The SmartScreen filter in Windows automatically checks apps, files, downloads, and websites, blocking harmful content and warning you before you open unknown programs. While it’s possible to turn this feature off, it’s important to consider if you should.
Should You Disable SmartScreen?
It’s best to keep SmartScreen enabled. It adds an extra layer of protection for your PC, even if you already have antivirus software. If SmartScreen blocks a program you know is safe, you can bypass the warning and run it anyway.
However, turning it off could allow dangerous software to get through without warning.
How to Disable SmartScreen on Windows 10
To adjust SmartScreen settings, go to the Windows Security Center. First, open the Start menu, then search for and select “Windows Security.”
Click the “App and Browser Control” icon in Windows Security to find these settings.
Then click on “Reputation-based Protection Settings.”
There are four different SmartScreen settings in Windows, and you can turn each one off separately. The “Check Apps and Files” option manages the SmartScreen filter for your operating system. This feature protects you no matter where you download files from. When you try to open a file or app you’ve downloaded using File Explorer or any other program, Windows will scan it. If the file is unknown or potentially unsafe, you’ll see a warning or it may be blocked.
You can also decide whether Windows Security should block potentially unwanted software. You have the option to turn this protection off entirely, or you can customize it to block either apps or downloads separately.
The “SmartScreen for Microsoft Edge” option manages the SmartScreen filter within the Microsoft Edge browser. It protects you by blocking harmful websites and downloads, but this feature only works when you’re using Microsoft Edge.
The “SmartScreen for Windows Store apps” filter protects you when apps downloaded from the Windows Store access web content. It warns you if these apps try to load potentially dangerous content.
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