Windows Security Service is Turned off or Missing

If you see the message “Windows Security Center Service is turned off or missing”, it could leave your system vulnerable and affect core security features.

Fortunately, there are several effective methods to troubleshoot and resolve this issue. This guide walks you through step-by-step solutions—from resetting the Windows Security app to running system scans and restoring Windows to a previous state.

What To Do When Windows Security Service is Turned off or Missing?

Table of Contents

Follow this step-by-step guide when Windows Security Service is Turned off or Missing.

1. Reset Windows Security

If Windows Security isn’t working properly, try resetting it.

Click on the search box and type Windows Security.
Right-click on Windows Security and select App Settings.

Scroll down and click Repair. Wait for the process to finish. If this does not fix the issue then click on Reset and wait till the process finishes.

2. Enable Windows Defender Services

The next thing you can do is enable Windows Defender Services. Here’s how to do so:

Press Windows key + I and go to Update and Security.
Click Windows Security and then Open Windows Security.
If you see any exclamation marks on the security items, click to enable them.

Now check if you can enable Windows Security Center Service.

3. Run Command Prompt Commands

Certain command-line actions can help restore Windows Security services.

Search for CMD in Windows Search, as choose to run Command Prompt as an administrator.

Next, copy and paste these commands one by one, pressing Enter after each command

sc config wscsvc start= auto 

sc start wscsvc

Close the Command Prompt after running the commands.

4. Start the Windows Security Service

Ensure the service is running correctly from the Services app.

Open the search box, type Services, and open the Services App.
Scroll down to find Windows Security Service.
Double-click it and ensure the Status is Running.

If it’s not running, click Start and set Startup Type to Automatic.

5. Reset Windows Security

Next reset Windows security. Follow these steps to do so:

Open PowerShell as Administrator using Windows search. Now run this command to reset Windows Security.

Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.Windows.SecHealthUI* | Reset-AppxPackage 


Once done, restart your computer.

5. Run SFC and DISM Scans

Missing or corrupted system files can be the reason for the issue.

To fix the corrupted or missing system files, run the System File Checker.

To do that, type cmd in the Windows search box & select the Run as administrator option.
Copy & paste the following command in the elevated Command Prompt window. Then press Enter.

sfc /scannow

Now Windows will start the scanning process. Check if this could fix the error or run a DISM scan.

A DISM scan repairs the corrupted Windows images that can be responsible for the error.
Open an elevated Command Prompt window and press the Enter key:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

Let the process finish. Restart your PC and see if the issue is fixed.

6. Perform System Restore

If the issue started recently, restoring Windows to a previous working state may help.

Search for “Create a restore point” in the Windows search bar and open it.
Click on System Restore, then Next.

Select a restore point before the issue began, click on Next, and then Finish.
Confirm with Yes and wait for the system to restore.

Wrapping Up

By following the methods outlined above, you should be able to restore the functionality of the Windows Security Center Service and ensure your system stays protected.

Whether the issue was caused by a system glitch, corrupted files, or misconfigured settings, these solutions cover all potential causes.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, you may consider seeking help from Microsoft Support or performing a clean installation of Windows as a last resort.

Keeping your security services active is crucial for maintaining the safety and performance of your Windows 11 PC.