Can’t Open Windows Security on Windows 11? Here’s the FIX!

Opening Windows Security on Windows 11 can sometimes cause a blank window, instant crash, or the message “Page not available. Your IT administrator has limited access,” even with full admin rights. This problem means the Windows Security interface (SecHealthUI) fails to start properly, blocking access to main protection settings.

The most common reason is a broken Windows Security app package or damaged system files, while other causes include conflicts with third-party antivirus, Fast Startup getting in the way, or registry limits.

Now that we’ve covered the possible causes on Windows 11, let’s go through the proven fixes other users used to restore normal Windows Security functionality. 

1. Reset the Windows Security app package

A typical reason for this issue is corruption in the Windows Security app package (Microsoft.SecHealthUI). If this applies, resetting the package usually helps.

To do this, open PowerShell with administrator rights and run a command that resets the Windows Security package. Many users confirmed this works.

1. Press Windows key + R to open a Run dialog box.
2. Type ‘powershell’ in the box, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated PowerShell window. 

   

3. At the User Account Control (UAC) prompt, click Yes to grant admin access. 
4. In the elevated PowerShell window, paste the following command and press Enter to reset the Windows Security package:

   Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage

5. After the command runs successfully, reboot your PC and check if the issue is resolved after startup.

2. Disable or uninstall 3rd-party antivirus

Some third-party antivirus suites (like Kaspersky) can block the native Windows Security app while they’re active. Turning off or removing the third-party AV can resolve the conflict.

If you’re using a third-party suite, first disable its real-time protection and test Windows Security.

If you want to be sure the AV isn’t involved—especially if it includes a firewall—uninstall the suite and remove any leftover files.

Start with the simple step: turn off real-time protection. The exact steps vary by product, but you can usually do this from the antivirus icon in the taskbar.

Disable real-time protection for a while, then check whether Windows Security opens.

If you’re still having trouble, fully uninstall the security program and remove leftovers that might still cause the issue.

If you choose this route, follow these instructions to thoroughly remove a third-party security suite and all leftover files.

3. Reset the Windows Security app

If Windows Security has corrupted cached data, the app might not open. Resetting the Windows Security app from Settings is a good first step.

If you suspect this applies, open the Apps & Features page in Settings and trigger a full reset for Windows Security. 

1. Press Windows key + R to open a Run dialog box. 
2. In the Run box, type ‘ms-settings:’, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open the Settings app. 

   

3. At the User Account Control (UAC) prompt, click Yes to grant admin access. 
4. In Settings, click Apps on the left. 
5. On the right, click Installed apps.

   

6. In Installed apps, scroll to find Windows Security. 
   Note: Use the search bar at the top to find it quickly. 
7. Click the three-dot action button next to Windows Security, then click Advanced options. 

   

8. Under Advanced options, scroll to the Reset section and click Reset.

   

9. Confirm and wait for the reset to complete.
10. Reboot your computer and check if Windows Security is now accessible.

4. Enable Windows Security via Registry Editor

If you previously changed Windows Security’s default behavior, a Registry key might have disabled it. You can re-enable it by editing the DisableAntiSpyware value in Registry Editor.

Be careful when changing the registry. Back it up first—incorrect changes can cause system issues.

1. Press Windows key + R to open a Run dialog box. 
2. Type ‘regedit’, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open Registry Editor with admin rights. 

   

3. At the User Account Control (UAC) prompt, click Yes to grant admin access. 
4. In Registry Editor, navigate to:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

   Note: You can paste the path into the address bar at the top and press Enter to jump there. 

5. Double-click DisableAntiSpyware, set Base to Hexadecimal, and set Value data to 0. Click OK. 
6. Restart your PC and check if Windows Security opens.

5. Reinstall Windows Security

If you recently upgraded to Windows 11, parts of the Windows Security app may have been corrupted during the process. Reinstalling (re-registering) the component should fix it.

This isn’t new—Windows 10 users reported similar issues after major updates. The fix is straightforward.

Run a couple of commands to re-register built-in apps (including Windows Security) with fresh copies.

1. Press Windows key + R to open a Run dialog box.
2. Type ‘powershell’, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated PowerShell window. 

   

3. At the User Account Control (UAC) prompt, click Yes. 
4. In the elevated PowerShell window, paste the following commands and press Enter to re-register built-in apps:

   Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

5. After the process completes, restart your PC and check if Windows Security works after startup.

6. Run SFC and DISM scans

If you’re still stuck, you may be dealing with system file corruption that’s breaking Windows Security.

Run SFC (System File Checker) and then DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management). These built-in tools fix common system file issues. SFC uses local files, while DISM pulls healthy files from Windows Update.

Start with an SFC scan from an elevated CMD prompt.

Do not interrupt the scan, even if it looks stuck. It will finish and show a result.

After SFC completes, restart your computer. Then run a DISM scan.

Make sure you have a stable Internet connection before running DISM.
After DISM completes, restart your PC and test Windows Security again.

7. Repair install or clean install

If none of the methods above worked, your best option is to replace all affected system files with healthy ones.

You can either perform a repair install (in-place upgrade) or a clean install.

If possible, we recommend a repair install first:

• Repair install – Reinstalls Windows while keeping your personal files, apps, games, and settings. Only system files are replaced.
• Clean install – Reinstalls Windows from scratch. This can fix deeper issues but will erase all personal data on the OS drive. Back up your files first.