A Windows 11 update grayed out the switch for Smart App Control on some PCs. Microsoft has fixed it, so anyone who had the feature off can now turn it on.
Microsoft has fixed a bug that stopped some Windows 11 users from turning on Smart App Control, a built-in security feature. The problem started after the October 2026 security update, known as KB5127648. If your PC had the feature switched off at the time, the button to turn it on may have been grayed out.
Smart App Control helps block risky apps and files before they run. It works alongside SmartScreen and Microsoft Defender, two other Microsoft protections. After the October update, some PCs running Windows 11 version 24H2 or later could not switch it on in the Windows Security app.
Microsoft has now confirmed the problem is solved in updates released October 28, 2026 and later. That includes the preview update KB5127936. A preview update is an optional update released ahead of the regular monthly one.
Microsoft says PCs that already had Smart App Control turned on were not affected and stayed protected. If that describes your computer, nothing was lost. The bug only mattered for people who had the feature off and wanted to turn it on.
A grayed-out switch is easy to miss. Someone could have tried to turn the feature on, hit a wall, and assumed it was not available on their PC. Those users may have gone weeks with less protection than they expected. For small businesses, the same gap could have sat quietly on several computers at once.
The alert box above lists the exact steps. In short, install the latest Windows update, then check the Windows Security app to see whether Smart App Control can be turned on. Microsoft recommends installing the latest security update in any case, since it carries other fixes too.
Businesses that manage their own computers have another option. Microsoft published a temporary workaround for IT admins who would rather not install the preview update and prefer to wait for next month's regular updates. It involves changing a registry setting or using Group Policy, then restarting the device. This is a job for the person who runs your IT.
The same preview update also fixes two other known problems. One is Remote Desktop failures on PCs with the Administrator protection feature turned on. The other is Always On VPN trouble that came from the September 2026 cumulative updates. If your business relies on either, that is another reason to check for updates.
It is not clear how many PCs were affected. Microsoft has not been reported as giving a number. The next regular monthly updates are expected to carry the fix for everyone who waits.
If Smart App Control was off on your Windows 11 PC, update Windows and check whether you can now turn it on.
The Attala County Sheriff's Office in Mississippi says scam calls are reaching residents, and a call that sounds official may not be.
Read more: Mississippi sheriff warns residents about scam phone callsScammers are posing as Texas sheriff's officers and claiming you missed jury duty. Caller ID can show a real police number even when the call is fake.
Read more: Fake jury duty calls spoof a real Texas sheriff's phone numberFake PayPal emails and texts, some posing as a security report, try to get you to tap a link and type your login. Checking your account directly avoids the trap.
Read more: Got a fake PayPal message? Skip its link and check your account yourself
