After I start my PC, Windows Security repeatedly shows a notification saying, "Turn on virus protection. Virus protection is turned off. Tap or click to turn on Microsoft Defender Antivirus." However, when I open Windows Security, Real-time protection, Dev Drive protection, Cloud-delivered protection, Automatic sample submission, and Tamper Protection all appear to be enabled. What could be causing this warning, and how can I stop it from appearing after every reboot?
3 Answers
This can happen when the Windows Security service or Microsoft Defender takes too long to start. On slower systems, the notification may appear during boot even though protection becomes active a little later. Check whether the warning disappears after waiting a minute or two, and verify that the related security services are set to start automatically.
If the notification keeps returning after you dismiss it, try repairing the Windows system files. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run "sfc /scannow". After that finishes, run "DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth" and restart the computer.
If system repairs and service checks do not help, an in-place Windows repair using the official installation media can refresh damaged security components without immediately wiping your files. A clean reinstall should be a last resort, after backing up important data.
That’s a good first step. It’s also worth checking Task Scheduler for old antivirus-related tasks that might be interfering with Defender during startup.