Windows Defender is a built-in Anti-Malware and Anti-Spyware software for Windows Operating System released with version 7. Windows Defender error code 0x80070422 is a commonly occurring issue for most users.
Various reasons can trigger this error including incomplete Windows Update, too many junk files in your system, corrupted Windows Registry key, unauthorized third-party software installation, and many more.
Users are reporting this error along with a pop-up message on the screen: “The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it. Error code 0x80070422”.
The effective solutions in this guide can fix the error and protect your computer. They are described in the next section.
Solutions to Fix Windows Defender Error Code 0x80070422
There are many solutions to solve Windows Defender error code 0x80070422. The most effective ones are discussed below:
1. Perform SFC Scan
SFC is a System File Checker tool that analyzes all the system files and checks whether they are corrupted or not. If corrupted, it attempts to repair those files. To perform an SFC scan to fix the error code 0x80070422, try the following steps:
- Right-click on the Start menu and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” option from the list.
- Type “sfc/scannow” in the blank space and hit the Enter key.
- Wait until the scanning and verification process is completed.
If there are no issues, a message will appear in command prompt stating “Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations”.
In case, some issues are already fixed by the SFC scan process, the message “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them” will show up.
If this solution doesn’t work, third-party software can also hamper the Windows Defender during the computer startup. The steps to resolve such issues are described in the next method.
2. Remove Third-Party Applications
Installing more than one third-party security software like various types of antivirus, antimalware can clash with Windows Defender. Often, it gives birth to the Windows Defender error code 0x80070422 issue. So, if you have any other third-party software installed on your computer, uninstall them immediately to fix the problem. The procedure is given below:
- Open My Computer and try to find third-party applications in “Program Files. option. If you don’t find it, go to the Start menu and click on the Control Panel.
- Then, select “Programs and Features” and find the program conflicting with Windows Defender. Next, click on the application that you want to uninstall.
- Tap on “Uninstall or Change Program” and select the “Uninstall” button in the new dialog box. Wait for the process to complete.
This uninstallation process will remove all the third-party security applications from your computer one by one. Now, try to start the Windows Defender. If it still shows this error, you must reconfigure the program so it can start automatically.
3. Configure Windows Defender Manually
When Windows Defender service is not running automatically and showing error code 0x80070422, you have to enable it manually. The solution is very easy and as follows.
- Press the Windows logo key + R to open the “Run” dialog box. Then, type “services.msc” in the blank section and press the Enter key to run the Windows Service Manager.
- Scroll down the list of services and find the “Windows Defender” option. Also, double-click on it to open its Properties window.
- Open the drop-down menu of ‘Startup Type’ and click on the “Automatic” to select it. Click on the “Apply” and “OK” tabs and restart your computer.
Once your computer is turned on, try to start the Windows Defender to check whether the error persists. If any problem occurs, fix the Registry Editor which is described in the next section.
4. Use Registry Editor
A Registry editor is used to fix the corrupted registry key in Windows. If a corrupted Windows Defender Registry key is an error causing factor, it should be fixed at the earliest by using the Registry Editor. To resolve the issue, carefully follow the steps that are mentioned below:
- Launch the Run dialog window by following the steps in the previous method. Type “regedit” in the box and press Enter key to start the Registry Editor.
- In the left-hand side of the Registry Editor, navigate the following directory:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Services
- Afterward, find and right-click on the registry key named WinDefend. Then, click on the “Permissions” option.
- Click on the Advanced option to navigate to the segment of “Owner”. If you want to change the name of your account under the “Change Owner To” option, highlight it and click on “Apply” and “OK”.
- Now, back in the Permissions dialog box, click on Administrators or other user names to highlight it. Also, click on the “Allow” checkbox beside Full Control. You will find it under Permissions for Administrators, click on “Apply” and “OK”.
- On the left side of the Registry Editor, click on the “WinDefend” registry key. It is to access its contents displayed in the right-side panel.
- In the right pane of the Registry Editor, locate and double-click on the Registry Value titled Start. Next, replace its data value with 2 and click on “OK”.
After this, close your Registry Editor and restart your Windows defender. Somehow, turning off the Windows Defender Firewall might also be a reason for this error. To turn it on, follow the complete procedure in the next part.
5. Turn On Windows Defender Firewall
When Windows Defender shows the error, somehow the Firewall is turned off. To enable it, follow the steps very carefully:
- Follow the above procedure in “Removing the Third-party Applications” section to open the “Control Panel”. Now, click on the “Windows Firewall” option.
- Find the “Turn Windows Firewall on or off” and click on it. A dialog box will appear with the “Turn on Windows Defender Firewall” option in Private as well as Public network settings.
- Click on both radio buttons containing the “Turn on” option in both Private and Public and hit “OK”. Then, close the Control Panel window and restart your computer.
Hence, turning on the Windows Defender Firewall will automatically turn on the Windows Defender application.
Tips to Prevent Error 0x80070422:
To keep your PC safe, use genuine and licensed antivirus software that doesn’t hamper the Windows Defender.
Don’t use any other anti-malware and anti-spyware applications as Windows defender is already present in your system.
Always try to update your Windows Defender and keep all the virus definitions up-to-date.
Scan your computer at least three times a week to keep it free from malware and other threats. Try to use a third-party application from a secured website (https://). This can scan and fix registry, download missing system files and repair corrupted entries.
Summing Up
The above-discussed steps can solve this problem and will revive your Windows Defender into a running condition. Also, follow the tips carefully to avoid any types of interruption during the scanning, fixing and configuration process.
If you come across any problem while resolving Windows Defender error code 0x80070422, notify us in the feedback section below. You can also keep up with our posts to receive troubleshooting guidance on various antivirus-related errors.