Are you tired of Windows Defender flagging certain files or folders as potential threats during its routine scans? Do you have a file or folder you want to exclude from future scans? If yes, then you have come to the right place. In this tutorial, we will guide you on how to add an exclusion to the Microsoft Security or Windows Defender Antivirus on your Windows 11 computer.
To get started, open the search icon and look for “Defender” or “Windows Security.” Select “Windows Security” from the list. If you don’t see anything when you type in “Defender,” select “Windows Security.” Once the Windows Security page opens, click on the “Virus & threat protection” button. Scroll down and select “Manage settings” under “Virus & threat protection settings.”
Next, scroll down and select “Add or remove exclusions” under “Exclusions.” Select “Yes” if you receive the user account control prompt. To add a file or folder exclusion, click the plus button, and then select the file, folder, file type, or process you want to exclude. For example, you can exclude your “Documents” folder to prevent Windows Defender from scanning it during future scans.
Once you have added an exclusion, you will see it listed under “Excluded items.” If you want to remove any exclusions, click the little dropdown arrow and remove it. This means that anything in that folder or file will be scannable once again.
Adding exclusions to Windows Defender is a pretty straightforward process. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you will be able to exclude any file or folder that you want to exclude from future scans. We hope this tutorial has been helpful to you. Stay protected!