[Tip] Remove “Scan with Windows Defender” Option from Context Menu in Windows 10

Windows Defender was released as an antispyware or antimalware tool by Microsoft for Windows XP and with the release of Windows Vista, Microsoft started providing Windows Defender as a part of the operating system. All Windows versions after Windows Vista also come bundled with Windows Defender program.

With the release of Windows 8, Microsoft also added antivirus capability to Windows Defender. So Windows Defender in Windows 8 and later Windows versions works similar to Microsoft Security Essentials program and provides antivirus and antispyware protection to Windows users.

Windows_Defender_Windows_10.png

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But there was a main feature missing in Windows Defender program which was the context menu option. By default, Windows didn’t allow to directly scan any file or folder using Windows Defender program. If we talk about 3rd party antivirus software, all software add a new option in file/folder context menu (right-click menu) to scan files/folders using that security program. But Microsoft didn’t add any such option for Windows Defender. That’s why we posted a tutorial long time back to add “Scan with Windows Defender” option in context menu:

How to Add “Scan with Windows Defender” Option in File Context Menu in Windows 8?

With the release of Windows 10 November Update (build 10586 or Threshold 2), Microsoft has listened to users feedback and added a new option “Scan with Windows Defender” in files, folders and drives context menu. Now when you right-click on a file, folder or drive, you get the option in the menu as shown in following screenshot:

Scan_With_Windows_Defender_Context_Menu_Option_Windows_10.png

That’s really a great move by Microsoft but there is a minor issue! If you don’t use Windows Defender and install your favorite 3rd party security program in Windows 10, the Windows Defender option in context menu becomes useless for you because other 3rd party antivirus and security programs disable Windows Defender and the context menu option of Windows Defender throws error message:

This app has been turned off and isn’t monitoring your computer.

Windows Defender was unable to scan the selected file or folder.

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Now if you are also using a 3rd party security suite or antivirus program and want to remove the extra “Scan with Windows Defender” option from files, folders and drives context menu, this tutorial will help you. After following this tutorial, you’ll be able to get rid of the context menu option of Windows Defender as shown in following image:

Scan_With_Windows_Defender_Context_Menu_Option_Removed_Windows_10.png

Today in this tutorial, we are going to share a few methods to disable “Scan with Windows Defender” option from files, folders and drives context menu in Windows 10. So without wasting time lets start the tutorial:

METHOD 1: Using Command Prompt

That’s the easiest way to get rid of the context menu option. In this method we’ll unregister Windows Defender’s DLL file which is responsible for showing the context menu option.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator using any method given here.

2. Now run following command:

regsvr32 /u “C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\shellext.dll”

Unregister_Scan_With_Windows_Defender_Context_Menu_Option_Windows_10.png

3. You’ll get a message box, click on OK button.

Now right-click on any file or folder and you’ll not see “Scan with Windows Defender” option in context menu.

PS: If you decide to add the option back in future, run following command:

regsvr32 /i “C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\shellext.dll”

Restore_Scan_With_Windows_Defender_Context_Menu_Option_Windows_10.png

It’ll restore the option in context menu.

METHOD 2: Using Registry Editor

If the above mentioned method doesn’t work for you, you can also remove the context menu option using Registry Editor.

1. Press WIN+R keys together to launch RUN dialog box. Now type regedit in RUN and press Enter. It’ll open Registry Editor.

2. Now go to following key: (to remove Windows Defender option from files context menu)

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\

3. Under”ContextMenuHandlers” key, look for EPP key. Just select EPP key and press Delete key.

Disable_Scan_With_Windows_Defender_Files_Context_Menu_Option_Windows_10.png

4. Now go to following key: (to remove Windows Defender option from folders context menu)

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers

5. Again under”ContextMenuHandlers” key, look for EPP key. Select EPP key and press Delete key.

Disable_Scan_With_Windows_Defender_Folders_Context_Menu_Option_Windows_10.png

6. Now go to following key: (to remove Windows Defender option from drives context menu)

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers

7. Again under”ContextMenuHandlers” key, look for EPP key. Select EPP key and press Delete key.

That’s it. It’ll remove Windows Defender option from files, folders and drives context menu.

NOTE: If you are not familiar with Registry editing tasks, we are also providing ready-made Registry script to do the task automatically. Download following ZIP file, extract it and run .REG file. It’ll ask for confirmation, accept it:

Registry Script to Disable “Scan with Windows Defender” Option in Windows 10

The ZIP file also contains Registry script to restore Windows Defender option in context menus.

METHOD 3: Using Registry Editor

There is another way to remove Windows Defender context menu option using Registry Editor. In this method, we’ll remove the “shellext.dll” file reference from Registry and since this DLL file is responsible for showing the context menu option, it’ll automatically remove Windows Defender option from context menus:

1. Press WIN+R keys together to launch RUN dialog box. Now type regedit in RUN and press Enter. It’ll open Registry Editor.

2. Now go to following key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}

3. Select {09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780} key and press Delete key.

Remove_Scan_With_Windows_Defender_Context_Menu_Option_Windows_10.png

That’s it. Close Registry Editor and you’ll no longer see Windows Defender option in files, folders and drives context menu.

NOTE: Again we are providing ready-made Registry script to do the task automatically. Download following ZIP file, extract it and run .REG file. It’ll ask for confirmation, accept it:

Registry Script to Remove “Scan with Windows Defender” Option in Windows 10

The ZIP file also contains Registry script to restore Windows Defender option in context menus.

BONUS TIP: Disable Windows Defender in Windows 10

If your antivirus program asks you to manually disable or turn off Windows Defender, the methods given in following tutorial will help you in disabling Windows Defender completely in Windows 10:

[Windows Tip] How to Disable Windows Defender Permanently

Published in: Windows 10

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

Comments

NOTE: Older comments have been removed to reduce database overhead.

  1. Having the ability to scan by right click is one of the best “new” features to be added. I say “new” since it should have been there from the first release, or like W7 has it with MSE. I had to create a “To Scan” folder on my desktop, and do a custom scan, anytime I wanted to scan things since there was no option before. Why on earth would you want to remove it?

  2. OK, after rereading the article I see you say to remove it if you use a different program. From that standpoint I can see. Carry on. 🙂

  3. Thanks for this, my lazy eyes kept clicking on Windows Defender instead of my A/V, so trashing it has saved me a lot of work.

  4. Hint: When I tried to “remove” using the Command Prompt method, I got an error message basically saying “the module was loaded but the call to “c:\example.com” dllUNregisterserver failed…error code 0x8007005″.

    I then tried to run the “restore” command and got a different error message.

    I went back and ran the “remove” command aqain, and it finally worked

  5. With Method 3 instead of deleting the registry key place a minus sign at the beginning of the CLSID that way the process is reversible

  6. Tried every mentioned way to remove this stubborn context-menu item , still it keeps coming back after reboot !!
    How to fix it ? It seems in version 1703, Redstone 2, things have chanced again.

  7. Beautiful! Thank you so much for this!
    Not sure if it will come back in another forced update. I’ll just have to wait & see.

    @Pete: Try downloading the registry edit & merging it in. Editing it myself didn’t work, but merging the reg took care of it. 🙂

  8. It doesn’t work, the scan button at first when I tried to scan something it wouldn’t do anything, a fast dialog window appeared and then disappear. Tried every step in this and they didn’t show the same things as in my windows and the file I downloaded also failed to uninstall that option…

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