Windows Security may sometimes throw up all kinds of strange errors when you try to launch it. For example, it may suggest you need a new app to open the Windows Defender link. The Windows Security window briefly opens but then automatically disappears. If restarting your computer doesn’t solve the problem, pursue the troubleshooting solutions below.
How Do I Fix Windows Security Not Opening on Windows 11?
Repair and Reset the Windows Security App
- Go to Settings.
- Select Apps.
- Go to Apps & features.
- Locate the Windows Security app.
- Click on the three dots and select Advanced options.
- Hit the Repair button.
- If the issue persists, hit the Reset button.
You can also use PowerShell to reset your Windows Security app package. Launch PowerShell with admin rights and run the following command: Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage. Then close the PowerShell window and check the results.
Run SFC and DISM
If your system files got corrupted, specific built-in Windows 11 components, such as Windows Security, may stop working. Use the System File Checker and Deployment Image Servicing and Management tools to detect and repair faulty system files automatically.
- Click on the Search icon and enter cmd in the Search field.
- Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
- Then, run the sfc /scannow command. Wait until the SFC tool scans your system.
- Run the Dism/Online/Cleanup-Image/RestoreHealth command as well.
- Restart your computer and check if the issue is gone.
Disable Background Apps
Launch the Task Manager and force-stop all the unnecessary processes running in the background. Some of them might be interfering with Windows Security. Alternatively, you can also clean boot your computer to ensure nothing’s interfering with Windows’ built-in security solution.
Disable and Uninstall Third-Party Security Tools
As a quick reminder, you can’t run two different antivirus solutions on your system. It’s best to turn off any third-party antivirus apps you may be using. If the issue persists, disable your third-party firewall, anti-malware tool, and so on. Check if you notice any improvements. If you still can’t open Windows Security, uninstall third-party security solutions and check the results.
Conclusion
If you can’t open Windows Security on Windows 11, use PowerShell to reset the Windows Security app package. Then, repair and reset your Windows Security app. Additionally, run SFC and DISM to restore faulty system files. If the issue persists, disable and uninstall third-party security tools.
Which of these solutions worked for you? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to share this guide on social media.
John M says
…Problem solved. I ran the offline scan and after automatic restart it was fine!
John M says
…just noticed that the little warning triangle is still showing in the taskbar although when I open the security panel it says that nothing is wrong.
John M says
Powershell command worked perfectly. Many thanks!
Shambuyi Aubin Tshiyole says
Great!
Powerahell worked perfectly. Thank you so much.
Frank From Flint says
Thank you so very much. My Windows 10 computer wouldn’t wake from sleep. It must have been in a coma. (-: Since I couldn’t turn it on I tried using the “three-finger salute” to bring up task manager and turn it off. That didn’t work either so I held down the powrer button until it shut off, waited a minute and turned it back on. That’s when the problems really started. After resetting it and upgrading it to Windows 11, TWICE, I still had this problem. I wish I had read this earlier as it would have saved me considerable time and effort.
It’s the first time in my life I ever used Powershell for anything but I was out of options. The Windows Security app simply didn’t exist as far as I could tell. Everything is as it should be now, except I lost all my files. I saved the most important ones to a flash drive, but Dell SupportAssist is more or less saying there’s nothing on there. Ill be searching the site to see if you have a way I can open the USMT.MIG files I have unzipped without buying a progarm online to do it. Thank you again for your immense help. Have a blessed day.
Big Frank, Minister
Universal Life Church
tommy says
Thank you for the powershell instructions!
Jarrod says
Running powershell as admin with the command in the article fixed it straight away. Thanks Technipages, thanks a lot. I love google man. I would love an explanation of how that fixed it though!
