When installing a third-party app on your Windows computer, you might have come across a "The app you are trying to install isn't a Microsoft-verified app" message that prevents the installation of the app at times.
This message usually appears for the third-party apps that you download from the Internet. Thankfully, it is not the end of the world, and you can easily bypass that wall.
There are multiple ways to do that depending on the version of Windows you have. But before we head to that, let us understand what Windows exactly means by "Microsoft-verified" apps.
What are Microsoft-verified Apps?
It simply means apps that come from the Microsoft store. Microsoft also allows third-party developers to digitally sign their app using Microsoft Authenticode Technology to ensure the integrity of the data and also prevent any dialog box to appear when you are trying to install the software.
However, since not every developer opts for it, you can occasionally experience the warning pop-up. That doesn't mean the app is harmful or malicious, but it also transfers the responsibility of making sure that the app isn't malicious onto your shoulders.
Now that you understand what Microsoft-verified apps are, let's get down to how to disable the message.
Disable Microsoft-verified App from the Settings App
First, head to the Start Menu and click on the 'Settings' icon.
After that, click on the 'Apps' tab from the left sidebar to proceed.
Next, click on the 'Advanced app settings' tile from the right section.
On the next screen, click on the dropdown on the 'Choose where to get apps' tile.
Then, click on the 'Anywhere' option from the list.
You should now be able to install any apps on your system from anywhere. But remember that the responsibility to ensure that these apps are safe for your system falls on you now.
Use Group Policy Editor
You can also use the Group Policy Editor to make this change if you're more comfortable using it or if you need to change the setting for a group of PCs in your organization.
First, head to the Start Menu and type 'Group Policy' to perform a search. Then, click on the 'Group policy editor' tile to proceed.
After that, click on the 'Computer Configuration' section to expand it. Then, double-click on the 'Administrative templates'. Finally, expand the 'Windows Components' section.
Next, locate and click on the 'Windows Defender SmartScreen' folder.
Then, double-click on the 'Explorer' folder to proceed.
After that, click on the 'Configure App install control' setting to proceed. This will open a new window on your screen.
Now, first, click on the 'Enabled' option. Then, click on the dropdown menu under the 'Options' section and select the 'Turn Off Recommendations' option. Finally, click on the 'Apply' and 'OK' buttons to save the changes.
Disable Microsoft Store Entirely
If you landed here finding a way to completely disable the Microsoft Store, follow the below-mentioned instructions. You can either achieve it using 'Registry Editor', 'Group Policy Editor', or 'Local Security Policy' tools. For your ease of convenience, we have listed them all here.
Using Registry Editor
First, head to the Start Menu and type 'Registry' to perform a search. From the search results, click on the 'Registry Editor' tile.
Then, copy+paste or type the below-mentioned address in the address bar and hit Enter to navigate to it.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\
Next, right-click on the 'Microsoft' key and hover over the 'New' option. Then, click on the 'Key' option and rename the new key to WindowsStore.
After you have created a key, head to the right section of the window and right-click to bring up the context menu. Next, hover over the 'New' option and select the 'DWORD' option. Make sure you rename the DWORD file to RemoveWindowsStore.
Once done, double-click on the 'RemoveWindowsStore' DWORD file and enter 0 in the value field. Then, click on 'OK' to save the changes.
Once done, restart your PC to let the changes take effect.
Use Group Policy Editor
Head to the Start Menu and type 'Group Policy' to perform a search. From the search results, click on the 'Group policy editor' tile.
After that, double-click on the 'Computer Configuration' option. Then, expand the 'Administrative Template' option. Next, double-click on the 'Windows Components' section.
Afterward, click on the 'Store' option. Then, from the right section of the window, double-click on the 'Store' option.
Next, double-click on the 'Turn off the Store application' setting. This will bring an overlay window to your screen.
On the properties window, click on the 'Enabled' option and then click on the 'Apply' and 'OK' buttons to save the changes. Once done, restart your PC to let the changes take effect.
Use Local Security Policy
Head to the Start Menu and type 'Local Security' to proceed. Then, from the search results, click on the 'Local Security Policy' tile.
Then, make sure you have selected the 'Security settings' option from the left section of the window. Next, double-click on the 'Software restriction policy' section to expand it. After that, click on the 'Additional rules' option.
Finally, right-click in the right section of the window and select the 'New Path Rule' option from the menu. This will bring an overlay window to your screen.
Afterward, type or copy+paste the below-mentioned directory in the 'Path' field. Next, click on the 'Security level' dropdown and select the 'Disallowed' option. Finally, click on the 'Apply' and 'OK' button.
%programfiles%\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsStore*
Restart your PC after completing the previous step to let the changes take effect.
Turning off the warning message for not installing a Microsoft-verified app is easy. Moreover, using the above-mentioned method, you can also disable the Microsoft Store on your Windows 11 computer, if you were looking for that. Whatever your need, this guide caters to it
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