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Disable Defender Antivirus cache maintenance task

Overview

About this script

This script improves your privacy on Windows.

These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.

This script disables the Defender Antivirus cache maintenance task scheduled task.

Microsoft refers to this task as:

  • Windows Defender Cache Maintenance 1 2 3 4
  • Periodic maintenance task 1

This task is a Defender Antivirus component 1 2. The task is scheduled to periodically maintain the cache used by Defender Antivirus 1.

Cache maintenance involves managing temporary files that Microsoft Defender is either scanning or has quarantined 5. Disabling this task prevents the system from automatically clearing the Defender cache 5.

Disabling this task may improve your privacy by preventing automatic removal of quarantined files or cached data without your explicit action. For example, when Defender mistakenly flag privacy scripts (such as privacy.sexy scripts 3) as a threat and quarantines it, the cache maintenance task may remove this file without your knowledge. By disabling the task, you prevent automatic deletion, giving you the opportunity to recover and review such files. This is useful for users who handle sensitive data and want full control over file management on their system.

Disabling this task is reported to optimize system boot speed 4, but it may lead to increased storage use by temporary files.

Caution

Disabling this task may lead to a buildup of unnecessary files, potentially affecting system performance over time.

Technical Details

It runs the command %PROGRAMFILES%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe -IdleTask -TaskName WdCacheMaintenance 1 2. The MpCmdRun.exe is a command-line tool used to perform various Defender Antivirus functions 6.

Overview of default task statuses

\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Cache Maintenance 1 2 4:

OS VersionDefault status
Windows 10 22H2🟢 Ready
Windows 11 22H2🟢 Ready

This script uses Batch (batchfile) scripting language.

Not Advised

This script should only be used by advanced users. This script is not recommended for daily use as it breaks important functionality. Do not run it without having backups and system snapshots.

Implementation Details
  • Language: batch

  • Required Privileges: Administrator rights

  • Compatibility: Windows only

  • Reversibility: Can be undone using provided revert script

Explore Categories

This action belongs to Disable Defender Antivirus scheduled tasks category. This category contains scripts to disable maintenance tasks of Defender Antivirus. Scheduled tasks are automated operations that Windows runs at specific times or events. Defender uses these tasks to maintain its antivirus service. Disabling these tasks enhances privacy by: Stopping... Read more on category page ▶

Apply now

Choose one of three ways to apply:

  1. Automatically via privacy.sexy: The easiest and safest option.
  2. Manually by downloading: Requires downloading a file.
  3. Manually by copying: Advanced flexibility.

Alternative 1. Apply with Privacy.sexy

privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily.

Open privacy.sexy

You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using the application.

privacy.sexy instructions
  1. Open or download the desktop application
  2. Search for the script name: Disable Defender Antivirus cache maintenance task.
  3. Check the script by clicking on the checkbox.
  4. Click on Run button at the bottom of the page.

Alternative 2. Download

Irreversible Changes

This script is irreversible, meaning there is no straightforward method to restore changes once applied. Exercise caution before running, restoring it may not be possible.

  1. Download the script file by clicking on the button below:

    Download script

  2. Run the script file by clicking on it.

Download revert script

This file restores your system to its original state, before this script is applied.

Download restore script

Alternative 3. Copy

This is for advanced users. Consider automatically applying or downloading the script for simpler way.

  1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
HELP: Step-by-step guide
  1. Click on Start menu

  2. Type cmd

  3. Right click on Command Prompt select Run as administrator

  4. Click on Yes to run Command Prompt


Animation showing how to open terminal as administrator on Windows 11

  1. Copy the following code:
Code to apply changes
:: Disable scheduled task(s): `\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Cache Maintenance`
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$taskPathPattern='\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Defender\'; $taskNamePattern='Windows Defender Cache Maintenance'; Write-Output "^""Disabling tasks matching pattern `"^""$taskNamePattern`"^""."^""; $tasks = @(Get-ScheduledTask -TaskPath $taskPathPattern -TaskName $taskNamePattern -ErrorAction Ignore); if (-Not $tasks) { Write-Output "^""Skipping, no tasks matching pattern `"^""$taskNamePattern`"^"" found, no action needed."^""; exit 0; }; $operationFailed = $false; foreach ($task in $tasks) { $taskName = $task.TaskName; if ($task.State -eq [Microsoft.PowerShell.Cmdletization.GeneratedTypes.ScheduledTask.StateEnum]::Disabled) { Write-Output "^""Skipping, task `"^""$taskName`"^"" is already disabled, no action needed."^""; continue; }; try { $task | Disable-ScheduledTask -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; Write-Output "^""Successfully disabled task `"^""$taskName`"^""."^""; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to disable task `"^""$taskName`"^"": $($_.Exception.Message)"^""; $operationFailed = $true; }; }; if ($operationFailed) { Write-Output 'Failed to disable some tasks. Check error messages above.'; exit 1; }"
  1. Right click on command prompt to paste it.
  2. Press Enter to apply remaining code.

Copy restore code

Copy and run the following code to restore changes:

Revert code
:: Restore scheduled task(s) to default state: `\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Defender\Windows Defender Cache Maintenance`
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$taskPathPattern='\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Defender\'; $taskNamePattern='Windows Defender Cache Maintenance'; $shouldDisable = $false; Write-Output "^""Enabling tasks matching pattern `"^""$taskNamePattern`"^""."^""; $tasks = @(Get-ScheduledTask -TaskPath $taskPathPattern -TaskName $taskNamePattern -ErrorAction Ignore); if (-Not $tasks) { Write-Warning ( "^""Missing task: Cannot enable, no tasks matching pattern `"^""$taskNamePattern`"^"" found."^"" + "^"" This task appears to be not included in this version of Windows."^"" ); exit 0; }; $operationFailed = $false; foreach ($task in $tasks) { $taskName = $task.TaskName; if ($shouldDisable) { if ($task.State -eq [Microsoft.PowerShell.Cmdletization.GeneratedTypes.ScheduledTask.StateEnum]::Disabled) { Write-Output "^""Skipping, task `"^""$taskName`"^"" is already disabled, no action needed."^""; continue; }; } else { if (($task.State -ne [Microsoft.PowerShell.Cmdletization.GeneratedTypes.ScheduledTask.StateEnum]::Disabled) -and ($task.State -ne [Microsoft.PowerShell.Cmdletization.GeneratedTypes.ScheduledTask.StateEnum]::Unknown)) { Write-Output "^""Skipping, task `"^""$taskName`"^"" is already enabled, no action needed."^""; continue; }; }; try { if ($shouldDisable) { $task | Disable-ScheduledTask -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; Write-Output "^""Successfully disabled task `"^""$taskName`"^""."^""; } else { $task | Enable-ScheduledTask -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; Write-Output "^""Successfully enabled task `"^""$taskName`"^""."^""; }; } catch { Write-Error "^""Failed to restore task `"^""$taskName`"^"": $($_.Exception.Message)"^""; $operationFailed = $true; }; }; if ($operationFailed) { Write-Output 'Failed to restore some tasks. Check error messages above.'; exit 1; }"

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