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Trouble with history in Microsoft Defender

Judy L 20 Reputation points
2026-05-04T15:56:04.4033333+00:00

I recently installed Microsoft Defender and the history shows I turned off web protection. I didn’t realize I did that and need to turn it on but don’t know how. Can anyone offer advice? Thank you.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Microsoft 365 Defender | For home | iOS
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Answer accepted by question author

Sumit D - IA 169.2K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-05-04T17:14:43.88+00:00

Hi,

The Email alert is a false alarm if you got it - it even generates if you open the Settings. Please confirm if you have it enabled under Protection and you are good to go.

I hope this information helps. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to reach out.

Otherwise, if your problem is resolved, please take a moment to rate the answer. Wishing you good luck!

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  1. AI answer

    2026-05-04T15:56:15.1166667+00:00

    On Microsoft Defender for mobile, web protection is controlled inside the Defender app and depends on having the right permissions and battery settings.

    To turn web protection back on and keep it on:

    1. Open the Microsoft Defender app on the device.
    2. On the main screen, tap the Device protection card or any web protection alert shown.
    3. Follow the on‑screen steps to turn on web protection. This will typically ask to grant the required accessibility/permissions.

    If web protection keeps turning off, adjust the device’s battery settings so Defender can run in the background:

    1. Open the device Settings app.
    2. Go to Battery (or similar) and:
      • Turn off or exclude Microsoft Defender from battery optimization/adaptive battery.
      • Allow background activity for Microsoft Defender.
      • Ensure app activity is allowed even when the app is not in use.
    3. Return to the Microsoft Defender app and confirm web protection is turned on again from the Device protection or web protection alert card.

    After these steps, web protection should stay enabled and no longer turn off automatically.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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