Malwarebytes is a popular anti-malware software that is designed to work with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. It is quite effective in scanning and removing malware from a device and comes in a free or paid version. Although this is a stable application there are instances when certain issues can occur which we will be addressing today. In this latest installment of our troubleshooting series we will tackle the Malwarebytes web protection won’t turn on issue.
How To Fix The Malwarebytes Web Protection Won’t Turn On Issue
Before performing any of the recommended troubleshooting steps listed below you should try restarting your computer first to refresh the operating system and to remove any software glitch that could be causing the problem.
Restart the Malwarebytes program
Sometimes a simple restart of the program will fix the problem as it will eliminate minor glitches.
- Right click on the Malwarebytes system tray icon at the bottom right part of your screen and click on “Quit Malwarebytes” option.
- Reopen Malwarebytes again by double-clicking its desktop icon or by locating it in the Start menu.
Check if the Malwarebytes Web Protection won’t turn on issue still occurs.
Update the Malwarebytes program
There’s a possibility that an outdated version of the app can cause this particular problem which is why you need to check if an update is available.
- Open Malwarebytes by double-clicking its desktop icon or by locating it in the Start menu and click on Settings.
- Go to the Application tab in Settings and click on Install Application Updates under the Application Updates section.
- You will see a message saying there are no updates available or a message saying Progress: Updates successfully downloaded. Click OK and then click Yes when prompted to install updates immediately.
- Follow the instructions on-screen in order to complete the updating process and check to see if the problem still appears in the new version.
Check if the Malwarebytes Web Protection won’t turn on issue still occurs.
Uninstall the MBAM Web Protection Driver
This problem can be caused by a corrupted MBAM web protection driver. If this is the culprit you will need to uninstall this driver. The program will then download a fresh version of the driver once you restart the computer.
- Right click on the Malwarebytes system tray icon at the bottom right part of your screen and click on “Quit Malwarebytes” option.
- Search for “Command Prompt”, right-click on it, and select the “Run as administrator” option. Copy and paste the following command and make sure you click Enter afterwards: sc delete mbamwebprotection
- Restart your computer by clicking Start Menu >> Power icon >> Restart and reopen Malwarebytes in the same manner as you did in the step 1.
- Navigate to the Protection tab in Settings and check under the Real-Time Protection section for Web Protection. Slide the slider from Off to ON.
Check if the Malwarebytes Web Protection won’t turn on issue still occurs.
Add the Malwarebytes files and folders to the exception list
If you are running another antivirus program on your computer then you will need to add certain files and folders to the exception list. There are different ways to access the exception list of the antivirus program so its best to check how to do this on the particular program that you are using.
The following files need to be placed in the exception list.
- C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes\Anti-Malware\assistant.exe
- C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes\Anti-Malware\malwarebytes_assistant.exe
- C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes\Anti-Malware\mbam.exe
- C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes\Anti-Malware\MbamPt.exe
- C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes\Anti-Malware\MBAMService.exe
- C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes\Anti-Malware\mbamtray.exe
- C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes\Anti-Malware\MBAMWsc.exe
- C:\Windows\system32\Drivers\farflt.sys
- C:\Windows\System32\drivers\mbae64.sys
- C:\Windows\System32\drivers\mbam.sys
- C:\Windows\System32\drivers\MBAMChameleon.sys
- C:\Windows\System32\drivers\MBAMSwissArmy.sys
- C:\Windows\System32\drivers\mwac.sys
The following folders need to be placed in the exception list
- C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes\Anti-Malware
- C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes\MBAMService
Check if the Malwarebytes Web Protection won’t turn on issue still occurs.
Uninstall Malwarebytes
There’s a possibility that the Malwarebytes software installed in your computer has become corrupted. If this is the case, you should uninstall it then download a fresh copy and install it again. Take note that if you are a premium user you should have a copy of your activation ID before uninstalling and installing the app.
- Open MBAM >> My Account and click on Deactivate. Open Settings >> Advanced Settings and uncheck the box next to the “Enable self-protection module”.
- Close the program and download the mbam-clean.exe tool from Malwarebytes’ site (the download will start immediately). Close all open programs and temporarily disable your antivirus.
- Run the mbam-clean.exe tool and follow the instructions on screen. Reboot your computer when prompted to do so.
- Download the latest version of MBAM from the Malwarebytes website and install it by following the instructions on screen. This is useful to receive the latest version of the tool instead of updating.
- Uncheck the box next to the Trial option. After the program launches, click on the button which says Activation.
- Copy and paste the activation ID and Key in the dialog box which should automatically activate your license.
Check if the Malwarebytes Web Protection won’t turn on issue still occurs.
Do a system restore
If your computer has saved restore points then reverting to a certain restore point when the issue did not occur might fix the problem.