How to Exclude Files from Microsoft Defender on Windows 11

Microsoft Defender keeps your computer safe by scanning for viruses. Sometimes, it might slow down your work by scanning files you know are safe, like virtual machines or specific development folders. This guide shows you how to tell Defender to skip those files.

Why should you use exclusions?

If your computer feels slow while running a specific program, excluding that folder can help speed things up. It stops Defender from constantly checking those files.

What happens when you are done?

Once you finish these steps, Defender will stop scanning the items you chose. Keep in mind that if a virus hides in an excluded folder, Defender will not find it. Only exclude files you trust.

Note: You must have administrator privileges to change these settings.

How to add exclusions in Windows 11

First, open the Windows Security app Windows Security app. Click the Start button, type “Windows Security,” and select it from the list.

Inside the app, click on Virus & threat protection. Then, look for Manage settings under the “Virus & threat protection settings” section.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page. Click the link that says Add or remove exclusions.

On this page, you can manage your list. Click the Add an exclusion button with the plus sign to get started.

You can pick from these options:

• File: Pick a single file to skip.
• Folder: Pick a folder to skip everything inside it.
• File type: Type an extension like .txt to skip all files of that type.
• Process: Type the name of a program, such as explorer.exe, to stop scanning that active task.

When you are finished, just close the Windows Security window. Your changes are saved automatically.

Summary

Adding exclusions is a great way to help your computer run faster during specific tasks. Just remember that anything you exclude is no longer being watched for threats. Make sure to only add files you trust, and check your list every now and then to keep your computer secure.