Solved Microsoft Defender's Smart Screen

Josey Wales · Jan 8, 2024

I had to turn off Smart Screen in order to run Paint.Net which has been in The Windows Store for a few years. This is insane! Has this happened to anyone else?

Ghot · Jan 8, 2024

Josey Wales said:
I had to turn off Smart Screen in order to run Paint.Net which has been in The Windows Store for a few years. This is insane! Has this happened to anyone else?

I disabled Smart Screen because I don't always "trust" Microsoft's rulings on things.
Sometimes they flag competitors just because they're competitors. :/

JAM83 · Jan 8, 2024

Ghot said:
I disabled Smart Screen because I don't always "trust" Microsoft's rulings on things.
Sometimes they flag competitors just because they're competitors. :/

I disabled the entire Windows Defender. . . . I have MBAM installed, but i don't keep it running 100% of the time.

Ghot · Jan 8, 2024

JAM83 said:
I disabled the entire Windows Defender. . . . I have MBAM installed, but i don't keep it running 100% of the time.

Well, I let Bitdefender Internet Security take over from Windows Defender.
And then...

BamaInArk · Jan 8, 2024

I ran Paint.net fine here. Then started looking for Smart Screen settings and can't even find it. Supposedly turned off in Edge but not showing up for me. If it's only used with Edge then why would Edge flag a program?
I do find a security setting called Smart App Control but mines off.

oldschool · Jan 8, 2024

BamaInArk said:
I ran Paint.net fine here. Then started looking for Smart Screen settings and can't even find it. Supposedly turned off in Edge but not showing up for me. If it's only used with Edge then why would Edge flag a program?

There is Smartscreen in Edge but also system-wide. You may find the latter at Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection.

Smart App Control is a supposed to be a "user friendly" version of Windows Defender Application Control for individuals and small businesses. Otherwise this subject is OT.

BamaInArk · Jan 8, 2024

oldschool said:
There is Smartscreen in Edge but also system-wide. You may find the latter at Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection.

Ah...there it is. It is "ON" but no warning from Paint.net.

glasskuter · Jan 8, 2024

I just checked mine.... I had no idea mine was turned off because I never did it. Come to find out I find per MS
"You have optional diagnostic data in Windows turned off. If you want to turn Smart App Control on, you'll need to reset this PC, or reinstall Windows, and select Send optional diagnostic data during the setup process.
Yep. I definitely set that option every time I set up Windows so no Smartscreen for me. Oh Me, how in the world will I make it without it. .
:plead:

Fabler2 · Jan 9, 2024

Check Apps and Files is on on mine and usually has a wobbler when updating ShareX

Josey Wales · Jan 9, 2024

This has happened to me in the past, I have been using this apt for many years. It is running OK this morning. Maybe MS did not like The Linux Wallpaper that I was modding?

neves · Jan 9, 2024

Even tho, i agree that Microsoft can be immorally greedy at times. This is not one of those cases. Paint.NET devs actually struck a deal with Microsoft - to offer it as commercial/paid version on Microsoft Store (instead of donations - since it's still free). But it's also available Free trough WinGet. The WinGet version doesn't have a predefined security profile - so it will be blocked by default. Thus, you just have to allow it manually (you can find it in Protection History) - and it works just fine. The usual for most 3rd party apps - quite far from a conspiracy theory. Paint.NET does come with more options/feature compared to Paint - but that's not say Microsoft sees it as competition. The thing is... Paint, Notepad, Windows Media Player, Windows Image Viewer - are just "BASIC" tools available out of the box on Microsoft Windows. Each and everyone of this tools - have a far fare better "free" alternative among the 3rd party apps. Microsoft invests the bare minimum in this projects - since they don't care to compete - more like offering a basic option out of the box. After all - they get 0 revenue from this project.

If we're talking about competitive Microsoft apps - then we're talking about something like Microsoft Edge - which has more people working on it than all the other devs working on basics apps put together. Since the browsers business is booming - for those who have the largest share. And thus, Microsoft wants its piece of the pie - investing quite a lot in feature like BING meant to compete with Google, or Edge - meant to compete with Google Chrome... not to mention A.I. more recently.

