Microsoft confirms you can soon disable Smart App Control without reinstalling Windows 11

Microsoft has announced a change to Smart App Control (SAC) in Windows 11. Soon, users will be able to freely enable or disable the feature without needing to reinstall the operating system. This resolves a major pain point for users who found the feature too restrictive.

The setting can be found under Windows Security > App & Browser Control > Smart App Control settings. When activated, SAC continues to protect against potentially harmful applications. This update is currently being tested within the Windows Insider Program and is slated for release in 2026.

According to Microsoft, the modification to Smart App Control addresses user feedback. Previously, deactivating SAC once meant it was permanently disabled unless the entire system was wiped and reinstalled. This created a dilemma for users when SAC blocked legitimate software – either live with the broken app or lose the SAC feature entirely.

Smart App Control functions as a security gatekeeper in Windows 11. It proactively blocks risky applications before they launch by cross-referencing them against Microsoft’s app intelligence services and code integrity rules. Any application that is unknown, unsigned, or deemed suspicious is blocked outright. The goal is to enhance protection against malware and other threats.

While Smart App Control is designed to improve security, its practical application has proven disruptive for some users. Microsoft appears to have recognized this issue, and this update addresses a significant limitation. The core functionality of SAC remains the same, but users are no longer permanently penalized for disabling it.

The Initial SAC Design and its Limitations

Originally, Smart App Control operated on a rigid system. It was designed to function optimally only on clean installations of Windows 11 or after a full system reset. Upgrading from older versions of Windows kept SAC disabled by default. Even with a clean install, Windows determined whether SAC would remain active or be disabled during the initial setup phase.

After setup, Smart App Control entered an “Evaluation mode.” For about a week, it monitored user behavior, tracking which applications were launched and whether usage patterns aligned with Microsoft’s criteria for strict execution control. No applications were blocked during this evaluation period.

If the system determined the user was a suitable candidate, SAC automatically switched to “enforcement mode,” blocking unknown and unsigned applications. There were no options to bypass the block on a per-app basis or create whitelists. Applications either passed Microsoft’s checks or were blocked.

Manually disabling Smart App Control at any time resulted in its permanent deactivation for that installation. The operating system provided no warning about this irreversible decision, and the only way to reactivate it was through a complete system reinstall or reset.

This particularly affected developers, gamers, streamers, and power users, as their software often consists of unsigned applications or receives frequent updates. Many users have reported instances of legitimate software being blocked by SAC.

For example, a user recently reported on Reddit that Smart App Control blocked Streamer.bot, a widely used streaming automation tool, despite the executable being signed and previously functional.

Ironically, Microsoft support suggested disabling Smart App Control as a solution. The user expressed disappointment that completely disabling the feature was the only recourse.

It's important to distinguish Smart App Control from SmartScreen and Windows Defender Antivirus.

• Microsoft Defender Antivirus is the traditional antivirus engine.
• Microsoft Defender SmartScreen focuses on web-based threats, providing warnings about risky websites and downloads.

Smart App Control is a more recent addition, introduced with Windows 11 22H2. It uses Microsoft’s app intelligence and Windows’ code integrity system to proactively block potentially unsafe applications before they can run. This meant that if SAC flagged an application, neither SmartScreen nor Defender would allow it to run. The lack of whitelisting or per-app exceptions forced users to disable SAC entirely to use certain applications.

How to Disable Smart App Control in the Future

Windows 11 Build 26220.7070, currently available to Windows Insiders, introduces the ability to toggle Smart App Control without a clean install.

If a trusted application is blocked, users can navigate to Windows Security > App & Browser Control > Smart App Control, disable the feature, run the application, and then re-enable Smart App Control.

For instance, if a setup script is flagged as untrusted, SAC can be temporarily disabled to complete the installation and then immediately reactivated. Note that Defender, SmartScreen, and other security measures remain active during this process.

While Microsoft has not yet implemented whitelisting or per-app overrides, this update eliminates the risk of permanently losing Smart App Control. This change should make the feature more practical for users who previously disabled it out of frustration.

While not a dramatic change, it addresses a core usability issue. This is the type of flexibility that Smart App Control should have had from the start. The concept behind SAC was sound, but the all-or-nothing implementation led many users, especially gamers and developers, to disable it or avoid upgrading from Windows 10 altogether.

Allowing users to toggle Smart App Control on and off without reinstalling the operating system brings a much-needed improvement to the feature.