Fixes / Windows · Checked September 30, 2026

Windows protected your PC (SmartScreen): what it means and fixes

Short answer

"Windows protected your PC" means Microsoft Defender SmartScreen does not recognize the app you downloaded. Few people have run it yet, or it has no trusted digital signature. It does not mean the file is a virus. If you got it from the developer's official site, click More info, check the Publisher name, then click Run anyway.

What this message means

Microsoft Defender SmartScreen checks every program downloaded from the internet against Microsoft's reputation data. If a file or its signing certificate is known to be malicious, it is blocked. If it simply isn't downloaded often enough to have built a reputation, SmartScreen shows this warning and marks it as higher risk. New releases from small developers, unsigned installers and freshly updated versions often trigger it even when they are safe. The warning appears only for files that carry the "downloaded from the internet" marker (the Zone.Identifier data Windows attaches to downloads). Clicking Run anyway allows that one file. It does not turn SmartScreen off.

Common causes

Cause	How to tell
The app is new or rarely downloaded, so it has no reputation yet	After you click More info, the Publisher line shows a real company or developer name that matches the website you downloaded from. The app is from a small developer or is a brand-new version.
The file is not digitally signed	More info shows "Publisher: Unknown publisher". Right-clicking the file and choosing Properties shows no Digital Signatures tab.
The file really is unsafe or not what you meant to download	The file name or publisher doesn't match what you expected, it came from an email attachment, pop-up, cracked-software site or third-party download mirror, or the app name is a generic string of letters.
Your organization blocks overriding SmartScreen	The dialog shows only a Don't run button, with no Run anyway, even after clicking More info. In Windows Security, the Reputation-based protection settings say some settings are managed by your organization.
Windows 11 Smart App Control is blocking the app (a different feature)	The message says Smart App Control blocked the app instead of "Windows protected your PC", and there is no Run anyway option at all. This happens only on Windows 11.

How to fix it

1. Confirm the file is genuine, then use Run anyway

Make sure you downloaded the file from the developer's official website or an official store page, not a mirror or ad link.
In the blue "Windows protected your PC" box, click More info (the link under the message text).
Check the App name and Publisher lines. The publisher should match the company you expected. Treat "Unknown publisher" with extra caution.
If the developer publishes a SHA-256 checksum, compare it by running Get-FileHash "C:\path\to\file.exe" in PowerShell.
Click Run anyway. Windows remembers this for that file, so you won't see the warning for it again.

2. Unblock the file in its Properties

Open File Explorer and go to the folder with the downloaded file (usually Downloads).
Right-click the file and choose Properties.
On the General tab, find the Security line that says "This file came from another computer and might be blocked to help protect this computer."
Tick the Unblock checkbox, then click Apply and OK.
Open the file again. This removes the "downloaded from the internet" marker, so SmartScreen doesn't check it. If there's no Unblock checkbox, the file isn't marked and this fix won't help.

3. Unblock with PowerShell (several files or a whole folder)

Only do this after checking the files are safe.
Open Windows PowerShell or Terminal (no admin rights needed for your own files).
For one file, run: Unblock-File -Path "C:\Users\YourName\Downloads\setup.exe"
For every file in a folder, run: Get-ChildItem "C:\Users\YourName\Downloads\AppFolder" -Recurse | Unblock-File
Run the program again.

4. Get the Run anyway button back if it's missing

Windows 10 and Windows 11 home or personal PCs. Work and school PCs follow the admin policy below.

Open Start, type Windows Security and open it.
Go to App & browser control, then click Reputation-based protection settings.
Check whether the page says some settings are managed by your organization. If it does, you can't change them yourself. Use the IT fix below.
If it isn't managed, make sure Check apps and files is On. Leave SmartScreen on, since Run anyway comes back once no policy blocks it.
If Run anyway is still missing on a personal PC, a leftover Group Policy or registry setting (often from a "tweak" tool or previous employer) may be blocking it. Ask someone to check the Group Policy setting described in the next fix.

5. For IT: allow or block the override with Group Policy or Intune

Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise and Education (Group Policy Editor is not included in Home editions)

Open gpedit.msc (or your domain GPO).
Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender SmartScreen > Explorer > Configure Windows Defender SmartScreen.
If it is Enabled with "Warn and prevent bypass", users will never see Run anyway. Change it to "Warn" to let them override, or leave it and allow the specific app another way (for example a signed, approved package).
In Intune/MDM, the matching settings are SmartScreen/EnableSmartScreenInShell and SmartScreen/PreventOverrideForFilesInShell (set to 0 to allow override).
Run gpupdate /force on the client, or wait for the Intune sync, then try the file again.

6. If you're the developer: build reputation for your app

Sign the executable and installer with a code-signing certificate from a trusted certificate authority, and keep using the same certificate for every release.
Expect warnings for new releases until enough people have downloaded and run them. Reputation builds up over time, per file and per certificate.
If a clean file is being flagged wrongly, submit it at microsoft.com/wdsi/filesubmission and choose Microsoft Defender SmartScreen as the product.

Next time, skip the search

Crade is an AI assistant for Mac and Windows that sees your screen. When a message like this pops up, ask “what does this mean?” and it explains the exact error in front of you, step by step.

Download Crade

Still not fixed?

If you're not sure the file is safe, don't run it. Delete it and download it again from the developer's official site, or right-click it and choose Scan with Microsoft Defender. On a work or school computer where Run anyway is missing, the block is set on purpose, so ask your IT department to approve or install the app for you. If you're certain a legitimate file is being wrongly flagged, ask the software vendor for a signed build, or send the file to Microsoft at microsoft.com/wdsi/filesubmission with Microsoft Defender SmartScreen selected so it can be reviewed.

Questions people ask

Does "Windows protected your PC" mean the file has a virus?

No. It means SmartScreen doesn't recognize the app, usually because it's new, rarely downloaded or unsigned. Known malware gets a stronger block. Still, an unrecognized file can be malicious, so check where it came from before running it.

Is it safe to click Run anyway?

It's safe if you downloaded the file directly from the official developer, the Publisher name matches, and ideally the checksum matches the one published. Run anyway only allows that one file, and SmartScreen and Microsoft Defender Antivirus keep protecting the rest of your PC.

Why is there no Run anyway button?

Click More info first, because Run anyway is hidden until you do. If it's still missing, your organization (or a leftover policy) has turned on "Warn and prevent bypass", or the block comes from Windows 11 Smart App Control, which has no override.

Should I turn off SmartScreen to stop the warning?

It isn't needed. Use Run anyway or the Unblock checkbox for the one file you trust. Turning off Check apps and files removes this protection for every future download.

How do I stop my own program from triggering SmartScreen?

Sign it with a code-signing certificate and keep using the same certificate so reputation builds up over time. Warnings for new releases usually fade as more people download and run them.

Sources

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