Turn off Auto Exclusions
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Defender Antivirus\Exclusions Description
Allows an administrator to specify if Automatic Exclusions feature for Server SKUs should be turned off. Disabled (Default): Microsoft Defender will exclude pre-defined list of paths from the scan to improve performance. Enabled: Microsoft Defender will not exclude pre-defined list of paths from scans. This can impact machine performance in some scenarios. Not configured: Same as Disabled.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions Value name: DisableAutoExclusions
Enabled: DisableAutoExclusions = 1
Disabled: DisableAutoExclusions = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_MicrosoftDefenderAntivirus/DisableAutoExclusions Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Turn off Auto Exclusions
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions]
"DisableAutoExclusions"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off Auto Exclusions
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableAutoExclusions' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_MicrosoftDefenderAntivirus/DisableAutoExclusions
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off Auto Exclusions
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions' -Name 'DisableAutoExclusions' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off Auto Exclusions
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableAutoExclusions' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off Auto Exclusions
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off Auto Exclusions
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions' -Name 'DisableAutoExclusions' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off Auto Exclusions
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Exclusions'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableAutoExclusions' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.