Windows 10 comes with a built-in security software named “Windows Defender”. It is meant for protecting the Windows system from malware/virus attack as well from other threats. If you are a Windows 10 user, you might have noted an abrupt problem where the security program fails to scan.
A message appears on the screen declaring “Windows Defender won’t scan”. You can face such an issue only if the Exclusion List is not set properly.
Additionally, if the Windows system is not updated for a long time, then there is a chance of virus attack. If you are presently facing this then we would recommend that you should fix the error as fast as possible.
Further, if the error lingers behind then it can severely damage the device. Here, we are providing the best possible solutions so that you can eliminate this problem on your own.
Methods to Get Rid of “Windows Defender Won’t Scan” Error
Are you getting the “Windows Defender won’t scan” error message? Here are effective solutions that can help you to remove it.
Method 1: Check the Exclusions List
If the Windows system is not allowing you to conduct a quick scan, there must be a problem within the exclusion list. Malware can affect the entire drive in the exclusion list and can stop Windows from performing a successful scan.
You can fix the problem by just checking the exclusion list. And for that, you have to go through the following steps :
- First, you have to hold the Windows and I key together to open the Settings app.
- When you see the Settings app, go to the “Update and Security” section.
- In that section, you have to choose the “Windows Security” option, click on that.
- Next, you will find the “Open Windows Defender Security Center“ option.
- Choose the “Virus and Threat protection” option and go for the settings.
- Now, you have to find the “Add or Remove exclusions” option, click on that. Find the system driver that is on the list and remove it.
After completing the steps, you will be able to fix the error. If the Windows Defender still fails to scan persist, you have to perform the next method that is mentioned below.
Method 2: Change the Power Settings
Sometimes due to incorrect Power settings, you can face issues at the time of performing a quick scan in the Windows system. To change the Power options, you have to follow the steps mentioned below:
- First, hold the Windows and S key together, to enter the Power Settings tab.
- Now, in the Power Settings window, you have to choose the “Power and Sleep settings” option from the menu.
- When the Settings app will open, you have to click on the “Additional power settings”. You will find this option in the “Related settings” category.
- Now, you have to find the current power plan that you are using. And choose the “Change plan settings” option next.
- Now, you have to change the “Turn Off display” and “Put the computer to sleep” options to ‘Never’. Next, you have to click on Save Changes.
After performing the following steps, now check if you can fix the error. If you are still getting the error, then you need to update the Windows version.
Method 3: Install the Latest Version of Windows
In most cases, the older version of Windows fails to resolve certain glitches and for that, the only solution is to install the latest version. Now, to get the latest version of Windows, you have to perform the following steps:
- You have to open the Settings app and then go to the ‘Update and Security’ option.
- Next, choose the “Check for Updates” option from the right pane of the Windows Update window.
If there are any Windows Updates available, it will automatically start downloading the requisite files. It will also install the latest version automatically.
When the installation process completes, you have to restart the computer. Once the computer restarts, check if the Windows Defender can perform a quick scan.
Method 4: Make A New User Account
Sometimes, if the user account gets blocked then you can get obstacles at the time of performing a quick scan using Windows Defender. To fix the issue, you have to create a new user account.
Then, check if the problem persists. To create a new user account, you have to perform the following steps:
- Go to the Settings Application. From there, you have to find the Accounts section.
- In the Account section, you will find the “Family & other people” section. Choose that and select the “Add someone else to this PC” option.
- Now, select the “I don’t have this person’s sign-in information” option from there.
- You also have to choose the “Add a user without a Microsoft account” option.
- Finally, enter the username that you want to put in the new account and tap on the “Next” option.
After creating a new user account, you have to switch it with the older one. Now, check if the “Windows Defender won’t scan” message reappears or not.
These solutions can readily help you to get rid of the ‘Windows Defender Won’t Scan’ issue. We hope you managed to solve the issue using the above-mentioned solutions. Let us know which method worked for you to fix the error.