How to Reset Windows Security Settings to Default in Windows 11 and 10

Windows security settings play a crucial role in protecting your computer from various threats. However, there may be times when you need to reset these settings to their default values. This could be necessary if you’ve accidentally changed important security configurations or if your PC is recovering from a malware infection. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of resetting Windows security settings in both Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Method 1: Using the Command Prompt

The most straightforward way to reset Windows security settings is by using the Command Prompt. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Open the Command Prompt as an administrator. You can do this by right-clicking on the Start button and selecting “Windows Terminal (Admin)” or “Command Prompt (Admin)”.

Step 2: In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:

secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose

Step 3: Wait for the command to execute. This process may take a few minutes, depending on your system’s performance.

Step 4: Once the command completes, restart your computer to apply the changes.

It’s important to note that after running this command, standard user accounts may no longer appear on the login screen when you restart your computer or try to switch users. This occurs because the reset process removes standard user accounts from the Users group.

Restoring User Accounts

If you find that user accounts are missing after the reset, follow these steps to add them back:

Step 1: Open the Command Prompt as an administrator again.

Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter to view a list of all user accounts:

net users

Step 3: For each account that’s missing from the login screen, type the following command, replacing “accountname” with the actual username:

net localgroup users accountname /add

Step 4: Repeat this process for all missing accounts.

Viewing Reset Changes

After resetting the security settings, you can review the changes made by checking two specific files:

1. To view the default security settings template, navigate to:

%windir%\inf\defltbase.inf

2. To see a log of all changes made during the reset process, check the following file:

C:\Windows\security\logs\scesrv.log

Alternative Method: Windows Security App Reset

If you’re specifically looking to reset the Windows Security app (formerly known as Windows Defender), you can do so through the Settings app:

Step 1: Open the Start menu and search for “Windows Security”.

Step 2: Right-click on the Windows Security app and select “App settings”.

Step 3: Scroll down to the “Reset” section.

Step 4: Click on the “Reset” button and confirm your action.

This process will reset the Windows Security app to its default state, which can help resolve issues if the app is not functioning correctly.

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Resetting your Windows security settings can be a powerful troubleshooting step, but it should be done cautiously. Always ensure you have a backup of your important data before making significant system changes. If you’re unsure about any step, consider seeking help from a professional or Microsoft support.