How can I turn on App & browser control in Windows Defender

Hi,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

The App & browser control in Windows Security provides the settings for Windows Defender SmartScreen, which helps protect your device from potentially dangerous apps, files, websites, and downloads. I understand how difficult it is, when the app doesn't work in the way it should. For us to isolate the issue and to assist you further, we'd like to ask you a few questions.

1. Are you seeing "This setting is managed by your administrator" message in the App & browser control screen?
2. Is the App & browser control section greyed out?
3. Are you able to use other features like Quick scan using Windows Defender? (Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Quick scan)
4. Do you have any third party anti-virus software installed on your computer?
5. Is your computer connected to domain network?

If you're using Windows 10 Pro or Education, and if the system is not connected to any domain network, you can reset Local Group Policy Editor settings to default and check if it helps. To do that:

1. Click on Start icon.
2. Type Command Prompt.
3. Right click on it and select Run as administrator.
4. Enter the below commands one by one and press Enter after each command:

RD /S /Q "%windir%\System32\GroupPolicyUsers"

RD /S /Q "%windir%\System32\GroupPolicy"

gpupdate /force

5. Restart the system and check.

We'll be waiting for your response.

Regards,

Naveen M

Microsoft Community - Moderator

Hi,

Thank you for the reply. Kindly provide us the information needed below:

What is the exact message that you are seeing?

If you are seeing Some settings are managed by your organization, I'd suggest you to try the below steps and check if it helps:

Note: The below method contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. Refer this article on How to back up and restore the registry in Windows.

1. Click on Start icon.
2. Type Command Prompt.
3. Right click on it and select Run as administrator.
4. Copy and paste the following command and press Enter:

REG DELETE "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender" /v DisableAntiSpyware

5. Restart the system and check.

I'd also suggest you to post a screenshot showing the message. Refer this article on How to include a screenshot in your post.

Regards,

Naveen M

Microsoft Community - Moderator

Hi,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

The App & browser control in Windows Security provides the settings for Windows Defender SmartScreen, which helps protect your device from potentially dangerous apps, files, websites, and downloads. I understand how difficult it is, when the app doesn't work in the way it should. For us to isolate the issue and to assist you further, we'd like to ask you a few questions.

1. Are you seeing "This setting is managed by your administrator" message in the App & browser control screen?
2. Is the App & browser control section greyed out?
3. Are you able to use other features like Quick scan using Windows Defender? (Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Quick scan)
4. Do you have any third party anti-virus software installed on your computer?
5. Is your computer connected to domain network?

If you're using Windows 10 Pro or Education, and if the system is not connected to any domain network, you can reset Local Group Policy Editor settings to default and check if it helps. To do that:

1. Click on Start icon.
2. Type Command Prompt.
3. Right click on it and select Run as administrator.
4. Enter the below commands one by one and press Enter after each command:

RD /S /Q "%windir%\System32\GroupPolicyUsers"

RD /S /Q "%windir%\System32\GroupPolicy"

gpupdate /force

5. Restart the system and check.

We'll be waiting for your response.

Regards,

Naveen M

Microsoft Community - Moderator

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.17763.437]

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C:\WINDOWS\system32>RD /S /Q "%windir%\System32\GroupPolicyUsers"

O sistema não conseguiu localizar o ficheiro especificado.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>RD /S /Q "%windir%\System32\GroupPolicy"

O sistema não conseguiu localizar o ficheiro especificado.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>gpupdate /force

Updating policy...

Computer Policy update has completed successfully.

User Policy update has completed successfully.

Then i restarted the PC... and nothing have change

then i have repeated all again ... but at the end of the last command i send it  .EXE

and this is what i get

C:\WINDOWS\system32>gpupdate /force.exe

Description:  Updates multiple Group Policy settings.

Syntax:  Gpupdate [/Target:{Computer | User}] [/Force] [/Wait:<value>]

[/Logoff] [/Boot] [/Sync]

Parameters:

Value                      Description

/Target:{Computer | User}  Specifies that only User or only Computer

policy settings are updated. By default,

both User and Computer policy settings are

updated.

/Force                     Reapplies all policy settings. By default,

only policy settings that have changed are

applied.

/Wait:{value}              Sets the number of seconds to wait for policy

processing to finish. The default is 600

seconds. The value '0' means not to wait.

The value '-1' means to wait indefinitely.

When the time limit is exceeded, the command

prompt returns, but policy processing

continues.

/Logoff                    Causes a logoff after the Group Policy settings

have been updated. This is required for

those Group Policy client-side extensions

that do not process policy on a background

update cycle but do process policy when a

user logs on. Examples include user-targeted

Software Installation and Folder Redirection.

This option has no effect if there are no

extensions called that require a logoff.

/Boot                      Causes a computer restart after the Group Policy settings

are applied. This is required for those

Group Policy client-side extensions that do

not process policy on a background update cycle

but do process policy at computer startup.

Examples include computer-targeted Software

Installation. This option has no effect if

there are no extensions called that require

a restart.

/Sync                      Causes the next foreground policy application to

be done synchronously. Foreground policy

applications occur at computer start up and user

logon. You can specify this for the user,

computer or both using the /Target parameter.

The /Force and /Wait parameters will be ignored

if specified.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>

Thanks for your help... but my windows defender stills saying in the App and browsers section that "this sections is ruled by the administrator

As you can see Because i have copy and past the CMD /ademin  screen... i have tryed to run the last command that you send me... whit the .EXE... and i get all this readings... maybe it help you  to see something that i do not understand...

Any way i would like to say thanks for your help... maybe this Apps and browsers section is working by it self... or something... but the true is that look´s like i´m not the administrator of it.

And that for me get´s me some suspicious about... maybe i need some anti-virus or some other security app or program

Because all the other windows defender sections looks to run perfectly 

Best Regards 

and many thanks for your support

maybe i´m just being paranoiac whit this...kkkk 

the true is that i have some programs that i would like to get out (Delete) on my PC... and they do not uninstall... kkk