Babouk says
Works fine with PowerSvhell as admin. Now I can access to the windoxs security panel
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
Njaza says
Thanks Alot The Powershell Method Woeked Like Magic
russell says
Powershell worked for me too – thank you so much – praise the Lord
Skid says
The following doesn’t work, as Windows 11 does not show an app called ‘Windows Security’. However, Windows Security is a setting and it doesn’t allow any tampering/adjustment – it keeps asking for an app to open from Microsoft.
Go to Settings.
Select Apps.
Go to Apps & features.
Locate the Windows Security app.
Click on the three dots and select Advanced options.
Simo says
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage worked for me, i have the latest version of windows 11 and this was the way to go, i now have access to windows security
Best Regards and thank you
Simo from Greece
Joy Black says
Thank you,
Power Shell worked for me. Great help
siroos says
THANKS .
POWER SHELL WORKED RIGHT
William says
PowerShell worked
Lizet says
Thank you soooo much Madalina ♥ with powerShell option works great!
♥♥♥♥♥
Ivan says
The Windows PowerShell fix worked for me!!
Erfan Asghari says
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
this really works with powershell as admin . tnx
nakul says
POWERSHELL App worked like a charm! Thank you a lot
Ed says
Powershell option also worked for me – Thanks!
Christopher says
Powershell command really works like a charm, thank you very much!
coder says
The Powershell hack actually works
14k edits says
Good Day, just want to say that
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
command worked in powershell for me. thanks for the help.
Jumail ahamed says
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
this really works with powershell as admin
Thank you sooo muchhh!!!
Svend Erik says
powershell dit the trick – Thanks!
anon says
Hey there!
After days with a new Windows 11 over Windows 10 installation, I suddenly got this error today. I could no longer access Windows Security.
It was all completely gone, just as explained here in the article.
So here I tried step one. Bugs were also found and fixed.
The second step did nothing for me. (windows image)
But then I read about Powershell. I didn’t know this, I’ve always heard something about it, but I never needed it.
So I thought, I searched for “Powershell” in Cortana (or Windows-Start “search”) and lo and behold, it popped up.
Right click admin.
In Powershell, simply right-click the previously copied text:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
After a few seconds everything was fixed and everything worked without rebooting! Of course, to be on the safe side, I restarted and yes, everything works!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
billy Chongin says
PowerShell worked, however i don’t feel like this isn’t the way to go.
Thanks..
RagerX says
This fixed it.
You can also use PowerShell to reset your Windows Security app package. Launch PowerShell with admin rights and run the following command: Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage.
Thanks!!
Jenn says
Thanks for this guide! Windows 11 killed my Windows Security. Your guide brought it back for me. Cheers. :)
P.S. Why did you do away with the URL option? As a fellow blogger, I’m a little irked at the inability to link to my blog. This feels rather one-sided.
waazze says
tnx . first i checked cmd and restarted , but not worked . secondly tried powershell with Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage command . works instant. tnx a lot
Bill S. says
Powershell command worked. Thanks!
Dems says
Amazing…..!!!
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
Ran the code above on PowerShell (run as admin)
worked like a charm.
Abdulsalam says
thank you so much.. using powershell was successful.
GK says
Powershell threw an error.. after I ran the sfc /scannow and ran the powershell command again, it went fine. Thanks so much for this detailed article.
Michael says
Powershell worked for me. Thanks
Benjamin Victor says
Worked for me too! Thanks. Initialy I tried to use command on cmd but only works on PowerShell!! really helped.
y says
powershell command did the job, thanks
Dennis M says
Thank you so much. I had tried everything but nothing was working….until I saw you post.
The Windows PowerShell worked immediately. Thanks a lot.
Mike says
Powershell option worked for me. Thanks
Securenss says
Thank you so much! You are Genius!
This really Worked!
Run Power Shell with Admin privs, then just execute the following command:
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage
Jesper Johansson says
Thank – the Powershell command worked for me.
Pramoda Dilshan says
Thank you so much, the Powershell command worked for me.
himanshu kumar says
Thank you so much! You are Genius!
This really Worked!
