Windows Defender is a built-in antivirus program that is included with Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 operating systems. It is designed to help protect users against malicious software like viruses, worms, rootkits, spyware and ransomware.
In general, using two different antivirus programs on the same computer can cause conflicts. When two antivirus programs are running simultaneously, they can both attempt to scan (and possibly quarantine or remove) the same file at the same time, which can lead to system slowdowns, instability, or even system crashes.
However, since Windows Defender is an integral part of Microsoft’s operating system, it is designed to coexist peacefully with other antivirus programs, including some of its competitors. Microsoft does not recommend disabling Windows Defender when installing another antivirus program, and will generally not prevent the installation and configuration of third-party security products.
When two antivirus programs are installed and running at the same time, they can often conflict with each other. However, the good news is that Windows Defender is designed to work well with other antivirus programs and does not conflict with them.
So, to answer the question, does Windows Defender conflict with other antivirus programs? The short answer is no β Windows Defender is designed to coexist peacefully with other antivirus programs and does not conflict with them. It is recommended, however, to always check with the manufacturer of your other antivirus programs before installing and configuring them, to make sure that everything will run smoothly and without issue.