FIX – Windows Security Not Opening in Windows 11

Windows Security is the first line of defense for a Windows computer. Many people install third-party antivirus and antimalware software on their PC for protection against the virus, but if you are someone who doesn’t, then you will have to rely on Windows Security. 

Overall, it does a great job of protecting your PC from threats online, but the problem can arise when Windows Security does not open or does not work properly. Such issues can randomly appear on Windows Security. In this article, we will guide you through the troubleshooting steps to fix Windows 11 Security not opening or working. 

Fix Windows Security not Opening or Working in Windows 11

Facing issues with Windows Security app? Given below are some troubleshooting steps to fix this issue-

1. Restart your Computer

The very first thing that you can try doing is restarting your PC. Restarting your PC will get rid of any temporary bug that you might encounter(like the one you are facing with Windows Security).

Restart your PC and check if the issue is solved or not; if you still face the issue, then you can move to the next step in this article.

2. Repair/Reset Windows Security

Windows 11 have an in-built option allowing you to repair and reset the app. If Windows Security is not opening on your PC, you can try repairing or resetting it. To repair the Windows 11 Security app, follow the steps given below-

1. Press Windows + I key combo to open the Windows 11 Settings app. 
2. Click on the Apps on the left sidebar. 
3. On the right side, click on Installed Apps. From the list of applications, search for Windows Security, click on the three dots next to it, and then on Advanced Options.
4. Scroll down to the Reset section, and then click on the Repair button to repair the app. 

This should probably fix the issue you have been facing with Windows Security. If repairing the app doesn’t fix the issue, then click on the Reset button present under the Repair button. 

3. Run SFC and DISM Scan

Corrupted system files can also be the causing this issue with Windows Security. You can run the SFC scan and DISM scan to fix this issue. You should first start with the SFC scan and if that doesn’t fix the issue then you can run the DISM scan. Given below are the steps to run the SFC scan-

1. Open Start Menu, search for Command Prompt, and run it as administrator. 
2. Here, type the following command and press Enter to execute the command-
   • sfc /scannow
3. The process will start now; wait till it is completed.
4. Now, close the command prompt and restart your PC. 

If the issue isn’t fixed by the SFC scan, then you can continue ahead with the DISM scan. Given below are the steps to run the DISM scan-

1. Firstly, run Command Prompt as administrator. 
2. Type and execute the following commands one by one-

   • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

   • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

   • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

3. Once the process is complete, restart your PC.

4. Disable Third-Party Antivirus

Third-party antivirus or antimalware can interrupt the proper functioning of Windows Security. You can try disabling the third-party antivirus on your system if you are using any. If the issue is still encountered, try uninstalling the antivirus and check if you still face the issue.

5. Reinstall Windows Security

You can reinstall the Windows Security app on your PC if you are facing issues with it. This can be done through Windows PowerShell.

1. Press Windows + S key combo, and search for Windows PowerShell. Select it and then click on Run as administrator. 
2. Now, execute the following command in the PowerShell one-by-one-

   • Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted 

   • Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

3. The above commands will reinstall the Windows Security app on your PC.

6. Reset PC

Lastly, if Windows Security is still not working, you can reset your PC. This will reinstall all your apps, reset the settings, and reinstall Windows. To do so, follow the steps given below-

1. Press Windows key on your keyboard, search for Reset This PC option and open it.
2. Now, click on the Reset PC button here.
3. You will get two options now- Keep My Files and Remove Everything. Select any one option as per your preference.
4. You will now be asked how you want to reinstall Windows- Cloud Download and Local Reinstall. Select your preferred option to continue ahead.
5. The process will now start and it may take some time till the reset is complete.
6. After the reset is complete, your PC will restart. Setup your PC and the Windows Security should not work properly.

Final Words

These were all the troubleshooting steps to help fix Windows Security not opening or working in Windows 11. If you have been facing issues with the Windows Security app, then you can follow the steps given above to help fix this issue. If you face any issues with the abovementioned steps, you can let us know in the comments section.