Note: Different versions of Windows 10 may have slightly different steps to access the Microsoft Defender settings. You must uninstall any third party AV before Microsoft Defender can be used as the default AV again. If you installed a third party AV, Windows Defender cannot be re-activated as the default AV for your system. Microsoft Defender will continue to provide passive scanning capabilities even if a third-party AV is installed. (Some systems may refer to this still as 'Windows Defender.') Microsoft Defender comes pre-configured on Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 to provide standard antivirus (AV) scanning and protection by default. Enabling Microsoft Defender on Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 and later
