Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Microsoft Defender Antivirus Exclusions Configure

4 September 2026Doc update+10 / −5 lines

In brief

The article adds clearer GPMC navigation steps, updates the GPMC and Windows Security links, and refreshes its publication date. The note about legacy Windows Defender Antivirus policy names remains included.

What Defender admins need to know

Administrators following the article will see updated navigation and references; no configuration change or deadline is stated.

Summaries are generated from the documentation change itself.

Documentation change

View full page diff

View on Microsoft Learn

The comparison below shows only the changed extract. Use the full-page view for complete context.

To configure exclusions by using Group Policy, follow these steps:

OnIn Centralized Group Policy, open the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) on your Group Policy management ~~computer, open~~computer.
In the ~~Group Policy Management Console, right-click the~~GPMC console tree, expand Group Policy ~~Object~~Objects in the forest and domain containing the GPO you want to ~~configure,~~edit.
Right-click the GPO, and then select Edit.
In the Group Policy Management Editor, go to Computer configuration > Administrative templates > Windows components > Microsoft Defender Antivirus > Exclusions.
~~In the details pane of~~ ~~Exclusions~~~~, the available settings are:~~
- ~~Extension Exclusions~~

In the details pane of Exclusions, the available settings are:
- Extension Exclusions

You can also configure Group Policy locally on individual devices by using the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc). Navigate to the same path: Computer configuration > Administrative templates > Windows components > Microsoft Defender Antivirus > Exclusions.

Note
Group Policy paths before Windows 10, version 2004 (May 2020) might use Windows Defender Antivirus instead of Microsoft Defender Antivirus. Both names refer to the same policy location.

Exclusion changes you make in Group Policy appear in the Windows Security app exclusions
Note
Exclusion changes you make in Group Policy appear in the Windows Security app exclusions.

Configure file and folder exclusions in Group Policy

Configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus exclusions in the Windows Security app

You can use the ~~Windows Security app~~Windows Security app on individual devices to configure exclusions. This method is useful for testing or for configuring a single device. To configure exclusions on many devices, use one of the enterprise management methods described earlier in this article.

For instructions, see Add exclusions in the Windows Security app.

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: Configure custom exclusions for Microsoft Defender Antivirus description: Learn how to exclude specific files, folders, and processes from Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans by using Intune, MDM, Group Policy, PowerShell, or WMI. ms.service: defender-endpoint ms.localizationpriority: medium-ms.date: 07/02/2026+ms.date: 08/12/2026 author: chrisda ms.author: chrisda ms.custom: nextgen, msecd-doc-authoring-1015@@ -178,10 +178,17 @@ To configure file extension, folder, and process exclusions in Microsoft Configu  To configure exclusions by using Group Policy, follow these steps: -1. On your Group Policy management computer, open the [Group Policy Management Console](/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2008-R2-and-2008/cc731212(v=ws.11)), right-click the Group Policy Object you want to configure, and then select **Edit**.+1. In Centralized Group Policy, open the [Group Policy Management Console (GPMC)](/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/group-policy/group-policy-management-console) on your Group Policy management computer.++1. In the GPMC console tree, expand Group Policy Objects in the forest and domain containing the GPO you want to edit.++1. Right-click the GPO, and then select **Edit**.  1. In the **Group Policy Management Editor**, go to **Computer configuration** \> **Administrative templates** \> **Windows components** \> **Microsoft Defender Antivirus** \> **Exclusions**. +   > [!NOTE]+   > Group Policy paths before Windows 10, version 2004 (May 2020) might use _Windows_ Defender Antivirus instead of _Microsoft_ Defender Antivirus. Both names refer to the same policy location.+ 1. In the details pane of **Exclusions**, the available settings are:     - [Extension Exclusions](#configure-file-extension-exclusions-in-group-policy)@@ -197,8 +204,6 @@ To configure exclusions by using Group Policy, follow these steps: > You can also configure Group Policy locally on individual devices by using the Local Group Policy Editor (`gpedit.msc`). Navigate to the same path: **Computer configuration** \> **Administrative templates** \> **Windows components** \> **Microsoft Defender Antivirus** \> **Exclusions**.  > [!NOTE]-> Group Policy paths before Windows 10, version 2004 (May 2020) might use _Windows_ Defender Antivirus instead of _Microsoft_ Defender Antivirus. Both names refer to the same policy location.-> > Exclusion changes you make in Group Policy appear in the [Windows Security app exclusions](#configure-microsoft-defender-antivirus-exclusions-in-the-windows-security-app).  ### Configure file and folder exclusions in Group Policy@@ -336,7 +341,7 @@ For more information, see [Use WMI to configure and manage Microsoft Defender An  ## Configure Microsoft Defender Antivirus exclusions in the Windows Security app -You can use the [Windows Security app](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/stay-protected-with-the-windows-security-app-2ae0363d-0ada-c064-8b56-6a39afb6a963) on individual devices to configure exclusions. This method is useful for testing or for configuring a single device. To configure exclusions on many devices, use one of the enterprise management methods described earlier in this article.+You can use the [Windows Security app](https://support.microsoft.com/Windows/Security/Windows-Security/stay-protected-with-the-windows-security-app) on individual devices to configure exclusions. This method is useful for testing or for configuring a single device. To configure exclusions on many devices, use one of the enterprise management methods described earlier in this article.  For instructions, see [Add exclusions in the Windows Security app](microsoft-defender-security-center-antivirus.md).