Run Power Shell with Admin privs, then just execute the following command:
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage
Jerome says
Thank you very much!!
The Powershell worked for me.
Paolo says
reset Windows Security app package. launching PowerShell: this work for me
Ulises says
Worked!
Run Power Shell with Admin privs, then just execute the following command:
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage
Shaamil A says
Thank you for this post. ?i was able to fix the issue by executing Powershell option . It worked
Kimi says
Windows powershell worked like a charm! I could even find Windows Security in the list of apps now
Cyrus Mody says
The PowerShell command “Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage” worked like a charm. THANK YOU!
Pieter Huizenga says
Perfect solution to anannoying problem. Thanks.
Martin Carpenter says
Well done!
Brilliant advice, repaired my brand new Asus 516 after upgrading to Win 11.
Sarah says
Thank you so much!! Going to powershell (As Admin!) and using command
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage
and then following the first steps of repairing the app made it come back perfectly!
Yuuki Nakimura says
this saved all my time and trouble reinstalling windows.. i thought there is no way to recover it until i discovered this.. it instantly works and doesn’t need system reboot
solomon mezmur says
Thank you!
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage
this command worked for me
Raja says
Thank you very much, the power shell as admin worked instantly.
I couldn’t do the first method as the security app was not showing in the apps and feature.
Thanks again.
Mark says
Windows Powershell command fixed the problem:
Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage
DTran says
thank you for sharing your knowledge! I ran the powershell command and it fixed my issues.
Tony says
I ran powershell as admin, then executed:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
Worked a charm, thanks.
Brandon Bos says
Windows 11 sucks I’m about to go to Linux I loved windows 7 and 10 but u guy s are making so hard for people
Please fix windows Security
Nawid says
Hello,
I tried the CMD and PowerSehll commands but had no luck. I also do not see the Windows Security under Apps and Features.
Any other solution you might think will resolve this?
Thank you
P says
Many thanks.
The Powershell command solved the issue on my Dell XPS13.too.
jack says
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
this really works with Powershell as admin
thank you so much
John says
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
This worked great for me.
micoric says
Wow… Thanks for this. Can’t open Windows Security after upgrading to Windows 11.
Problem resolved after executing this syntax to Powershell
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
Luiz Fernando says
So I had the same problem since I upgrade from Windows 10 to 11, the problem is I have two users one is a normal user and another one as an Administrative user account, through the Administrative account I was able to access Windows Security, and then open the Windows Defender, what didn’t happen using the normal user, in the normal user it asks to install an App to open “windowsdefender”. so my conclusion is that Windows 11 limited Windows Security to be used only by Administrators’ accounts, but I was able to open PowerShell as Administrator and execute scans using Windows Defender through the command line.
Gucci says
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
this really works with powershell as admin
This worked directly!! Thanks for this!!
JohnA says
Thank you. PowerShell command work for me.
felixalgenron says
I have tried all methods mentioned above, and didn’t work. Except that I don’t want to re-install my windows system. I wish there is another way to fix it.
Rob says
the PowerShell command run in admin worked for me thanks
Zaphire says
CHEJOGT ‘s scriot in his comment has actually worked for me for Windows 10
where nothing else tried before didn’t work/
Thank You!
Jim says
I have tried all and none work. New Computer/Windows 11 Home/ 21H2 (2/12/2022). What can I try now?
CHEJOGT says
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
this really works with powershell as admin
Evans Batung says
The second one worked for me. Thanks very much.
Abby-Su Ruiz says
What if after the school scan I get
Windows resource protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
Then after the Dism I get the WOF driver encountered a corruption in the compressed file’s Resource table… 😭
I’m running Windows 11
Caeden Schwartz says
Just want to say that for the “Run SFC and DISM” step, the command should be typed like this “Dism /Online /Cleanup-image /RestoreHealth” with spaces before each slash
yasin says
Thank you so mush for this helpful help