So, what does the error “This app has been blocked for your protection.” mean?
Whether you run the application as a user or as an administrator, you will see the same error. This happens when you run an application that has been signed with an untrusted or a revoked certificate. Read on to know how to bypass this error message on Windows 10.
This error message is displayed when Windows detects suspicious behavior. Soon after it detects, it displays this error message to warn users that the application could most likely be unsafe.
When you open one such unsafe application, Windows prevents it from launching and you will see a pop-up with the message saying, “This app has been blocked for your protection.”
Similarly, if you see error messages like “Windows protected your PC” or “An administrator has blocked you from running this app,” this could mean that your Windows SmartScreen prevented an unsafe app from launching on your system that runs on Windows.
If you still wish to install such an app, there is a workaround. Read on to know how to install an app and bypass the “This app has been blocked for your protection” and install any app of your choice.
Run the App from Elevated Command Prompt
To get rid of the “This app has been blocked for your protection” error, you can try running the desired app from elevated Command Prompt.
- Open the location where the application you wish to run on your Windows system is saved. Right-click on the app’s shortcut and click on properties. Note down the full path of the app from the dialog box that opens.
- Hit Windows logo and X keys and hit A to open the Command Prompt window.
- In the window that opens, type the full path of the application you noted earlier. This is the path to the application you wish to install. Once you enter it, hit enter.
- When it is done, close the Command Prompt.
Run the App by Changing the Local Group Policy
You can try changing the local group policy to run the desired app and bypass the error, “This app has been blocked for your protection.”
- Open the Run dialog by pressing the Windows key + R and type in gpedit.msc
- Go to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options, on the left.
- In the right pane of Local Group Policy Editor, double-click on User Account Control: Run all administrators in Admin Approval Mode.
- Now, click OK after changing the security setting to Disabled.
- Once you complete the steps mentioned above, close the Local Group Policy Editor and restart your computer. When you change the policy, UAC could be turned off. But remember, just turning off UAC may not help fix this error. But you can try switching off Windows SmartScreen; this might help you bypass the “This app has been blocked for your protection” error.
Run the App Using the Built-in Administrator Account
You can sign in to the built-in administrator account to fix the error “This app has been blocked for your protection.”
- To start with, switch user and enable the built-in elevated Administrator account.
- Once it is enabled, run the desired app.
- After you install the app, sign out of the built-in elevated Administrator account.
- Now, you can sign in back to your account and use the application without any issue.
