Windows OS

5 Methods to Fix the Malwarebytes Not Opening on Windows

Malwarebytes is an anti-virus software used to secure systems from malware risks. Recently, most Windows users have reported that they experienced the “Malwarebytes not opening” error while opening Malwarebytes. This could happen due to the outdated version of Malwarebytes, corrupt user account files, or lack of administrator access.

This blog will demonstrate various methods to fix the stated error.

How to Fix the Malwarebytes Not Opening on Windows?

The “Malwarebytes not opening” problem can be fixed by utilizing these methods:

Fix 1: Run Malwarebytes as an Administrator

Malwarebytes cannot open on your Windows system if it does not have enough administrative rights. So, granting admin privileges can solve the mentioned issue. For that purpose, follow the below steps.

Step 1: Open Malwarebytes Properties

Right-click on the “Malwarebytes” icon on the desktop and select “Properties”:

Step 2: Enable Malwarebytes to Run as an Administrator

Navigate to the “Compatibility” tab. Mark the highlighted checkbox and hit the “OK” button:

Fix 2: Rename mbam.exe

Try changing the installer’s name, as sometimes Windows may have blocked a certain software due to its name.

Step 1: Open Malwarebytes Properties

First of all, navigate to the Malwarebytes installation directory. Right-click on the installer file and select “Properties”:

Step 2: Rename Malwarebytes

Navigate to the “General” tab. Type the name “Explorer” and hit the “OK” button:

Click on the “Continue” button to provide the administrative rights to rename the installer:

Access the installer file again and examine if the issue got fixed or not.

Fix 3: Reinstall Malwarebytes

Another reason for “Malwarebytes not opening” could be the missing or corrupt files of the Malwarebytes. Therefore, reinstalling it can overcome this issue.

Step 1: Launch Run

First of all, launch “Run” via the Start menu:

Step 2: Launch Programs & Features

Type “appwiz.cpl” in the input field and hit the “OK” button:

Step 3: Uninstall Malwarebytes

Right-click on “Malwarebytes” and select the “Uninstall/Change” option:

Click on the “Uninstall” button from the on-screen wizard:

It can be seen that Malwarebytes has been removed successfully:

Step 4: Install Malwarebytes

Now, let’s reinstall Malwarebytes. To do so, first of all, navigate to the provided link and click on the “Free Download” button to download Malwarebytes:

After downloading it, click on the arrow down button and select “Open”:

Click on the “Install” button for reinstalling the Malwarebytes:

Select the product version and hit the “Next” button:

It can be observed that Malwarebytes has been reinstalled successfully:

Fix 4: Run Malwarebytes in Safe Mode

Another method that can resolve the discussed problem is to run Malwarebytes in safe mode.

Step 1: Open Start-up Settings

  • First of all, reboot the system.
  • As soon as the boot screen shows up, press the “F8” button continuously till the “Advanced options” screen appears.
  • After that, move to the “Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup settings” and finally hit the “Restart” button:

Step 2: Turn on Safe Mode

Press the “F4” key:

After starting Windows in safe mode, open Malwarebytes for verification.

Fix 5: Create New User Account

If the above methods failed to fix the “Malwarebytes not opening” problem, then try creating a new user account.

Step 1: Launch Settings

First of all, open “Settings” via the Windows Start menu:

Step 2: Launch Account Settings

Navigate to the “Accounts” settings:

Step 3: Add New User

  • Navigate to the “Family & other users” setting.
  • Select “Add someone else to this PC” to create a new user account:

Click on the highlighted option to sign in without the Microsoft account:

Trigger the highlighted option to create a new account:

Step 4: Enter Credentials

Type username and password and click on “Next” to button:

Step 5: Change Account Type

Trigger the highlighted option:

Select “Administrator” from the “Account Type” drop-down, and finally hit the “OK” button:

The new account type has changed from standard user to administrator user.

Conclusion

The “Malwarebytes not opening” on Windows problem can be fixed by adopting several methods, which include running Malwarebytes as an administrator, renaming executable files, reinstalling Malwarebytes, running Malwarebytes in safe mode, or creating a new user account. This article has provided several methods to deal with the mentioned problem.

About the author

Muhammad Farhan

I am a Computer Science graduate and now a technical writer who loves to provide the easiest solutions to the most difficult problems related to Windows, Linux, and Web designing. My love for Computer Science emerges every day because of its ease in our everyday life.