Window Defender not running on MacOS Ventura 13.7.8

The official Microsoft Defender for Individuals documentation still lists macOS 10.14 or later, so a WDAV.PKG installer rejecting Ventura 13.7.8 should be treated as an installer/documentation conflict and escalated to Microsoft 365 Personal support if the official consumer download produces the same message.^1^

Download the correct consumer installer

Since changing Full Disk Access, restarting, and reinstalling did not resolve it, do not repeat those steps yet.

1. Delete the currently downloaded installer to avoid accidentally reopening the same package.
2. On the Mac, open Microsoft’s consumer Defender download address: https://aka.ms/MacDefender
3. Confirm that it downloads a file named WDAV.PKG.
4. Open that package.

That is the documented installer for the Defender app included with Microsoft 365 Personal or Family. After installation, it should ask for the personal Microsoft account associated with the subscription.^1^

If this newly downloaded package again says macOS 14 or later, save a screenshot and stop there. The published consumer instructions say macOS 10.14 or later, while the package is enforcing a different requirement. The macOS 14 requirement documented elsewhere applies to the organizational Defender for Endpoint product and does not, by itself, establish the lifecycle policy for Defender included with Microsoft 365 Personal.

Check whether macOS 14 is available

Open Apple menu → System Settings → General → Software Update.

• If macOS 14 or newer is offered and you are willing to upgrade, back up the Mac first, install the offered upgrade, and then rerun the official WDAV.PKG.
• If Apple does not offer macOS 14 for this Mac, do not obtain an unsupported macOS installer or an unofficial/archived Defender package. Microsoft’s consumer documentation supplied here does not provide a supported Defender downgrade procedure.

Escalate the conflicting requirement

Contact Microsoft customer support using the Personal account → Microsoft technical support path.^2^

Include:

• Microsoft 365 Personal subscription
• MacBook Pro (2017)
• macOS Ventura 13.7.8
• Package name: WDAV.PKG
• Download source: https://aka.ms/MacDefender
• The exact “macOS 14 or higher” message and screenshot
• The consumer installation page stating macOS 10.14 or later
• A note that Defender previously hung and was removed, and that restarting and changing Full Disk Access had already been attempted

Ask support to confirm whether the consumer package intentionally ended Ventura support or whether the current installer is incorrectly blocking a documented compatible version.

Separate Office limitation

The macOS requirement for Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote is separate from the Defender issue. Office version 16.101 was the last build supporting Ventura; Office can remain functional there, but it no longer receives updates, including security updates.^3^

References

1. Installing Microsoft Defender | Microsoft Support
2. Contact Microsoft customer support | Microsoft Support
3. Upgrade macOS to continue receiving Microsoft 365 and Office for Mac updates | Microsoft Support