Microsoft Asks Users to Ignore “Antivirus is Turned Off” Errors After Latest Updates
A bizarre issue has been plaguing users of Microsoft’s Defender Antivirus, with many receiving error messages claiming that their antivirus software has been turned off, even when it’s functioning correctly. The problem affects all supported Windows client and server versions, including the latest releases of Windows 11 and Windows Server.
The issue is caused by a bug in the latest Defender updates, which triggers false alerts on affected systems. These notifications appear in the Windows Security app and prompt users to take action, but Microsoft has now advised customers to ignore them. The company has acknowledged that this is not the first time it’s had to tell users to disregard incorrect alerts and errors after installing updates.
Microsoft confirmed that the issue affects all supported versions of Windows, including Windows 11 26H1 and Windows Server 2025 releases. According to the company, these notifications can appear when Windows starts and intermittently afterward, even if notification settings are turned off. Users may also see these false alerts persist even after rebooting their systems.
The good news is that Microsoft is working on a fix for this issue and will release it in a future update of Defender Antivirus. Until then, users are advised to simply ignore the error messages and continue using their systems as normal. This is not the first time Microsoft has encountered issues like this, having previously asked users to disregard incorrect alerts related to Windows Firewall and BitLocker drive encryption.
For security-conscious users, it’s essential to stay up-to-date with the latest patches and updates for your operating system and antivirus software. However, in cases like this, where there’s no actual risk to security, it’s best to err on the side of caution and ignore the error messages. This will help prevent unnecessary panic and confusion among users.
Practically speaking, if you’re affected by this issue, simply disregard the error messages and continue using your system as normal. Microsoft will release a fix in due course, but until then, there’s no need to take any action.
Source: Bleeping Computer — 2026-08-31