New Windows 11 PC? Confirm this special security protection is active
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Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- PCWorld highlights Smart App Control, a crucial Windows 11 security feature that screens apps through Microsoft’s cloud service to defend against malware and compromised executables.
- Starting January 2025, this protection may automatically activate in audit mode, with a February 2026 patch making all Windows 11 PCs eligible for the feature.
- Users should verify Smart App Control is active by checking Windows Security’s ‘App & browser control’ settings for optimal protection.
Windows Security is not the same across Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft’s built-in security suite protects against online and offline threats in both operating systems, but Windows 11 gets extra features. Not that most people know about it—few users keep up with the latest additions to background protections. So Microsoft has taken steps to get more use out of a particular Windows 11 exclusive called Smart App Control.
Smart App Control screens apps, analyzes them via Microsoft’s cloud security service, and determines if they’re safe. It works broadly across all programs too, whether installed directly by a user or via the Microsoft Store app. As a supplement to the antivirus, firewall, and other protections in Windows Security, it provides an additional layer of defense against compromised executables and malware.
Starting January 2025, Windows 11 could automatically start Smart App Control in an audit mode, where it monitors your usage to see if you’re a good candidate for the feature. (Some developers and gamers run programs that Smart App Control can interfere with.) If all’s well after 30 days, then it will automatically switch on.
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It’s possible though that your PC may not even have the audit mode turned on, as you may have set it up before this audit mode began rolling out to brand-new or freshly reset installations of Windows. So you should open Windows Security to double check your settings. Thanks to Microsoft’s February 10, 2026 Windows patch, all PCs are now eligible to activate this feature, not just new installations.
Head to App & browser control, then verify that Evaluation mode is selected. Pretty sure Smart App Control won’t conflict with your usual apps? You can also jump straight to turning the mode fully on.
Originally, Microsoft only allowed clean installs to use Smart App Control—the company said the policy better ensured the screening process began on an uncompromised system. But this latest tweak thankfully no longer creates a messy divide between users—security in general is already enough of a muddle, thanks to the explosion of scams, phishing attempts, malware, and other attacks in the last couple of years. It’s headache enough to manage a password manager, antivirus, and software updates.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in July 2025, and was updated in February 2026 to reflect the new changes to Microsoft’s Smart App Control feature.
Author: Alaina Yee, Senior Editor, PCWorld
A 15-year veteran of technology and video games journalism, Alaina Yee covers a variety of topics for PCWorld. Since joining the team in 2016, she’s written about CPUs, Windows, PC building, Chrome, Raspberry Pi, and much more—while also serving as PCWorld’s resident bargain hunter (#slickdeals). Currently her focus is on security, helping people understand how best to protect themselves online. Her work has previously appeared in PC Gamer, IGN, Maximum PC, and Official Xbox Magazine.
