Andy Ful
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- Dec 23, 2014
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Post updated (28.06.2024).
Smart App Control (SAC) is a new & controversial security feature introduced with Windows 11.
Microsoft considers SAC an incredibly effective protection against malware. But, most users are not impressed due to issues with false positive detections.
In this thread, I present applications that can be used with SAC without issues.
Generally, apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store via the Get option should install/run/update without any issues. Microsoft Store uses the "Get" option for Universal Windows Platform apps, which have properly signed all installation components. Furthermore, these installations are fully managed by Microsoft Store service.
When the Install option is used, the desktop applications are installed. Although the desktop application installers from the Microsoft Store are digitally signed, some installation components can be unsigned. Furthermore, desktop applications can run temporary files which are unsigned. The desktop application updates are not managed via Microsoft Store. Such applications can be partially blocked by Smart App Control.
Here are some examples of useful apps from the Microsoft Store that work well with SAC. Most of them are delivered via the Get option, and some (developed by Microsoft) via the Install option:
Archiver apps: Explorer built-in (.zip, .7z, .rar, etc.), NanaZip.
CD/DVD Burn: ImgBurn, Ashampoo Burning Studio Free (*).
Creativity:
Adobe Photoshop Express,
Blender 3.6 LTS,
Cad+ (1 CAD),
IbisPaint (1 hour per day free),
Microsoft Clipchamp (built-in),
Microsoft Mesh,
PhotoScape X,
PhotoMind,
Pixel Art Studio Free,
PixiEditor,
Pixlr E,
Total Audio Recorder & Editor.
Ebook/PDF readers:
Aquile Reader ( ePub),
Bookviser Preview (PDF, ePub, FictionBook 2.0),
Cover (Comic Book, PDF),
FBReader (PDF, ePub, MOBI, XPS, CHM, Comic Book, DOC, FictionBook 2.0),
Fiction Book Reader Limited (ePub, MOBI),
Perfect PDF Reader (PDF, XPS, OXPS, ePub, MOBI, FictionBook 2.0),
Real Ebook Reader (CHM, PDF, XPS, ePub, DjVu, MOBI, Comic Book, FictionBook 2.0),
Thorium Reader (PDF, ePub, DAISY),
Total Ebook Reader (PDF, ePub, MOBI, XPS, CHM, Comic Book, DjVu),
Xodo PDF Reader & Editor (PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML, JPG, PNG, BMP, XPS, OXPS, TIFF).
Email clients: Mail (built-in), Outlook, eM Client, Thunderbird Email.
Entertainment: Netflix, Paint 3D,, TikTok.
Music: Spotify (built-in), Radio Suite, TuneIn Radio, SomaFM
Music players: Foobar 2000 classic, MusicBee, AIMP,
Office: WPS Office.
Photos: Irfanview, Photos (built-in).
Productivity:
Concepts,
FeedLab (RSS reader),
Microsoft Teams (built-in),
Microsoft To Do,
Microsoft Forms,
Microsoft Designer,
OneNote,
Sticky Notes (built-in).
Remote assistance: Quick Assist (built-in).
Screen capture: Screenpresso, ShareX.
Social: Instagram, Messenger, Skype (built-in), WhatsApp.
Video players: All Video Player HD, Kodi, MPV, Media Player (built-in), SMPlayer, VLC (UWP app).
Web browsers: Edge (built-in), Firefox, Google Chrome (*)
Others: Bitwarden, Microsoft PC Manager, Sysinternals Suite.
(*) - desktop (non-UWP) applications
These apps are pretty good for simple tasks at home. They can be useful for novice computer users when SAC is applied for more security.
Smart App Control (SAC) is a new & controversial security feature introduced with Windows 11.
What is Smart App Control? - Microsoft Support
Smart App Control is a feature of Windows 11 that helps to block malicious, untrusted, or potentially unwanted apps from running on your device.
support.microsoft.com
Microsoft considers SAC an incredibly effective protection against malware. But, most users are not impressed due to issues with false positive detections.
In this thread, I present applications that can be used with SAC without issues.
Generally, apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store via the Get option should install/run/update without any issues. Microsoft Store uses the "Get" option for Universal Windows Platform apps, which have properly signed all installation components. Furthermore, these installations are fully managed by Microsoft Store service.
When the Install option is used, the desktop applications are installed. Although the desktop application installers from the Microsoft Store are digitally signed, some installation components can be unsigned. Furthermore, desktop applications can run temporary files which are unsigned. The desktop application updates are not managed via Microsoft Store. Such applications can be partially blocked by Smart App Control.
Here are some examples of useful apps from the Microsoft Store that work well with SAC. Most of them are delivered via the Get option, and some (developed by Microsoft) via the Install option:
Archiver apps: Explorer built-in (.zip, .7z, .rar, etc.), NanaZip.
CD/DVD Burn: ImgBurn, Ashampoo Burning Studio Free (*).
Creativity:
Adobe Photoshop Express,
Blender 3.6 LTS,
Cad+ (1 CAD),
IbisPaint (1 hour per day free),
Microsoft Clipchamp (built-in),
Microsoft Mesh,
PhotoScape X,
PhotoMind,
Pixel Art Studio Free,
PixiEditor,
Pixlr E,
Total Audio Recorder & Editor.
Ebook/PDF readers:
Aquile Reader ( ePub),
Bookviser Preview (PDF, ePub, FictionBook 2.0),
Cover (Comic Book, PDF),
FBReader (PDF, ePub, MOBI, XPS, CHM, Comic Book, DOC, FictionBook 2.0),
Fiction Book Reader Limited (ePub, MOBI),
Perfect PDF Reader (PDF, XPS, OXPS, ePub, MOBI, FictionBook 2.0),
Real Ebook Reader (CHM, PDF, XPS, ePub, DjVu, MOBI, Comic Book, FictionBook 2.0),
Thorium Reader (PDF, ePub, DAISY),
Total Ebook Reader (PDF, ePub, MOBI, XPS, CHM, Comic Book, DjVu),
Xodo PDF Reader & Editor (PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML, JPG, PNG, BMP, XPS, OXPS, TIFF).
Email clients: Mail (built-in), Outlook, eM Client, Thunderbird Email.
Entertainment: Netflix, Paint 3D,, TikTok.
Music: Spotify (built-in), Radio Suite, TuneIn Radio, SomaFM
Music players: Foobar 2000 classic, MusicBee, AIMP,
Office: WPS Office.
Photos: Irfanview, Photos (built-in).
Productivity:
Concepts,
FeedLab (RSS reader),
Microsoft Teams (built-in),
Microsoft To Do,
Microsoft Forms,
Microsoft Designer,
OneNote,
Sticky Notes (built-in).
Remote assistance: Quick Assist (built-in).
Screen capture: Screenpresso, ShareX.
Social: Instagram, Messenger, Skype (built-in), WhatsApp.
Video players: All Video Player HD, Kodi, MPV, Media Player (built-in), SMPlayer, VLC (UWP app).
Web browsers: Edge (built-in), Firefox, Google Chrome (*)
Others: Bitwarden, Microsoft PC Manager, Sysinternals Suite.
(*) - desktop (non-UWP) applications
These apps are pretty good for simple tasks at home. They can be useful for novice computer users when SAC is applied for more security.
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