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Today when I typed gpedit.msc in the Windows 10 search box and in the Run window (Win + R) I couldn't run the Group Policy editor.

There's this annoying error I'm getting at times when I try to run certain software: "An administrator has blocked this app for your protection." The only account on this laptop is my own. So I am the administrator.

What can I do to resolve this? According to this FreeCodeCamp post, the solution to this error is to toggle a setting in User Account Control using gpedit.

With the Group Policy, you can make changes you won't easily find anywhere else on your computer.

One of these changes can be made on the User Accounts Control (UAC) to allow apps to escape the administrator check.

To make the changes that will get rid of the error, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Press WIN + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialogue.

Step 2: In the run dialogue, type in "gpedit.msc" and hit ENTER on your keyboard.

...

P.S. I'm using Windows 10 Home. My laptop came preinstalled with it.

cst1992
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2 Answers2

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If you are running Windows 10/11 Home Edition, here is how to enable the group policy editor:

Open Command Prompt (CMD) in administrator mode and run the following commands:

FOR %F IN ("%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientTools-Package~*.mum") DO (DISM /Online /NoRestart /Add-Package:"%F")
FOR %F IN ("%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientExtensions-Package~*.mum") DO (DISM /Online /NoRestart /Add-Package:"%F")

After the commands are successfully executed, do Run > gpedit.msc. This will now open the group policy editor in your Windows Home edition.

harrymc
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You are going about this the wrong way. You don't need GPEdit. There is nothing that it does that can't be enabled via the registry anyways.

The warning is a good thing and easy to get around.

I suggest the following and leave the actual settings alone

  1. Right click on the application giving the warning and select "Properties".
  2. Look at the "General" tab.. down at the bottom. Look for [X]Unblock. Uncheck it and select OK.
  3. If you don't see the checkbox you might be using a shortcut and need to go directly to the file. In this case, on the "Shortcut tab" choose [Open File Location] and start back at step 1.

If you want this behavior permanently disabled

  1. Open your search bar [WinKey]+s and type "SmartScreen".
  2. Find and select "reputation-based protection settings"
  3. Turn off -> Check apps and files
  4. Turn off -> Potentially unwanted app blocking
Señor CMasMas
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