Virus and malware are one of the biggest problems when using Windows based laptops. Earlier days, you must have an antivirus app to protect you from the online threats. However, now using the default Windows Security app is sufficient with proper browsing habit. The Windows Security app is an in-built antivirus and security program in Windows 11 to protect your system from potential malware, security threats, and viruses. This default program is essential as it provides firewall security, personal information protection, and other important feature to ensure maximum protection while using your PC.
But sometimes the Windows Security app doesn’t work properly or it doesn’t open making your system vulnerable to external threats. If you are experiencing this issue, try the below-mentioned troubleshooting solutions that can fix the Windows Security app not working in Windows 11.
Fixing Windows Security App Not Working in Windows 11
Microsoft always has a confusion in naming their products and this Windows Security app is not exception for that. All over the internet, including on Microsoft’s own websites, you will see the names like Windows Defender and Microsoft Defender. However, what is available in Windows 11 is a Windows Security app and we will discuss that app in this article. There is an option called Windows Defender Firewall in Control Panel which is anyway part of Windows Security app.
Before moving towards the troubleshooting methods, first, ensure that your Windows is updated to the latest version and there are no pending updates available. Sometimes apps don’t work because your operating system is not up-to-date.
1. Repair and Reset Windows Security
You can reset the Windows Security app to fix any issues that cause it to not work properly. Resetting the app will restore it to its original state, removing any issue that was preventing it to work. However, this will delete the app data if you have changed in the app’s settings. So, you can first try repairing the app which will not delete any data. If repairing is not working then try resetting option which is available in the same section as shown below.
To repair/reset the Windows Security app:
- Right-click on the Start menu and select “Settings” app.
- When you are in “System” settings section, click on “Installed apps” and find “Windows Security”.
- Click on the three dots in front of the “Windows Security” option and select “Advanced options”.
- Scroll down and find the “Reset” section where you will find both “Repair” and “Reset” options. First click on “Repair” button and check if that resolves your problem. If not, then click on “Reset” button to reset the app’s settings.
After repairing and resetting, make sure to restart the PC and check the results.
2. Reset Windows Security App from PowerShell
Another easy method to fix the Windows Security app not working issue is using one of the PowerShell commands. This command will reset the Windows Security app and try to fix the issue.
Let’s see how to use PowerShell:
- First, go to the Start menu and type “Windows PowerShell”.
- Right-click on the app and select “Run as administrator”.
- When you are in the app type following command and press enter key.
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage
Restart your system to check whether the issue is resolved or not.
3. Run System Scan to Fix Corrupted Files from Command Prompt
Another method to fix this issue is using the Command Prompt. We can use the sfc /scannow command for this purpose. This command is a system file checker command that will scan all the system to find corrupted or missing files and repair them.
To use this command:
- First, click on the Search button and type “cmd” in the search bar. Now right-click on it and select “Run as administrator”.
- Now type the command sfc /scannow and then click on enter key. The scanning process will take some time so wait for a while.
Restart and check the Windows Security app is working.
4. Use DISM to Scan and Restore Windows Image
If sfc /scannow does not work then try Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) option. We recommend you to back up the system before running this type of command. DISM has three commands – CheckHealth, ScanHealth and RestoreHealth. Type the following command and hit enter. This command will check the health of image files on your Windows 11.
DISM/Online/Cleanup-Image/CheckHealthNext, run the complete scanning to find any problems with Windows image.
DISM/Online/Cleanup-Image/CheckHealth/ScanHealth
If three are any corruptions detected in the setup, then you can run the following command to restore the image.
DISM/Online/Cleanup-Image/RestoreHealthRestart your computer to check if the Windows Security app is working or not.
4. Restore the System
If you are still facing the same issue after trying all the above methods, you may need to perform a system restore. This will return your system to the previous state where the Windows Security app was working. However, this method will work only for the system where restore points are already created. If you have turned off the system restore option, then you can skip this method.
To restore the system, follow these steps:
- Press “Windows Logo and R” keys together to open the Run dialog box.
- Type rstrui.exe and then hit OK.
- Now click on the “Next”button to start the restoring process.
- Select one of the existing restore points and then click on “Next”.
- Click on the “Finish” button and a dialog box appears where you need to select “Yes”. This will start restoring your system to the state when the restore point was created.
System restore will not affect any of your files or data. However, it will uninstall the apps after the restoration date. So, if this helps to resolve the problem, then you need to avoid reinstalling the same apps and find alternatives.
5. Uninstall Third-Party Antivirus App
Another method to fix the Windows Security app not working issue in Windows 11 is uninstalling the third-party antivirus program installed on your computer. Sometimes other antivirus programs conflict with the Windows Security app, causing it to not open or crash occasionally. To remove the third-party antivirus:
- Right-click on the Start icon and select “Settings” or press “Windows Logo + I” keys.
- Click on the “Apps” option from the left side menu and then click on the “Installed apps” option.
- Find the installed third-party antivirus software on your system (in our case it is McAfee Antivirus app).
- Now click on the three dots in front of the antivirus app and select “Uninstall”.
- A dialog box will appear and select “Uninstall” again to delete the app from your computer.
Try opening the Windows Security app and hopefully, it will work now.
6. Reset Your PC
If all the solutions fail, try resetting your PC as a last resort. When you reset your PC, it means that it will remove all the installed apps but you can keep your other personal files as it is. This will help you to resolve issues related to corrupted or damaged system files. To reset your PC, follow these steps:
- Press “Windows Logo and R” keys and go to Settings app.
- The app will open in “System” section. Scroll down and find the “Recovery” option and click on it.
- Click on the “Reset PC” button and then select “Keep my files” option.
- Then select the “Local reinstall” option to reinstall Windows from the device.
- You will see the next screen showing the action will restore all the apps that come default with the PC like Windows Security app. Click on the “Next”button to proceed further.
- Click the “View apps that will be removed” link to find the apps which will be deleted. If you are clear, click on the “Reset”option and it will start resetting your PC.
Final Words
In this article, we have explored many ways to fix Windows Security app not working in Windows 11. With the right method and a little bit of troubleshooting, you can fix this issue very easily. Try all the above-mentioned methods and check which one of them helps to resolve your problem. However, make sure to take complete data backup before resetting or using system restore options.
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