windows defender smartscreen prevented an unrecognized app from starting

After all, why shouldn’t you be able to run any application that’s compatible with Windows? The issue is that there appears to be only one choice when faced with this warning: “Don’t run.” If you’re completely sure that the app you’re trying to launch is safe and was obtained from a trustworthy source, there’s thankfully a quick, albeit non-obvious workaround for this. It’s the second category of merely unknown apps, however, where SmartScreen can go from helpful to annoying.įor example, if you attempt to run or install an application that Windows doesn’t recognize, you’ll see a window appear like the one below, warning you that “Windows protected your PC” and “prevented an unrecognized app from starting.” Unless you’re a security researcher running tests, everyone should be happy that SmartScreen blocks known malicious apps.

One of these features, called Windows Defender SmartScreen, prevents you from running certain apps that are either known to be malicious (e.g., viruses and malware) or unrecognized by Microsoft’s database of popular Windows software. Windows 10 includes a number of built-in security features that are designed to protect your PC from the dangers of criminal websites and malicious apps.

Windows defender smartscreen prevented an unrecognized app from starting