Add or remove items from the Windows Defender allowed list

To complete these steps, you must be logged on as an administrator or be a member of the Administrators group.

If you trust software that Windows Defender has detected, you can stop Windows Defender from alerting you to risks that the software might pose to your privacy or your computer. To stop being alerted, you need to add the software to the Windows Defender allowed list. If you decide that you want to monitor the software again later, you can remove it from the Windows Defender allowed list at any time.

To add an item to the allowed list

• The next time Windows Defender alerts you about the software, on the Action menu in the Alert dialog box, click Always Allow.

To remove an item from the allowed list

1. Open Windows Defender by clicking Start, clicking Programs, and then clicking Windows Defender.
2. Click Tools, and then click Allowed items.
3. Select the item that you want to monitor again, and then click Remove From List.

Warning

• Do not allow software with severe or high alert ratings to run on your computer because it can put your privacy and the security of your computer at risk.

Related Topics

Understanding Windows Defender alert levels

How to tell if your computer is infected with spyware

Remove or restore items quarantined by Windows Defender