What Is Smart App Control on Windows 11, and Should You Turn It On or Off?
Windows 11 gives you some of the best security tools ever found in a Microsoft operating system. And with the 22H2 update comes Smart App Control, which gives you a new way to protect your computer from malicious apps and software.
What Is Smart App Control?
Smart App Control (SAC) arrived with the 22H2 update for Windows 11. It is a security filter designed to block malicious apps or software that could harm your computer. It can also help you to avoid potentially unwanted apps (PUAs) that can affect performance.
With SAC running on your computer, any app or software that starts up gets checked by a cloud-based security service. If the software passes the checks and is deemed safe, it will run as expected. Any software that doesn’t pass will be prevented from running.
One of the things it looks for is unsigned apps. All apps that work with Windows should be “Signed” with a digital certificate before they are released for use. If the software has been altered by a third party, after the initial release by the app developer, it becomes unsigned.
Smart App Control isn’t a replacement for your antivirus software. Instead, it runs alongside Microsoft Defender or your third-party AV software to add an extra layer of protection. It should run silently and unobtrusively in the background unless it encounters a problem app.
How to Enable Smart App Control
Smart App Control is only available on new Windows 11 installations. If you updated to version 22H2 from an earlier version, it won’t be available to use.
The only ways around this are to reset or completelyreinstall Windows 11.
Why Is Smart App Control in “Evaluation Mode?”
The security feature will be in evaluation mode for some time after being added to Windows Security. It will use this time to monitor how you use Windows to determine if Smart App Control is needed. It also watches to see if the feature will adversely impact your day-to-day use and computer performance.
If Windows thinks that Smart App Control will be helpful to you, it will automatically switch the feature to On. If it decides otherwise, it will switch itself Off.
After the testing period ends, or if you turn the feature on or off, it’s possible to’t switch it back to Evaluation mode unless you reinstall Windows.
Should You Turn Smart App Control On or Off?
Microsoft recommends leaving SAC to finish the evaluation and turn it off or on based on your usage. But if you don’t think you need the feature, or you notice that it’s taking up a lot of resources when youcheck your RAM, GPU, and CPU usage on Windows, you may turn it off.
Remember that turning Smart App Control off is a permanent step. Well, permanent unless you reinstall Windows on your computer. you may always turn the feature off at a later date, so it is probably a good idea to let the evaluation period run and then decide when it is complete.
Getting to Grips With Smart App Control in Windows 11
The Windows Security app and the tools it contains continue to get better and better. This already capable and powerful suite of tools can now also protect you and your computer from malicious or untrusted apps. Even if you use a third-party antivirus service such as Malwarebytes or Norton Antivirus.
The code that makes up the Windows operating system contains security loop holes, errors, incompatibilities, or outdated software elements. In short, Windows isn’t perfect, we all know that. Security patches and updates fix the vulnerabilities and errors in Windows and associated software, and they occasionally add new features. This essentially summarizes why you should regularly run a Windows Update.
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