Smart App Control demystified: block risky apps without breaking workflows

"Security underpins every layer of the tech stack, and it's our No. 1 priority," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella indicated in 2024. "We are doubling down on this very important work, putting security above all else, before all other features and investments."

Windows 11 ships with a sophisticated security feature called Smart App Control. While the feature shipped to the operating system in 2022, it builds on the executive's premise about security, as it is designed to block untrusted or potentially harmful applications from running on your device.

It's worth noting that until last year, you could only enable the feature on a clean install of a Windows version that includes Smart App Control. Microsoft has since scrapped the mandatory clean install requirement for the sophisticated Windows 11 security feature.

According to Microsoft:

"We’re updating Smart App Control (SAC) so you will now be able to switch SAC off or on without any clean install requirement. To make changes, go to Windows Security > App & Browser Control > Smart App Control settings. When it’s on, it helps block untrusted or potentially harmful apps."

How does Smart App Control work?

As highlighted above, Smart App Control is designed to block harmful or untrusted applications from running on your device. It uses AI, code signing, and Microsoft’s intelligence cloud to make real-time decisions about whether an app should be allowed to run.

With Smart App Control enabled on your Windows 11 PC, you can install new software with greater peace of mind. The feature automatically blocks malicious apps and prevents attacks from bad actors, all with little to no user intervention, helping protect your workflow from disruption.

It's worth noting that Smart App Control runs a quick assessment on new applications to evaluate their safety. In essence, it looks at critical details such as determining whether the app is digitally signed, its popularity among users, and whether it is recognized as a safe platform by Microsoft's threat intelligence network. It also seeks to establish whether the app has been flagged for questionable behavior in the past.

If the app you want to install on your device fails to meet any of the highlighted evaluation checks, Smart App Control will automatically block its execution as it poses a serious threat to your device's security and workflow.

Smart App Control runs on three modes

Smart App Control runs in three modes: On, Off, and Evaluation.

For context, when you've selected On, it means that the security feature is running in enforcement mode. On the other hand, when Evaluation is selected, it means Smart App Control is running in evaluation mode.

Evaluation means that Smart App Control is quietly keeping tabs on your usage patterns and system needs before fully activating. If it detects harmful software, it may remain off to avoid causing any workflow disruptions.

And finally, when Off is selected, ot simply means that the security feature is not running on your device, leaving you susceptible to ransomware and malicious attacks by bad actors.

How to enable Smart App Control in Windows 11

1. Open the Windows Security app.
2. Select App & Browser Control.
3. Scroll down to the Smart App Control section, and select On as the current status.

Smart App Control enhances Windows 11's performance

Perhaps more interestingly, Smart App Control is designed to help improve Windows 11's performance. Microsoft attributes this to the feature's proactive nature, which makes it far more efficient and effective than traditional anti-malware solutions, which are more reactive.

While the performance boost might seem negligible in high-end models, Smart App Control's performance enhancement makes all the difference in Windows 11 PCs with limited resources while simultaneously keeping harmful apps at bay.