You can disable SmartScreen Filter in Windows 10, if this feature in Windows Security is slowing down your computer and preventing you from downloading apps and files on your computer.
Disable SmartScreen Filter in Windows 10
SmartScreen Filter is a Windows Security feature designed to automatically scan websites, apps, files and downloads on your computer for potentially harmful content.
When it is enabled, SmartScreen Filter provides an additional layer of security to your device, in addition to Microsoft Defender or any Third Party Antivirus program installed on your computer.
However, sometimes SmartScreen Filter is known to prevent genuine or harmless content from being downloaded on the computer.
Users have also reported being unable to download their own files in Word, Excel and other formats from Google Drive.
The only way to download apps and files in such cases is to disable SmartScreen Filter and enable it back after downloading the required files on your computer.
Steps to Turn OFF SmartScreen Filter in Windows 10
Follow the steps below to disable SmartScreen Filter on your Windows 10 computer.
1. Open Settings and click on Update & Security tab.
2. Click on Windows Security in the left pane. In the right-pane, click on Apps and Browser Control.
3. On Apps & Browsers Control screen, click on Reputation-based Protection Settings.
4. On the next screen, disable Check Apps and Files and SmartScreen for Microsoft Edge.
Note: When you disable SmartScreen Filter, you will see a Yellow Hazard Sign and Warning about your computer being vulnerable. You can ignore this warning or click on Dismiss to clear.
On the same screen, you will see the options to Enable or Disable Potentially Unwanted App Blocking and SmartScreen for Windows Store Apps.
You should be able to download the App or file that was being blocked on your computer, without disabling these two options.
