Its goal is to keep Windows 11 secure by blocking unsolicited applications that may cause issues, like abruptly showing advertisements, slowing down computers, and disrupting the overall performance. After enabling this feature, Smart App Control will run in the background. The program verifies the developer’s identity using the digital certificate to confirm whether the application is tampered with. After that, Microsoft’s cloud-based prediction service uses multiple identifiers to predict whether the app is safe to install. If the program is unable to make a prediction or finds the app’s signature invalid, it will be considered unworthy, and Windows will block it. Otherwise, you will be able to install the app. If you want to use Smart App Control in Windows 11, well, you are at the right place.
How to Enable Smart App Control in Windows 11
How to Enable Smart App Control in Windows 11
Smart App Control is indeed a new feature. It’s only available with the latest Windows 11 build after the 22H2 update. However, you can only use it on new devices or after a clean installation. It is the only way Microsoft can guarantee that your computer isn’t using an untrustworthy application. So, before using this feature, you need to check its availability. You can check it from the Windows Security application. If SAC isn’t available, you can still get it by doing a clean Windows 11 installation or resetting the device to its factory default.
Check Whether the Feature is Available
So, the first task is to check whether Smart App Control is available on your computer. You can use the following steps to determine it.
Reset Your PC to Default Settings
If Smart App Control is deactivated, you have to either reinstall the OS or reset the computer. Before proceeding, it’s a good idea to back them up. This option preserves your files still, just to be safe. The reset process also removes all the settings and applications. So, here’s how to do it.
Enable Smart App Control
Finally, it’s time to enable Smart App Control on your Windows PC after reinstalling the OS. Use the following steps to do it.
Full Disclosure on Smart App Control in Windows 11
If Smart App Control regards your computer as eligible, it will activate automatically. Meaning, the program will only work if it decides your workflow won’t get disrupted. However, if the program doesn’t evaluate in your favour, the system will automatically turn off Smart App Control. Meaning, if the program determines it will disrupt your workflow from time to time, it will turn off.Note: Developers and advanced users work with a lot of different applications. These may be all legitimate applications but can trigger Smart App Control. If this happens during the evaluation, Smart App Control won’t activate. Another thing is after the feature is turned on, you won’t be able to run the evaluation mode anymore. For that, you have to reinstall Windows 11 again. If the program blocks an application, there’s no way to get around the block. You have to deactivate Smart App Control. But then, you can’t enable it without reinstalling Windows. There’s also a way to enable Smart App Control directly without running the evaluation mode. It may sound convenient, but a bad idea. Without the Evaluation Mode, the security feature may not work as intended. It may cause a lot of unnecessary interruptions.
How to Disable Smart App Control in Windows 11
How to Disable Smart App Control in Windows 11
If you don’t agree with the Smart App Control in Windows 11 or simply don’t like it and want to disable it, remember that you won’t be able to enable it again. It sure seems like a bad implementation of an important feature. But it was an intentional decision by Microsoft. It is to ensure a secure experience. Otherwise, it won’t be possible for the system to tell if there’s already an untrusted application available on your device. So, you have to install Windows 11 again, and then you can enable Smart App Control again. If you are okay with all these and still want to disable this security feature, proceed to the following steps.
Not For Everyone
Not For Everyone
The thing is, Smart App Control is not for everyone. It’s a good and convenient feature but comes with a lot of baggage. If you are a developer or an Advanced user, go for it. But for regular people, this feature will create more issues than they had bargained for. So, maybe SAC is not for you. However, if you are a regular user who is also running a business, using SAC will be beneficial to you. It will add an extra layer of protection. Another thing to clarify, Smart App Control is not a replacement for antivirus. If you were using a 3rd party antivirus program, don’t stop using it. Otherwise, you have Microsoft Defender built-in. It adds a serious layer of protection. Last but not least, if you can’t find Smart App Control on your Windows 11 computer, you are using an older Windows build or the feature is not supported in your region.
Read Next: How to Use Focus in Windows 11
