Windows Defender Blocked By Group Policy [Instant Fixes]

Windows Defender is an in-built antivirus by Microsoft. It is used by most people in order to protect their computers from viruses and malware. But sometimes, it does not perform its job properly.There are multiple reasons for this annoying issue. Among them, one of the most common errors is the Windows defender blocked by group policy.

If you have installed another antivirus on your computer, then you might encounter this error message. So, let’s check how to get rid of this situation.

How to Fix Windows Defender Blocked by Group Policy Error?

When you installed any anti-hacking tool in your device which is not compatible with the Windows Defender, you might encounter “This program is blocked by group policy. For more information contact your system administrator. (Error Code: 0x800704ec)” error message.

Sometimes, third-party antivirus software may disable the Windows Defender and as a result, the error message appears on the system screen.

Now, follow the later section in order to check how to resolve this error message.

Fix 1: Use regedit

You can get an instant fix to get rid of this situation. You just need to simply modify the registry key. The steps involved in this method are complicated according to some users.

Hence, follow these steps mentioned in the section below to perform this method easily.

• Press the Windows and R key simultaneously to launch the Run window. Then type ‘regedit’ in the Run box.
• Press the Enter button and then move to the HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender folder.
• Now, delete the value present in the DisableAntiSpyware key.

Sometimes, users find two options in this section.

1. REG-DWORD present Under Type section, and
2. Invalid DWORD (32-bits) value present Under Data section.

• According to the users, double-click on the REG-DWORD and delete the value and set it to zero. If you do not want to change the key value, then remove the whole key.
• On the other hand, some of the users are reporting that they can resolve the problem simply by deleting the DisableRealtimeMonitoring DWORD. Hence, you should try this one also.
• The location of the DWORD, you will find it in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Real-Time Protection section.

Now, check whether you are getting the error message along with the error code or not.

Fix 2: Use the Group Policy

In very few situations, Fix 1 will not be able to resolve the problem. Hence, you can try out this method to eliminate the error message.

Therefore, go through the steps mentioned in the section below and apply them accordingly.

• At first, open a Command Prompt as an administrator. And then type ‘gpedit.msc’ in the command box and hit the Enter button.
• After that, move to the Local Computer Policy and then go to the Administrative Templates section.
• Thereafter, locate the Windows Components section and then select the Windows Defender Antivirus on your device. Later, click on the Windows Defender option from the left-panel of the system screen.
• Now, select the Turn Off Windows Defender Antivirus from the right-panel and double-click on it.
• A new window will appear on the system screen. Click on the Disable option. Then click on the OK button to save the settings.

Once done, restart the system and check the status of the error message.

Fix 3: Enable Windows Defender from the Settings application

You can turn on the Windows Defender from the Settings app. Try this method if the problem still persists. The method is quite easy to perform. Hence, go through the steps mentioned in the section below.

• First of all, press the Windows key and I key at the same time in order to launch the Settings application.
• After that, move to the Update and Security section. Now, you will get the Windows Defender from the left panel.
• Thereafter, open the Windows Defender Security Center from the right panel
• Next, click on the “Virus & Threat Protection” section and then move to the “Virus & Threat Protection Settings” option.
• Later, move to the Real-Time Protection section and turn it on.

With these, you can easily turn on the Windows Defender and now, your computer is protected by the Windows Defender.

Fix 4: Enable the Windows Defender from the Command Line

You can turn on the Windows Defender from the command line. If you are an advanced user, then try out this method.

• At first, press the Windows key and S key together to open the Search box. Now, type ‘powershell’ in the search window. After that, right-click on the Windows PowerShell from the list that will appear. 
• Thereafter, choose Run as administrator from the drop-down menu.
• Now, the PowerShell window will open. After that, enter “Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring 0” and then hit the Enter button.

When you are done, Windows Defender will turn on and the problem will be solved. You can use the Command Prompt in order to turn on Windows Defender. With the help of the commands, you need to modify the registry data and resolve the problem.

The same step is performed in Method 1. But in this section, we have included a single command in order to turn on the Windows Defender.

Hence, follow the steps mentioned in the section below.

• First of all, press the Windows key and the X key at the same time. And then choose Command Prompt as an Administrator from the list that will appear.
• Now, enter REG DELETE “HKLMSOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows Defender” /v DisableAntiSpyware in the command box and hit the Enter button.

When you are done, delete the value from the registry and open the Windows Defender.

Now, check whether it is working properly or not.

Fix 5: Check whether Windows Defender Service is Running Properly

Most of the time, Windows Defender relies on certain services to function correctly. But in case, if any problem with any of the services, you might encounter Windows Defender blocked by group policy Windows 7.

Hence, follow the steps in order to turn on the service and resolve the problem.

• At first, press the Windows key + R key and then enter ‘services.msc’ in the Run window. After that, hit the Enter button.
• The service window will pop up on the system screen. Now, find out the ‘Windows Defender Antivirus Service’ and then double-click on it in order to open its Properties section.
• After that, set the Start type to Automatic. Next, press the Start button.
• When you are done, click on the Save button to apply the changes.

Undoubtedly, Windows Defender blocked by group policy issue is quite problematic, but you can resolve the problem simply by using any one of the solutions mentioned here.