Latest Windows update disables key security setting – but there’s a workaround

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The October Home windows replace disables Good App Management.
• You’re unable to activate the function if it’s turned off.
• You’ll be able to briefly squash the bug via a Registry hack.

Microsoft’s month-to-month Home windows updates at all times appear to sneak in some new bug that impacts an necessary function or setting. And that’s the case with this month’s replace.

Additionally: 5 apps I at all times set up on new Home windows PCs – and most are free

Rolled out on October 13, the most recent Patch Tuesday replace for Home windows 11 has a glitch that disables a safety setting for Good App Management. Added to Home windows 11 in 2022, Good App Management blocks doubtlessly malicious or suspicious apps and information from infecting your laptop. Stronger and stricter than among the different built-in safety settings, that is designed to guard you towards new and rising threats.

Learn how to test when you’re affected

Microsoft says that it’s engaged on a repair for this bug and can present an replace in a future launch. Within the meantime, you will get previous the glitch by including two keys to the Home windows Registry. Microsoft has supplied the steps for doing that.

Additionally: This free Home windows 11 software can rescue your PC when issues go mistaken

First, although, you’ll wish to see when you’re affected. Go to Settings, choose Privateness & safety, after which click on Home windows Safety. Within the part for Safety areas, choose the one for App & browser management. Within the new window that pops up, click on the hyperlink for Good App Management settings. If the choice is presently set to Off and the one for On is grayed out, you then’ve been hit by the bug.

Lance Whitney/ZDNET

To get previous this, kind cmd within the Search field to open a command immediate window. However select the choice to run as administrator; in any other case, you gained’t be capable of modify the Registry.

On the command immediate, kind the next instructions one after the opposite:

reg add “HKLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetPoliciesMicrosoftFeatureManagementOverrides” /v 2883193997 /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

reg add “HKLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetPoliciesMicrosoftFeatureManagementOverrides” /v 2850574478 /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

After every command, it’s best to obtain a affirmation that the operation accomplished efficiently. In that case, shut the command immediate and reboot your PC. Log again in and head to the identical Good App Management settings display screen. It is best to now see that the On choice is as soon as once more obtainable, permitting you to activate the function.

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Generally, I feel it’s a good suggestion to allow Good App Management to defend you from doubtlessly malicious apps and information. The one draw back is that it will possibly get in your means when you obtain or set up a variety of information from unfamiliar sources. In that case, you possibly can at all times flip it off. However attempt it for some time to see when you can stay with it, as it will possibly forestall unknown malware from infecting your system.

Lance Whitney is a know-how journalist with an IT background. He is written for TechRepublic, PCMag, Macworld, and Time, amongst others, He additionally teaches courses in AI, cybersecurity, and social media.

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