The Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool (MRT) is a freeware app that Microsoft redistributes via the Windows Update service. The application can also be downloaded separately from Microsoft’s website. This tool is known to take a long time to complete scans and consumes system resources during those scans, so you might want to prevent Windows 10 from installing it. Here is how.
There is a Registry tweak which prevents Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool from being offered on Windows Update and getting installed to C:Windowssystem32mrt.exe. Once you apply the Registry tweak, the application won’t be offered via Windows Update so it should not even get downloaded.
To Disable Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool From Installing, do the following.
- Open Registry Editor.
- Go to the following Registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftMRT
If you do not have this Registry key, then just create it. The MRT key might be missing.
Tip: How to jump to the desired registry key with one click. - Then, create a new 32-bit DWORD value named DontOfferThroughWUAU. Set its value data to 1.
Note: Even if you are running a 64-bit Windows version, you still need to create the 32-bit DWORD value. - Restart Windows 10.
You can save your time and download ready-to-use Registry files. The undo tweak is included.
If you had Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool installed in Windows 10, you can easily uninstall it now.
Open an elevated command prompt and run the following command:
wusa /uninstall /kb:890830 /quiet /norestart
That’s it.
