Prevent Microsoft Defender from blocking SigmaXL
- Paul Petrin
Add an exclusion to Windows Security
If Windows Security has incorrectly flagged SigmaXL as untrusted, SigmaXL can be added to Microsoft Defender's exclusions list.
The most common symptom of SigmaXL being blocked by security software is the following error:
Administrator Privileges are Required
Note that you must be a system administrator to complete the steps below.
Select your version of Windows below:
- Click
Start > 
Settings. - Scroll down and click
Update & Security:
Click (1)
Windows Security > (2) 
Virus & threat protection:
In
Virus & threat protection settings, select 
Protection history to view the blocked actions:
Each item in the list can be clicked to expand and to review if SigmaXL/Excel is being blocked by Windows security settings:
Under
Virus & threat protection settings, select Manage settings:
Scroll down to Exclusions and click Add or remove exclusions:
Click (1) + Add an exclusion, and select (2) Folder:
Navigate to the SigmaXL folder for your installed bit-version, (1) single-click the folder to highlight it, and click the (2) Select Folder button:
For 32-bit: C:\Program Files (x86)\SigmaXL:
For 64-bit: C:\Program Files\SigmaXL:
- SigmaXL is now being excluded from Windows Defender.
- Click
Start > 
Settings. - Click (1) Privacy & security > (2)
Windows Security:
In Windows Security, click
Virus & threat protection:
In
Virus & threat protection settings, select Protection history to view the blocked actions:
Each item in the list can be clicked to expand and to review if SigmaXL/Excel is being blocked by Windows security settings:- Under
Virus & threat protection settings, select Manage settings: 
- Scroll down to Exclusions and select Add or remove exclusions:
- Click (1) + Add an Exclusion and select (2) Folder:
- Navigate to the SigmaXL folder for your installed bit-version, (1) single-click the folder to highlight it, and click the (2) Select Folder button:
For 32-bit: C:\Program Files (x86)\SigmaXL:
For 64-bit: C:\Program Files\SigmaXL: - SigmaXL is now being excluded from Windows Defender.