Fix: Windows Defender is Missing in Windows 11

Windows Defender missing on Windows 11 is one of the numerous problems users face when using Microsoft’s default antivirus on their PC.

In the past, users have complained that Windows 11 Defender is turned off. But some could not even find the app on their PC at all.

Thankfully, the fixes for this problem are not far-fetched, with a little tweak needed in most cases. Read on to find out what to do if Windows Defender is not installed on your Windows 11 device.

Why can’t I find Windows Defender?

There are various reasons why Windows Defender is not found in Windows 11, but we will highlight the most important ones:

• Malware infection – Usually, the first thing a virus or malware does is disable or eliminate the antivirus. Good third-party antiviruses are harder to counter.
• The service is not running – Though Windows Defender should show up even when the service is not running, this, coupled with other issues, can make the app inaccessible.
• Registry problems – Changes to the registry, wherein Windows Defender is disabled, could be an underlying cause. The administrator could take action in case you are using an office computer.

So, let’s find out how to fix things if Windows Defender is not working in Windows 11.

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How can I fix the Windows 11 Windows Defender missing issue?

1. Install Windows Defender Using PowerShell

Using the commands below via Powershell should reinstall Windows Defender on your Windows 11 PC and solve the missing issue in no time.

1. 1.Right-click on the Start icon in the Taskbar, and then select the Windows Terminal (Admin) option.

   

2. 2.Click the Yes button to allow Windows Terminal to make changes to your PC.

3. 3. Paste the following commands individually and hit Enter after each:Set-ExecutionPolicy UnrestrictedGet-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

   

The command above helps to reinstall all default Windows apps. This is especially useful if Windows Defender is not installed in Windows 11 due to file corruption during an upgrade.

2. Repair and reinstall Windows Defender

1. Press Windows + S to open the Search menu, enter Terminal in the text field, right-click on the relevant search result, and select Run as administrator.
2. Click Yes in the UAC prompt.
3. Type/paste the following command and hit Enter:Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI-AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage

Sometimes, Windows Defender might be installed, but the installation is either incorrect or incomplete. The command above will remove all components from the PC and reinstall Windows Defender in Windows 11.

To learn more, don’t miss our guide on how to reinstall Windows Security on Windows 11.

3. Perform a Windows update

1. Press the Windows key, and select the Settings app.
2. Select the Windows Update option on the left pane.
3. Click the Check for updates button in the right pane.
4. If an update is listed after the scan, download and installs it on the computer.

Windows update comes with fixes for bugs and other errors in the previous versions.

If Windows Security is missing in Windows 11, an update should have fixes for the bugs responsible for the error. Also, if it is due to an incomplete or incorrect update, this should solve the problem if done correctly.

4. Perform a System Restore

1. Press Windows + R to launch the Run command, enter rstrui.exe in the text field, and click OK.
2. Select Next in the System Restores window to proceed.
3. Choose a restore point from the options provided, and click Next.
4. Verify the restore details, and click on Finish to initiate the restore process.

If you noticed the Windows Defender link missing after installing an update in Windows 11 or making changes to the system, this fix could help you return to the previous state.

Select a restore point created before installing the new update, and things should return to normal.

Read more about this topic

• Windows’ new Quick Machine Recovery will fix devices unable to boot
• How to Fix ERROR_INVALID_OPLOCK_PROTOCOL BSoD

Does Windows 11 have a built-in antivirus?

Yes, Windows 11 comes with Windows Security as the built-in antivirus. In case you are confused between the two, Windows Defender and Windows Security are the same thing.

The program efficiently identifies and eliminates malware and performs other essential functions to ensure security. But, in case you were looking for advanced security, we recommend using an effective third-party antivirus.

The Windows 11 Defender not installed problem is not the first faced by users. There have been complaints that Windows Defender is not opening or not enabled, among other issues.

Unlike some of these issues, this problem is not hard to fix, as shown above. We hope you find the helpful guide and get Windows Defender back to protect your PC.

Also, if you are wondering, Windows Defender can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. This will download the Windows Defender 64-bit version in Windows 11.

Besides, find out what to do if you get the You’ll need a new app to open this windowsdefender link error in Windows 11.

Feel free to discuss the solution that worked for you in the comments section. You can also state any solution you tried successfully that is not in this guide.