Whether you use Microsoft Defender Antivirus or a third-party antivirus solution, you must ensure that these products are not scanning vital files and folders. Microsoft Security Essentials and Microsoft Defender may sometimes create difficulties with certain files and folders. Slow performance, destroying important files, unpredictable operations, or flagging a file or folder that you trust as harmful are all common difficulties. To get around these issues, add certain types of files and directories to the list of exceptions.
Windows Defender may be an efficient way to defend yourself against malware and viruses found on the internet.
Many individuals choose to use this service to protect their PCs from potentially hazardous downloads, but it is not without flaws. It may sometimes just erase files that you need because it considers them to be a danger.
You can prevent this behavior by using a simple program called the Defender Exclusion Tool. Within this tool, you may designate which files, directories, or bits of information Windows Defender should not erase.
You have the ability to choose which files will not be scanned throughout the scanning process.
Define Files That Won’t Be Scanned
The Defender Exclusion Tool's primary function is to assist you in defining which files you do not wish to be examined by Windows Defender.
You're attempting to do a seemingly easy activity, which is why the programme seems to be straightforward. To put it simply, you'll need to add the files to the exclusion list.
Because the application is portable, there is no need for installation or setup. Simply execute the application after downloading and decompressing the archive in the proper place on your computer, and you are ready to add exceptions to Windows Defender. This may be accomplished by drag and drop or by using the specific button accessible in the app's menu.
It should be noted that adding exceptions may also be done through the Windows Defender Security Center, but it may require some additional procedures. Simply go to Virus & Threat Protection Settings, locate Exclusions, and add the file, folder, file type, or process you wish to be an exception.
It's just as simple to remove exceptions from the list, and you may delete one or all items using the context menu. Other important context menu capabilities include the ability to copy the path, access the location, and see the file properties.
When you launch the tool, you'll see a blank main window with all the tools neatly grouped above it. Inside the white area, you may specify which files or folders should not be inspected by Windows Defender, preventing them from being removed.
Simply drag and drop the file inside the program to do this.
In Windows 10 , there is a new app called Microsoft Defender Security Center . The app, formerly known as “Microsoft Defender Dashboard”, has been created to help the user control his security and privacy settings. You can add any trusted file, file type, folder, or a process to the exclusions list with the following steps ;
1. Open settings Application
2. Choose Update & security
3. Open Windows security
4. Select Virus & threat protection
5. Click Manage settings under the Virus & threat protection settings
6. Click Add or remove exclusions
7. Under Add an exclusion, select the files, folders, file types, or process.
You may need to repeat the instructions to exclude other items you don’t want the antivirus to scan to avoid false positives
As you see adding exceptions manually through the graphical user interface would be time consuming, tedious and, prone to human error therefore we have coded a portable Freeware to simplify the whole process.
How to use Defender Exclusion Tool
After downloading, extract the zip file to your desired location, then double click the “ExcTool.exe” file . To Add an exclusion to Microsoft Defender list , just drag and drop any file or Folder on the software GUI , you can also use File or folder buttons
To remove listed file or folder whether you can select the item on the list and use Remove button (Minus button) or you can Right click on it and choose “Delete selected” feature
You can also Add defender Exclusion tool to your context menu , to do this use Options – Add to the Contex Menu – Add to File Context Menu and Add to Folder Context Menu feature
after that right click any file or Folder to add it into the Microsoft Defender exclusion list , you can use the same way to remove it from the exclusion list .
After exclude files and folders from Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans you can use Export fature to save all your settings (Green Up arrow) , In the future if you want to use these settings again for examle after a system reset, you can use the Import feature (Red Down arrow)
Note: Please do not add important folders which containing system files to the exclusion list
Supported systems: Windows 11, Windows 10 , Windows 8.1 , Windows 8 , Windows 7
Supported languages: English, Turkish , German , French , Bulgarian , Hungarian , Spanish , Korean , Chinese (Traditional) , Chinese (Simplified) , Russian , Swedish , Dutch , Greek , Hebrew , Slovenian , Japanese , Italian , Persian , Arabic , Vietnamese , Portuguese , Romanian , Polish
Simple Tool
In essence, this programme is incredibly easy to use. You can add exceptions to the list with a few clicks and dragging, and you can also delete them with the same ease. It will keep your data protected from Windows Defender.
Conclusion
Using the Defender Exclusion Tool, you can keep your files secure and prevent them from being erased by Windows Defender. It's easy to use and incredibly effective.
