Windows Security is Blank after Installing Windows 11 23H2

After resetting your computer or clean installing Windows 11 version 23H2 on your computer, the Windows Security app may not load. It may stall with the shield icon showing up or a blank page. This happens even if you’ve chosen the Cloud download option during the Reset.

Cause

This happens if the C:\Windows\System32\SecurityHealth folder is missing. The setup process is supposed to create the folder and the platform subfolder(s). Due to a glitch in the 23H2 setup, the SecurityHealth folder may be missing.

However, Microsoft Defender Antivirus service and the real-time protection module may be fully functional.

Resolution

Option 1: Run SecurityHealthSetup.exe

Download SecurityHealthSetup.exe and save it to the desktop.
Right-click on the file and choose “Run as administrator“.

Two Command Prompt windows will open and close. The above setup file creates the missing “SecurityHealth” folder and the platform # (1.0.2311.17002-0) subfolder automatically.

The Windows Security UI should now load correctly.

Option 2: Switch to an older version of Windows Security app

Switching to an older version (1000.25305.9000.0) of the Windows Security app helps in most cases.

Please download Microsoft.SecHealthUI_8wekyb3d8bbwe.appx and save it to the desktop.

Run the Appx file.

It might say, “A newer version of Windows Security is already installed. To run, click Launch.”

Click Reinstall.

(Note that clicking the “Launch” button on the above screen may not work.)

Filename: Microsoft.SecHealthUI_8wekyb3d8bbwe.appx:
Signing date:   5:21 AM 3/29/2023
Publisher:  Microsoft Corporation
MD5:    7A9BAF752401F7E7EA228F586121128B
SHA256: 0FDFAA8A2712A3AD1EC5AB0590364B43A3F56FF67EE07DF53E26E04C1C2FC54A
VT link:    https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/0fdfaa8a2712a3ad1ec5ab0590364b43a3f56ff67ee07df53e26e04c1c2fc54a/detection

Launch Windows Security from the Start menu. You should be able to access all the settings in the older version of the Windows Security app.

Note that the above is only a workaround. The ultimate fix is to install the latest platform update and the latest Windows Security app. I hope Microsoft releases a fix for this issue soon, as thousands or millions of users are affected by this Windows 11 23H2-specific problem.

Option 3

You could try cleanly installing Windows 11 22H2 using the ISO and then upgrading to 23H2 using the Enablement package served via Windows Update (no OS reinstallation is required to upgrade to 23H2 from 22H2.)

To get the 22H2 ISO from Microsoft, you can use the UUPDump website.