Malwarebytes is one of the most popular options, as the antivirus tool works quite well to get rid of most infections and has one of the most diverse databases of virus definitions out there. Having said that, the tool is not perfect and, sometimes, mistakes like this are inevitable.
Malwarebytes Real-time protection layers disabled
This bug is a big problem because real-time protection is the most important feature of the tool and the one that does most of the heavy lifting.. Not being able to turn it on is a major problem and you should follow this article to get to the solution.
Solution 1: update Malwarebytes to the latest version
There was a lot of talk about this error message for a certain version of Malwarebytes and for a long time no one could find the correct answer. Fortunately, the next patch from Malwarebytes developers managed to fix the problem and almost everyone who had the problem managed to get rid of it. It is also a very quick and easy process with nothing to lose!!
-
By default, Windows Malwarebytes tool will display a pop-up notification whenever a new version is available online. If you have received this message, just click Install Now and proceed to step 6.
Version update available
-
If you have not received this notice for various reasons, how to disable automatic check for updates, you can check for updates manually.
-
Open Malwarebytes by double clicking on its icon or searching for it in the start menu. Later, in the Malwarebytes window, click Settings.
-
Go to the Application tab in Settings and click Install application updates in the Application updates section.
Install app updates
-
You should see a message that says no updates are available or a message that says Progress: updates were downloaded successfully. If there are updates ready to be installed, click OK and then Yes when prompted to install updates immediately.
-
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process and check if the real-time protection is working properly.
Solution 2: clean reinstall of Malwarebytes
Many users have said that reinstalling Malwarebytes from scratch fixed their problem permanently and that is a must try as the safest and longest method. Nevertheless, if you have purchased the Premium version of the tool, you will have to find a way to retrieve your activation ID and key.
-
Type »regedit» in the search bar which you should be able to access after clicking the start menu or the search button next to it. You can also use Windows keys + R which should open the Run dialog where you can type “regedit” and click OK to open the Registry Editor.
Open Regedit
-
Please use one of the registration locations below to retrieve your ID and password, depending on the architecture of your PC:
Location for Windows x86 from 32 bits
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEN-SOFTWARENMalwarebytes$0027 Anti-Malware
Location for Windows x64 from 64 bits
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINENSOFTWARENWow6432NodeNMalwarebytes$0027 Anti-Malware
Once you have retrieved your ID and password, you can continue with the reinstallation process. Follow the instructions carefully if you want to continue with your Premium version after uninstalling.
-
Abra MBAM >> My account and click Deactivate. Next, go to Settings >> Advanced settings and uncheck the box next to the option »Enable self-protection module«.
Uncheck Enable Enable self-protection module -
Close MBAM and download the tool »mbam-clean.exe» (this tool will uninstall Malwarebytes cleanly) from Malwarebytes site (the download will start immediately when you click the button). Close all open programs and temporarily disable any other security tools you may have open.
-
Run the downloaded tool mbam-clean.exe and follow the instructions on the screen. Restart your computer when prompted.
-
Now download the latest version of Malwarebytes.
Descarga Malwarebytes -
Uncheck the box next to the Essay option. After the program starts, click the button that says Activation. If you were using a trial version, it won't hurt to download the trial version again and skip the next step.
-
Copy and paste the ID or key that you have retrieved from your registry into the dialog that should automatically activate your license.
Enter the ID or license key -
Disfrute usando Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium y, hopefully, the error related to real-time protection will disappear.
If you are not using the Premium or Pro version of MBAM, just follow the steps 3 a 6 and enjoy your updated version of MBAM without errors.
Solution 3: execute as an administrator
The tremendous success of the above methods still does not work for everyone and some users needed to try other things. For example, some users were able to solve the problem by closing Malwarebytes and running it with administrator privileges. Even though it sounds too good to be true, It may just solve your problem!
-
To exit Malwarebytes completely, right-click on its icon on the right side of the taskbar at the bottom of the screen (system tray) and choose the Exit option. Confirm the dialogs that may appear.
Dejar Malwarebytes
-
Look for a desktop shortcut for Malwarebytes or locate it in the Start menu, right click on it and choose Run as administrator option. Confirm the dialogues that may appear. Check if real-time protection layers stay on after this setting.
Open Malwarebytes as an administrator
Hopefully, real-time protection is back now. Otherwise, check the official forum for a Malwarebytes bug.
