Easy Fixes To Resolve Windows Defender Error Code 0x80073afc

Windows Defender is the inbuilt security tool of the Windows OS. It has excellent features but has some technical issues as well. Windows Defender Error code 0x80073afc is one of the most common issues that almost every Windows users encounter. Generally, this error appears when any Windows Defender file is corrupted. Sometimes, this error can even occur if any third party security software brings upon damage to this Microsoft Security software. You can also see this error on your screen, due to a malware infection. Even an outdated Windows Operating System can give rise to this problem. If you are Windows user and encountering this issue on your system, then you need to go through this article thoroughly. Here, in this article, you will get several procedures to fix the Windows Defender error code 0x80073afc.

Amazing Procedures to Troubleshoot Windows Defender Error Code 0x80073afc on Windows 10

When you see this error message on your screen, do not panic. A simple restart of your system can sometimes resolve this issue. After performing the restart, check whether the error persists or not while using the Windows Defender. If the problem is not solved, then follow the procedures mentioned below to troubleshoot this error on your Windows 10 device.

Procedure 1 – Uninstall the Antivirus Software

Sometimes, after installing any third-party antivirus software, the Windows defender turns itself off. In such cases, you need to uninstall the antivirus software from your system. Check the undermentioned steps:

1. First, go to the Settings application. Alternately, press the Windows key and S key to launch the Search box, type Settings, and then hit the Enter button.
2. When the Settings window opens, go to the Apps and Features section.
3. In that section, scroll down the page and find the antivirus application.
4. Click on Uninstall option. Now your system will start the uninstall process.
5. Once it is done, restart your system.

Procedure 2 – By Changing your Registry File

You can fix this issue on your system by changing the registry files. If you want to edit the registry files, then follow the steps mentioned below:

1. Press the Windows Home button along with the R key from your keyboard to launch the Run dialogue box.
2. Type Regedit and then press the Enter or click on the OK button.
3. In the Registry Editor window, navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options which are present in the left side panel.
4. Locate the MpCmdRun.exe, MSASCui.exe, MpUXSrv.exe or msconfig.exe files and then right click on it to open the menu.
5. Click on Delete.
6. After completing this, reboot your system and then check if the problem is fixed.

Procedure 3 – Update the Operating System

Updating your Operating System can sometimes resolve this issue. Perform the steps mentioned below:

1. Launch the Settings application.
2. Go to the Update and Security section in the Settings window.
3. Click on Update section in the left side panel.
4. In the right side of the page, click on Check for Updates option. Now the system will check whether an update is available or not.
5. If yes, then click on Update option.
6. Once the update process completes, restart your system.

Procedure 4 – Scan your system

SFC is the inbuilt scanning tool. With the help of this, you can easily run a scan of your system. Apply these steps:

1. Press the Windows Home button and X key to open the menu list.
2. Select the Command Prompt (Admin).
3. In the Command Prompt window, type ‘SFC/scannow’ command and then press the Enter button to run this command.
4. Once it is executed, restart your device and then check whether the Windows Defender works properly without any error.

Procedure 5 – Run DISM

If the SFC scan does not fix this issue then you can use DISM tool. It is also an inbuilt tool of Windows. Try the points given below:

1. Go to the Search box, type cmd and then right click on the search result to open the list.
2. Select the ‘Run as administrator’ option.
3. When the Command Prompt window opens, type ‘DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth’ and then press the Enter.
4. Once it is done, check whether the problem is fixed.

Process 6 – Restart your Security Services

You have to check the security services are running to ensure that the Windows Defender is working properly. You must perform the following steps:

1. Press the Windows key and R key together to open the Run box, type ‘services.msc’ and then click on OK
2. In the Services window, find the Security Center and right click on it.
3. Click on Restart. After restarting, check if the error persists.

Procedure 7 – By Using the System Restore

If none of the above procedures work for you, you can use System Restore as a last resort. If you do not know how you can perform this procedure, follow these steps carefully:

1. Press the Windows Home button + S key to open the Search box, type Create a Restore point and then press the Enter key.
2. In the System Properties window, click on the System Restore option.
3. When it starts, click on the Next option.
4. Choose the restore point that you want and then click on the Next button.
5. Then follow the onscreen instructions carefully to restore your PC.

Hopefully, the above-mentioned procedures will help you fix the Windows Defender Error code 0x80073afc. Carefully, read this and perform these steps on your system to resolve this issue.