I sure do not understand why anyone would need to, or even want to uninstall Windows Defender. I can certainly understand wanting to disable it, "IF" a reliable alternative anti-malware solutions is installed - but even then, WD will gracefully disable itself and step out of the way.
Hindsight is (or sure should be) 20/20. But for future reference, the folks at Microsoft are not stupid. And their goal really is for Windows users to experience optimal performance - safely and securely! So it really is best to
leave Windows alone and
stick with the defaults. Why? Because they work!
If alternative solutions are desired, use the integrated methods Microsoft has built into Windows that allow the use of such alternatives. There is no "need" to "uninstall" the integrated features.
I agree with the others and recommend a clean install of Windows. This is because that procedure involved many extensive changes to the Registry - not to mention the "
Important" warning presented at the very beginning. I just don't see how every step can be reversed and I think functional problems will persist - forever - until a clean install is done.
If uninstalling these features is done to free up disk space, the better solution is to buy more disk space. These integrated features really don't consume much. If free disk space is that tight, then again the better solution is to buy more disk space.
If this is done because of the belief Microsoft is invading our privacy and thus our security, that is a total fallacy perpetrated by tin-foil hat wearing Microsoft haters. Seriously!
Even at its worse, Microsoft is NOT trying to steal our passwords, full name, birth date, street address, bank account and credit card information, Social Security or Insurance Numbers, personal contacts, or read our emails. Nor is it trying to overwrite security certifications, redirect us to malicious sites, or take control of our computers to send spam or distribute malware, or participate in DDoS attacks against others.
So many just don't understand the difference between security and privacy. The difference is HUGE! These same people have no problems compromising their privacy with their cell phones. For example, on our PCs, Microsoft does not know our real name or our street address. They don't know our physical location. In fact, with an Ethernet connected computer the closest Microsoft knows where we are physically located is our ISP's POP (point of presence). The POP is the physical locations where our ISP connects our computer to the Internet backbone. In my case, that is 10 miles away in the next town over.
On the other hand, our ISP already knows our home address, our real and full name, birth date, and our billing information too. They also know every single website we visit and what we did while there.
Our cell phone carriers are even worse. They also know our home address, our real and full name, birth date, and our billing information. They know who we have talked to and texted. But worse, our cell phone carrier knows exactly where we are standing to within a couple meters. They know the store we are in, the aisle and even the products in the aisle we are standing in front of! They know where we've been, how long we were there, the direction we are heading now and how fast we are moving!
Then of course, there's Google and Facebook - companies who work on the premise of learning everything about us and using (and sharing and selling) that information for their profits!
Frankly, when it comes to privacy concerns, Microsoft is the least of our worries.
