How to Whitelist Files/Processes in Windows 11 Defender

 

Windows prioritizes security, and with Microsoft Defender—previously known as Windows Defender—users benefit from a free, built-in anti-malware program on their Windows devices. By default, Microsoft Defender automatically enables real-time protection, detecting, blocking, and neutralizing spyware, ransomware, viruses, and other malware. However, sometimes the antivirus program can be over-protective and detect trusted files as threats, blocking them in the process. To address this, you’ll need to add the files to Microsoft Defender’s exclusion list. This article will guide you through the steps to exclude a file you don’t want Microsoft Defender to scan.

What Is Whitelisting?

Whitelisting is the practice of allowing a list of administrator-approved entities, including programs and files, to be present and active on a computer system. Whatever is not on the list is blocked. Be cautious when excluding items; only exclude those you’re confident are safe. Allowing files and folders flagged as malicious by Microsoft Defender can harm your computer and files. If malware infects your computer, it could infect the excluded files. If the excluded files are compromised, it would be hard for the antivirus program to detect the malware, putting your entire PC at risk of infection.

How to Exclude Files from Windows 11 Defender Scans

To whitelist a file in Microsoft Defender, you must add it to the exclusion list. Carefully follow the instructions below to avoid any confusion.

1. Open the Start menu and click on Settings.

2. Navigate to Privacy & security and select Windows Security.

3. Under Protection areas, select Virus & threat protection.

4. Navigate to Virus & threat protection settings and select Manage settings. Then, scroll down to Exclusions, and click on Add or remove exclusions.

5. Click on Add an exclusion and choose the file, folder, file type, or process to exclude. To exclude an individual file, click on File from the drop-down list and select the file you want to exclude from future scans. Then, close Windows Security to save your settings.

 

Here are the items you can exclude from Microsoft Defender and what each choice means:

- File: Excludes a single file from future scans.

- Folder: Excludes a folder and its contents, including subfolders.

- File type: Excludes all files with a particular extension. For example, “.txt” would exclude all files ending with the .txt extension from scans.

- Process: Excludes a process by name. For example, “test.exe” would exclude files opened by c:\sample\test.exe.

To avoid Renee programs being affect by Windows, please add the following executable files as process.

For Renee File Protector, please add the following file in red box in Installation Folder as Process in Windows Defender:

For Renee USB Block,  please add the following file in red box in Installation Folder as Process in Windows Defender:

For Renee Secure Silo,  please add the following file in red box  in Installation Folder  as Process in Windows Defender:

Benefits of Whitelisting in Microsoft Defender

Whitelisting can be a handy approach to security; it improves defenses and reduces cyber threats. Here are the benefits of whitelisting:

1. It helps prevent false positives. Adding the file, folder, or process in question to the Microsoft Defender exclusion list stops the program from blocking or alerting you about the harmless files.

2. It protects computers and networks from potentially harmful threats. For example, companies with BYOD policies often whitelist certain applications and websites they consider safe for employees to provide some level of protection to personal devices when connected to the company network.

3. It can improve performance for some tasks. During its scans, Microsoft Defender checks all items on your computer, which could lead to occasional system lags. Whitelisting specific files and processes can fix this.

In summary, whitelisting files in Microsoft Defender is a straightforward process that can enhance your system’s performance and reduce false positives. By carefully selecting which files, folders, file types, or processes to exclude, you can maintain robust security while ensuring that trusted files are not unnecessarily blocked.