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Fix: Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service High Memory Usage
Disabling real-time protection often makes a difference
6 min. read
Updated onApril 11, 2024
updated onApril 11, 2024
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Having antivirus software on your PC is the need of the hour since your personal and private data is always at risk when you are connected to the internet.
While many go all out and get a subscription for the best antivirus software, many keep their faith in the built-in Microsoft Defender.
Microsoft Windows Defender is antivirus software that keeps your PC protected from viruses and malware. It also scans any file that you download or any program that you install on your PC.
However, often it has been spotted eating up high memory, CPU usage, and disk usage. You will findseveral user reportscomplaining about Microsoft Defender antivirus service high memory issue.
If you are also facing an issue with the Microsoft Defender antivirus, then this guide will help you fix the problem.
Because here we will give you a list of solutions that will help you fix the Microsoft Defender antivirus service high memory issue. Let us take a look at them.
Why is Windows Defender taking up so much memory?
MsMpEng.exe is the file that is responsible for checking your PC for threats, stopping them, and keeping the antivirus definition up to date. It is an important component of Windows Security or Windows Defender.
Using this MsMpEng.exe file, Windows Defender continuously monitors your computer for threats and provides real-time protection.
In this process, it keeps running in the background, and most commonly this would take around 50% of your PC’s RAM, while Windows Defender performs a real-time scan, full system scan, or updating virus definition.
Until these background tasks aren’t completed, you will see Microsoft Defender service eating high memory. This error has been reported in different forms, as mentioned below, but they are all the same:
Let us now take a look at the solutions that will help you fix the above problems on your PC.
Unscheduled scans and virus check-ups might take up lots of memory at very inconvenient times. To avoid high resource usage, switching to a lightweight antivirus should save you the pain.
ESET Security System is a simple yet powerful antivirus that can detect all kinds of threats, even ones that are not in its database. It was built to keep the system protected all around the clock so its memory usage is very optimized.
ESET
How do I stop Microsoft Defender antivirus service from using memory?
1. Disable real-time protection
Real-time protection is one of the components of the Microsoft Defender antivirus that generally triggers the high memory usage issue.
While it is nice to have a background check continuously going on your PC, if high memory usage is really troubling you, you can try turning it off and then check if this fixes the issue or not.
2. Disable Windows Defender tasks
You can try disabling all the Microsoft Windows Defender tasks from the Task Scheduler since they are the reason you are getting the high memory usage error.
3. Run SFC Scan
The SFC Scan or System File Checker is an in-built tool in Microsoft Windows that helps you repair the corrupt system files, if any, on your PC.
DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) repairs the system files that SFC Scan fails to repair or replace. It is an administrator line tool.
4. Add Antimalware Service Executable to the exclusion list
5. Try another antivirus software
If none of the above solutions fixed the Microsoft Defender service high memory usage problem for you, then it is time for you to switch over to different antivirus software and disable the Microsoft Defender.
Are you confused about which antivirus software to go for? Do not worry, we have a dedicated guide that lists down some of thebest antivirus softwarethat you can try on your Windows OS PC.
Chances are that because of a bug, the Microsoft Defender service is having high memory issue. You can easily avoid it by switching over to trusted antivirus software.
Is it OK to disable the antimalware service executable?
Yes. It is completely okay to disable the antimalware service executable and even Microsoft Defender. These built-in tools, although beneficial, can trigger multiple problems. And in such cases, you can disable it.
However, make sure that you have alternate antivirus software installed on your PC to avoid putting your personal data or privacy at risk.
We also covered a similar issue in ourMsmpeng.exe high memory usage guide, so don’t miss it.
We hope the above guide helped you fix the Microsoft Defender service high memory issue. Let us know in the comments below if you applied a different solution to solve this problem.
More about the topics:Windows Defender issues
Sagar Naresh
Sagar is a web developer and technology journalist. Currently associated with WindowsReport and SamMobile. When not writing, he is either at the gym sweating it out or playing country music on his guitar.
He is an avid traveler and has been to 15 countries, going to more places soon. TRAVEL and WORK is his mantra for a peaceful life.
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