Enable Potentially Unwanted Applications protection in Windows 11/10

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Windows 11/10 allows you to disable or enable protection against Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUA) also known equally Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP) using Windows Security. This setting is disabled past default in Windows x 2004 and later.

Potential Unwanted Applications (PUA or PUP) is a threat classification based on reputation and research-driven identification. They are typically Crapware or Bundleware, and such software that you really do non want on your system.

You should know that PUP or PUA is not a virus or ransomware, but they are marked as Unwanted because they can be annoying. The characteristic behavior of PUA is as follows:

Offer other software as an advertisement parcel
Install software without your consent
Actively tries to evade detection by security products or differently behave when they observe a security software guarding the Windows 10 PC.

Potentially Unwanted Applications protection in Windows 11/x

Windows Security has Reputation-based protection that tin aid protect your PC from potentially unwanted applications. To plough on or off Potentially Unwanted Applications protection in Windows 11/10:

Using the Search, open Windows Security
Select App & browser control
Locate Reputation-based protection settings.
Toggle On or Off Potentially unwanted app blocking switch
Select if you want to Block apps, Cake downloads, or both.

Once y'all accept done this, your Windows computer will be protected against Potentially Unwanted Application download.

PUA protection will quarantine the PUP file and forbid them from running if it meets one of the post-obit conditions:

The file is being scanned from the browser
The file has Marking of the Web set up
The file is in the %downloads% folder
Or if the file in the %temp% folder.

How is PUA Protection different from SmartScreen

While information technology may sound that they are similar, but they aren't. While SmartScreen protects from malicious sites and downloads, PUA blocks downloads of low reputation apps that might crusade unexpected behaviors. The former is more concerned almost sites, ransomware, virus while the subsequently wants to prevent the downloads instantly.

You can besides turn on or off PUP Protection using Grouping Policy, Registry, or PowerShell in Windows xi/10.

This post volition show you how to enable Potentially Unwanted Application protection in the Edge browser.

Related read: What is Potentially Unwanted Modification (PUM)? Prevention, Identification, Removal.

Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-twelvemonth Microsoft MVP (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP. Delight read the entire mail service & the comments get-go, create a System Restore Signal before making whatever changes to your organization & be careful about any tertiary-party offers while installing freeware.