--- title: Defender Antivirus Path Exception description: This guide will show an administrator how to configure a directory path that will be excluded from Defender Antivirus interference. --- [Skip to content](https://knowledge.sittadel.com/defender-antivirus-path-exception#main-content) [![Sittadel-Logo-Icon-Slim-Large-Square-Green-Transparent copy](https://knowledge.sittadel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Sittadel-Logo-Icon-Slim-Large-Square-Green-Transparent%20copy.png?width=55&height=55&name=Sittadel-Logo-Icon-Slim-Large-Square-Green-Transparent%20copy.png)](https://sittadel.com/) - [About Sittadel](https://sittadel.com/about/) - [Capabilities](https://sittadel.com/capabilities/microsoft-office365-azure-security/) Show submenu for Capabilities - [Microsoft Security Architecture](https://sittadel.com/capabilities/microsoft-office365-azure-security/) - [Detection & Response](https://sittadel.com/capabilities/managed-detection-and-response/) - [Employee Training](https://sittadel.com/capabilities/security-awareness-training/) - [Security Risk Advisors](https://sittadel.com/capabilities/virtual-information-security-officer/) - [Resources](https://sittadel.com/resources/) - [Knowledge Base](https://knowledge.sittadel.com/) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [About Sittadel](https://sittadel.com/about/) - [Capabilities](https://sittadel.com/capabilities/microsoft-office365-azure-security/) Show submenu for Capabilities - [Microsoft Security Architecture](https://sittadel.com/capabilities/microsoft-office365-azure-security/) - [Detection & Response](https://sittadel.com/capabilities/managed-detection-and-response/) - [Employee Training](https://sittadel.com/capabilities/security-awareness-training/) - [Security Risk Advisors](https://sittadel.com/capabilities/virtual-information-security-officer/) - [Resources](https://sittadel.com/resources/) - [Knowledge Base](https://knowledge.sittadel.com/) - [Get Sittadel](https://sittadel.com/start/) [Get Sittadel](https://sittadel.com/start/) Find answers to your security questions. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. 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[Intune](https://knowledge.sittadel.com/azure-portals?hsLang=en#intune) # Defender Antivirus Path Exception ## This guide will show an administrator how to configure a directory path that will be excluded from Defender Antivirus interference. ### **![](https://knowledge.sittadel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jan-19-2024-04-04-16-2156-PM.png?width=125&height=133&name=image-png-Jan-19-2024-04-04-16-2156-PM.png)Role Requirements** Procedure Scope: **Administrators** Required Group Membership: **Admin.Security** ### **![](https://knowledge.sittadel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jan-19-2024-04-13-05-5511-PM.png?width=125&height=148&name=image-png-Jan-19-2024-04-13-05-5511-PM.png)** ### **Handbook Reference** Package: **Device Security** Domain: **Antivirus Management** Modifies: **Defender Antivirus Path Exception** **![](https://knowledge.sittadel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jan-19-2024-04-29-09-3760-PM.png?width=670&height=5&name=image-png-Jan-19-2024-04-29-09-3760-PM.png)** **Defender Antivirus Path Exclusion** 1. Navigate to the [Antivirus – Intune](https://intune.microsoft.com/#view/Microsoft_Intune_Workflows/SecurityManagementMenu/~/antivirus) portal, locate and select the **Security Essentials Defender Exclusion** policy or an equivalent **Antivirus Exclusion **policy. ![](https://knowledge.sittadel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Oct-28-2024-03-53-14-0206-PM.png?width=670&height=360&name=image-png-Oct-28-2024-03-53-14-0206-PM.png) 2. Scroll down to **Configuration Settings** and select **Edit.![](https://knowledge.sittadel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Oct-28-2024-03-53-52-7362-PM.png?width=670&height=359&name=image-png-Oct-28-2024-03-53-52-7362-PM.png)** 3. The default rules will be displayed. Locate the **Excluded Paths** option, select the **Add** button below the previously listed header. A text box will be generated where you can specify the necessary folder path. It is recommended that these are not commonly used locations – such as the **Downloads** or **Documents** folder – but instead locations used by **approved custom applications**. Along with this, it is **highly** discouraged to create a path that users are aware bypasses antivirus scanning. Paths included here should not be known to the user and used for application functionality only, if the user places a downloaded file in this known bypassed location that is malicious it could introduce risk to the system. Select **Next** to continue. **![](https://knowledge.sittadel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Oct-28-2024-03-54-27-8341-PM.png?width=670&height=359&name=image-png-Oct-28-2024-03-54-27-8341-PM.png)** 4. From the **Review** section, you will be able to select the **Settings** dropdown to verify that the necessary exclusions are properly generating. Select **Save** to finalize the necessary file extension exclusion.Rule changes propagate in less than 24 hours. ![](https://knowledge.sittadel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Oct-28-2024-03-54-52-0783-PM.png?width=670&height=360&name=image-png-Oct-28-2024-03-54-52-0783-PM.png) ### Need Assistance? Reach out to your Customer Success Manager to discuss how a Sittadel cybersecurity analyst can assist in managing these tasks for you. New to our services? 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