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Windows 11 Smart App Control blocks apps it identifies as malicious or potentially unwanted. When its cloud assessment cannot determine an app’s safety, it checks the app’s digital signature: unsigned code or code with an invalid signature is treated as untrusted and blocked, while a valid signature from a certificate authority in Microsoft’s Trusted Root Program can allow it. You can turn the feature off in Windows Security, but Microsoft does not offer a per-app exception.
What Smart App Control blocks
Smart App Control combines Microsoft’s cloud app-intelligence service with Windows code-integrity checks. Its decision depends on what those checks determine—not simply whether an app is unfamiliar.
- Malicious or potentially unwanted apps: If Microsoft’s service assesses an app as unsafe or potentially unwanted, Smart App Control blocks it.
- Untrusted code after an inconclusive assessment: If the service cannot confidently determine whether an app is safe, Smart App Control checks its signature. Unsigned apps and apps with invalid signatures are treated as untrusted and blocked.
- Apps that pass the checks: A safety assessment can allow an app. If the assessment is inconclusive, a valid signature from a certificate authority in Microsoft’s Trusted Root Program can help it pass.
In other words, not every unfamiliar app is automatically blocked. The feature’s outcome depends on the safety assessment and, when needed, the signature check. Microsoft’s overview of Smart App Control explains the assessment and code-signing logic.
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| Windows Security state | What it does | Protection status |
|---|---|---|
| Evaluation | Observes app activity in the background | Not actively enforcing blocks |
| On | Enforces Smart App Control decisions and blocks apps it deems unsafe | Active |
| Off | Smart App Control is not running | Inactive |
Microsoft describes these states in its Smart App Control settings and testing guidance. Labels can vary slightly between Windows builds.
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How to turn Smart App Control off
- Open Windows Security.
- Select App & browser control.
- Choose Smart App Control settings.
- Set Smart App Control to Off.
These are the documented user-facing settings. Microsoft’s Registry instructions are for testing and are not the normal way to change this protection.
Can you allow one app without turning it off?
No. Microsoft says there is currently no way to bypass Smart App Control for an individual app. The documented alternatives are to keep the feature on and use a properly signed version of the app, or turn Smart App Control off. Developers—not end users—sign applications. If an app is blocked, first verify that it came from its official developer and check whether the developer offers a properly signed version. Microsoft explains the available options in its Smart App Control FAQ.
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Can you turn it on again later?
Microsoft’s current FAQ says recent Windows updates allow Smart App Control to be enabled again from Windows Security without a clean installation. That does not guarantee the option will be available on every PC: eligibility and behavior can depend on the installed updates and device state. Microsoft’s overview, last updated November 18, 2025, also describes Windows 11 version 22572 or higher and other eligibility requirements; read that alongside the FAQ’s newer update note rather than assuming reinstalling is always necessary or that every device qualifies.
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What turning it off changes
With Smart App Control off, its additional app-enforcement layer is no longer running. It does not replace antivirus: Microsoft says Smart App Control works alongside Microsoft Defender or non-Microsoft antivirus tools. Turning it off does not itself mean antivirus protection has been disabled. For broader context, see Microsoft’s guidance on Windows application and driver control.
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