Tuesday, May 9, 2023 – Can I disable the frustrating SmartScreen thing in Edge? – Ignore any Facebook message that contains this phrase

Question from Evan:  Ever since I upgraded my computer from Windows 10 to Windows 11 I’ve been getting occasional messages in Edge saying something called SmartScreen has blocked access to various websites I try to visit, claiming that the websites are unsafe.

The thing is these websites aren’t unsafe because I’ve been visiting them for years with no problems. One of them is a very popular national news website, for example.

I trust these websites and I don’t like never being able to access them. These messages only pop up three or four times a week, but they’re really getting on my nerves.

My question is can I disable this SmartScreen thing?

Rick’s answer:  The short answer to your question is yes, Evan. You can easily disable SmartScreen’s Edge browser protection and prevent it from blocking access to websites that it has deemed to be unsafe. And truth be told, I get frustrated as well when SmartScreen blocks my access to a website that I trust so I can certainly understand why you want to disable it.

But that being said, I believe you would be better served to leave SmartScreen enabled and manually choose to visit the blocked sites. Here’s how to bypass SmartScreen’s block for a site and visit it anyway:

1 – Click the More information link.

2 – Click the Continue to the unsafe site (not recommended) link.

3 – (Optional) – Click the Report that this site doesn’t contain malware threats link. If enough people click this link and report the blocked site as being safe there’s a good chance that SmartScreen will eventually top blocking it.

Simply choosing to access the blocked sites manually as explained above will allow you to still visit those sites (contrary to SmartScreen’s advice) while keeping SmartScreen working in the background to protect you from sites that really are unsafe.

Of course you do have the option to disable SmartScreen in Edge if you want to. If you decide to go that route just follow the steps below:

1 – Right-click on the Start button and select Settings from the menu.

2 – In the left-hand pane, click Privacy & security.

3 – In the right-hand pane, click Windows Security.

4 – Click Open Windows Security. A new dialog box should now be open on the screen.

5 – Click App & browser control.

6 – Click the Reputation-based protection settings link.

7 – Toggle the “SmartScreen for Microsoft Edge” setting to Off.

That’s all there is to it. If you made the decision to completely disable the SmartScreen filter for Edge you’ll no longer receive any blocked website notifications.

Just keep in mind that you’ll also no longer be protected against websites and downloads that truly are unsafe (and trust me, there are lots of them out there).

The latest from Rick’s Daily Tips Tech Blog…

• Scam alert: Ignore any Facebook message that contains this phrase

If you see it you’ll know right away that it’s a hoax.

• Q&A: Can you use two cable modems in the same house?

The answer is yes. This post explains how to get it set up.

• Click here to see today’s ‘Picture of the Day’.

Every morning I post a new photo that I find inspiring, intriguing, or just plain beautiful to look at. Jumpstart your day by checking it out.

Rick’s Daily Pick…

Loveledi 40000mAh Portable Charger/Power Bank

Need a way to keep your devices charged up and ready to go even when you don’t have AC power or a car charger available?

This portable charger/power bank has enough capacity to charge all of your devices multiple times.

Today’s post from ‘My Daily Smile’…

Yes, it really does rain cats and dogs.

And it happens more often than you might think.

Tech news that caught my eye…

• Data from Ookla Speedtest: Satisfaction with Starlink tops ISP rivals by a mile

• Windows 11’s Android subsystem now lets you assign memory to mobile apps

• Truecaller aims to help WhatsApp users combat spam

• XSS vulnerability found in popular WordPress plugins

• QR codes used in fake parking tickets, surveys to steal your money

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Thanks so much, and have an amazing day.

Your tech buddy,

Rick Rouse
https://www.RicksDailyTips.com