you're using only the built-in protections (Gatekeeper and XProtect), you cannot easily disable them through the user interface, and Apple does not recommend trying. These run at the system level and are designed to stay on. If you need to work around them for legitimate reasons, contact Apple Support for guidance specific to your situation.

Why your antivirus might not let you turn it off

Some antivirus programs, especially those installed by your employer or school, are locked by an administrator and cannot be disabled by the user. This is intentional — the organization wants to ensure devices stay protected. If you see a message saying you don't have permission to disable the program, you'll need to contact your IT department or administrator to make changes.

Additionally, if you have multiple antivirus programs installed, one may prevent you from disabling the other. Windows Defender, for example, automatically disables itself when you install a third-party antivirus. If you try to re-enable Windows Defender while another antivirus is active, it may not stay on. This is a compatibility feature, not a bug — running two antivirus programs at once causes conflicts and slows your computer significantly. Check whether you actually need both before trying to enable multiple programs.

Using exclusions instead of disabling the whole program

Before you disable your antivirus, consider whether you can exclude the specific file or program instead. Most antivirus software has an exclusion or whitelist feature that tells the program "don't scan this file" or "don't scan this folder." This keeps the rest of your system protected while letting the flagged program run.

To add an exclusion in Windows Defender, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Manage settings > Add or remove exclusions. Click "Add exclusions," choose whether you're excluding a file, folder, file type, or process, and select what you want to exclude. For third-party programs, the process is similar — look for Exclusions, Whitelist, or Trusted Files in the settings menu. This approach is much safer than disabling the whole program, because everything else stays monitored.

What happens when antivirus is off

The moment you disable antivirus, your computer stops actively scanning for malware. If you download a file or run a program that contains malicious code, nothing stops it from executing. This is why you should only disable antivirus when you're about to do something specific — install a program you trust, run a game, or troubleshoot a conflict — and turn it back on immediately after.

Do not browse the internet, download files from unfamiliar sources, or open email attachments while antivirus is off. These are the most common ways malware spreads. If you need to disable antivirus for more than a few minutes, consider doing it on a computer that is not connected to the internet, or at least disconnect from the network while protection is off. The longer protection is disabled, the longer your system is exposed.

Turning antivirus back on

If you disabled antivirus through a time limit (like "1 hour"), it will turn back on automatically. If you disabled it indefinitely, you need to manually re-enable it. Open the antivirus program or Windows Security and look for the same toggle or button you used to turn it off — it should now say "Enable," "Turn on," or "Resume protection." Click it and confirm.

After you re-enable antivirus, consider running a quick scan to check for anything that may have been downloaded or executed while protection was off. In Windows Defender, go to Virus & threat protection and click "Quick scan." In third-party programs, look for a Scan option in the main menu. A quick scan usually takes 5 to 15 minutes and checks the most common locations where malware hides. This gives you peace of mind that nothing slipped through while you were unprotected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my computer get infected if I disable antivirus for just a few minutes?

Not necessarily, but the risk exists. Infection happens only if you download or run something malicious during those minutes. If you're just installing a program you trust or waiting for a game to start, the risk is low. But if you're browsing the internet or downloading files, the risk is real. The safest approach is to disable antivirus only when you're about to do one specific thing, then turn it back on immediately.

Can I uninstall antivirus instead of just disabling it?

You can, but disabling is safer. Uninstalling removes the program entirely, which takes longer and requires a restart. If something goes wrong during uninstall, you're left without protection. Disabling lets you turn protection back on in seconds if you change your mind or if something unexpected happens. Save uninstalling for when you're switching to a different antivirus program.

Why does my antivirus keep blocking a program I want to use?

The antivirus detected something in that program that resembles malware behavior — it might be legitimate, or it might not be. Before disabling antivirus, try adding the program to your exclusion list instead. If you're not sure whether the program is safe, search for its name online along with "antivirus false positive" to see if other users have reported the same blocking. If many people use it without problems, it's probably safe to exclude.

What if I restart my computer and antivirus doesn't turn back on?

Open Windows Security or your antivirus program and manually turn protection back on. If it won't stay on, restart your computer again — sometimes the change doesn't take effect until after a restart. If protection still won't enable, you may have a conflict with another program, or the antivirus may need to be reinstalled. Contact the antivirus vendor's support if the problem persists.