Setting up Microsoft Defender Antivirus on Windows Server However, you can set Microsoft Defender Antivirus to passive or disabled mode manually. On Windows Server, if you are running a non-Microsoft antivirus/antimalware solution, Microsoft Defender Antivirus does not go into either passive mode or disabled mode automatically. On Windows Server, automatic exclusions are applied based on your defined Server Role. Although the functionality, configuration, and management are largely the same for Microsoft Defender Antivirus on Windows 10 and Windows 11, there are a few key differences on Windows Server: In some instances, Microsoft Defender Antivirus is referred to as Endpoint Protection however, the protection engine is the same.
Microsoft Defender Antivirus is available in the following editions/versions of Windows Server:
