Can no longer bypass App Store Installation Warning

Been using Win 11 Home for about a month, now on build 22000.376, and suddenly have this odd issue starting today. When I try to run/install an app or utility which I did not obtain from the Microsoft App Store, the usual warning comes up with the option to "install anyway" or go to the App Store. But clicking on the the "install anyway" choice does nothing and does not allow me to proceed as it normally does. Clicking on the other options on the warning screen (for going to the app store, learn more, etc.) also does nothing. I'm logged in as an administrator, on a local account. It doesn't matter whether I try running the programs normally, or specifically choosing "run as administrator," same result. Rebooting also did not fix the problem.

To gain access to run these programs again, I changed the Windows apps setting to allow me to get apps from anywhere without a warning, and that seems to at least allow me to run/install these programs again. But I'd rather have the "warning" feature in place, and I'm wondering if this is a sign of other problems. I could not find a similar issue through google searches. Any ideas? FWIW, this is using a local account, not logged in to MS (but I've been running that way for most of this time without this issue). My internet connection seems to be working fine, if that's a factor.

You have to unblock the file you have downloaded from file properties.

Thanks, but I checked the file properties for the apps in question, and there's no "unblock" option present in the file properties for their executables. At least if there was one, it's not showing now. The only attributes showing are Read Only and Hidden (both unchecked).

Just to be clear, these are not recently-downloaded files that I'm just now trying to install. These are programs that were downloaded and installed some time ago, and have been run many times before without this problem, until today.

If you are seen below message, then you need to unblock the file before executing the file.

Thanks, but that's not quite the warning message I was getting. The warning was much like the one below, but with the an option to "Install anyway." However, clicking on the "Install anyway" choice had no effect--the programs would not run and the warning screen would not go away.



As I said in my original post, going to my apps settings and disabling this feature (to check if apps came from the Windows Apps Store) solves this problem, but I was just wondering why it quit working as it had been. I have not bothered to try re-enabling to see if it begins working again.

Smithee said:

Thanks, but that's not quite the warning message I was getting. The warning was much like the one below, but with the an option to "Install anyway." However, clicking on the "Install anyway" choice had no effect--the programs would not run and the warning screen would not go away.

As I said in my original post, going to my apps settings and disabling this feature (to check if apps came from the Windows Apps Store) solves this problem, but I was just wondering why it quit working as it had been. I have not bothered to try re-enabling to see if it begins working again.

Click to expand...

Go in Settings>Apps>Apps & Features

Where you see "Choose Where To Get Apps" Change it to "Everywhere" and see if that helps

JMedlock83 said:

Smithee said:

As I said in my original post, going to my apps settings and disabling this feature (to check if apps came from the Windows Apps Store) solves this problem, but…

Click to expand...

“Where you see "Choose Where To Get Apps" Change it to "Everywhere" and see if that helpsWhere you see "Choose Where To Get Apps" Change it to "Everywhere" and see if that helps

Click to expand...

That’s not what they’re asking.
OP, have you made any changes to the Zone security in Internet Options lately? Making it more strict can cause this — which might be why you weren’t required to “unblock” the downloads under more relaxed (default?) settings.

@Smithee

Fix “The app you’re trying to install isn’t a Microsoft-verified app” in Windows 10 | Password Recovery

You say you can install apps without a warning try this setting 3rd n option down. In Settings > Apps > Apps and Features