Select the Microsoft Defender safe deployment channel: registry value DeploymentChannelComputerHKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender
- Policy ID
- Root_DeploymentChannel
- Scope
- Computer Configuration
- Supported on
- At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
- Source
- Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
- Category
- Windows Components › Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Registry
DeploymentChannel
REG_DWORDComputer- Enabled value
- Depends on the option value
- Element
- Select the Microsoft Defender safe deployment channel:
| Item | Stored value |
|---|---|
| Validation Channel | 10 |
| Release Channel - Early | 20 |
| Release Channel - Fast | 30 |
| Release Channel - Broad | 40 |
| Delayed Channel | 50 |
Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell
.reg
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender] ; Options (use only one) ; Validation Channel "DeploymentChannel"=dword:0000000a ; Release Channel - Early "DeploymentChannel"=dword:00000014 ; Release Channel - Fast "DeploymentChannel"=dword:0000001e ; Release Channel - Broad "DeploymentChannel"=dword:00000028 ; Delayed Channel "DeploymentChannel"=dword:00000032
CMD
:: Options (use only one) :: Validation Channel reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender" /v "DeploymentChannel" /t REG_DWORD /d 10 /f :: Release Channel - Early reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender" /v "DeploymentChannel" /t REG_DWORD /d 20 /f :: Release Channel - Fast reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender" /v "DeploymentChannel" /t REG_DWORD /d 30 /f :: Release Channel - Broad reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender" /v "DeploymentChannel" /t REG_DWORD /d 40 /f :: Delayed Channel reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender" /v "DeploymentChannel" /t REG_DWORD /d 50 /f
PowerShell
# Common: create the key New-Item -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender' -Force | Out-Null # Options (use only one) # Validation Channel New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender' -Name 'DeploymentChannel' -PropertyType DWord -Value 10 -Force | Out-Null # Release Channel - Early New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender' -Name 'DeploymentChannel' -PropertyType DWord -Value 20 -Force | Out-Null # Release Channel - Fast New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender' -Name 'DeploymentChannel' -PropertyType DWord -Value 30 -Force | Out-Null # Release Channel - Broad New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender' -Name 'DeploymentChannel' -PropertyType DWord -Value 40 -Force | Out-Null # Delayed Channel New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender' -Name 'DeploymentChannel' -PropertyType DWord -Value 50 -Force | Out-Null