That being said - Windows simply changed some security policies and that's bound to keep happening with future releases. But hey, at the same time - there's also the options to strip almost every security feature and use it like Windows XP. Which is perfectly fine if that's your choice - but don't also expect the system to be magically secure as well. Even if - with all the security features activated - there's still room for bugs and security vulnerabilities which can be exploited. Stripped down of every security feature - your system will also become a target for kids playing hacking games with exploiting tools available on google.

JAM83 · Jan 10, 2024

Ghot said:
Well, I let Bitdefender Internet Security take over from Windows Defender.
And then...

View attachment 83588

That's another way to do it :)

Josey Wales · Jan 10, 2024

neves said:
Even tho, i agree that Microsoft can be immorally greedy at times. This is not one of those cases. Paint.NET devs actually struck a deal with Microsoft - to offer it as commercial/paid version on Microsoft Store (instead of donations - since it's still free). But it's also available Free trough WinGet. The WinGet version doesn't have a predefined security profile - so it will be blocked by default. Thus, you just have to allow it manually (you can find it in Protection History) - and it works just fine. The usual for most 3rd party apps - quite far from a conspiracy theory. Paint.NET does come with more options/feature compared to Paint - but that's not say Microsoft sees it as competition. The thing is... Paint, Notepad, Windows Media Player, Windows Image Viewer - are just "BASIC" tools available out of the box on Microsoft Windows. Each and everyone of this tools - have a far fare better "free" alternative among the 3rd party apps. Microsoft invests the bare minimum in this projects - since they don't care to compete - more like offering a basic option out of the box. After all - they get 0 revenue from this project.

If we're talking about competitive Microsoft apps - then we're talking about something like Microsoft Edge - which has more people working on it than all the other devs working on basics apps put together. Since the browsers business is booming - for those who have the largest share. And thus, Microsoft wants its piece of the pie - investing quite a lot in feature like BING meant to compete with Google, or Edge - meant to compete with Google Chrome... not to mention A.I. more recently.

That being said - Windows simply changed some security policies and that's bound to keep happening with future releases. But hey, at the same time - there's also the options to strip almost every security feature and use it like Windows XP. Which is perfectly fine if that's your choice - but don't also expect the system to be magically secure as well. Even if - with all the security features activated - there's still room for bugs and security vulnerabilities which can be exploited. Stripped down of every security feature - your system will also become a target for kids playing hacking games with exploiting tools available on google.

I get mine from their Website. Everything is OK with it now, There is No security issue with it!

Get Paint.Net

Bubba · Jan 14, 2024

Josey Wales said:
I had to turn off Smart Screen in order to run Paint.Net which has been in The Windows Store for a few years. This is insane! Has this happened to anyone else?

I turned it off cos it wouldn't allow me to install a legit 100% retail version of a Nuance product. (PDF, OCR etc) related. MS are so dictatorial if you ask me. I understand the need for safety but this is ridiculous. Where does it end?

BruceR · Jan 14, 2024

Josey Wales said:
I had to turn off Smart Screen in order to run Paint.Net which has been in The Windows Store for a few years. This is insane! Has this happened to anyone else?

Bubba said:
I turned it off cos it wouldn't allow me to install a legit 100% retail version of a Nuance product. (PDF, OCR etc) related. MS are so dictatorial if you ask me. I understand the need for safety but this is ridiculous. Where does it end?

SmartScreen never blocks any file completely. "More info" gets you to "Run anyway":

EXAMPLE: "Windows protected your PC" warning from Microsoft Defender SmartScreen

Josey Wales · Jan 14, 2024

BruceR said:
SmartScreen never blocks any file completely. "More info" gets you to "Run anyway":

EXAMPLE: "Windows protected your PC" warning from Microsoft Defender SmartScreen

It did mine, said parts of it were unsafe. After the last Win 11 update it started to work again.

Bubba · Jan 14, 2024

BruceR said:
SmartScreen never blocks any file completely. "More info" gets you to "Run anyway":

EXAMPLE: "Windows protected your PC" warning from Microsoft Defender SmartScreen

Tried all the instructions nothing turned it back on thanks anyway
Bubba