Unblock File in Windows 10  

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    Unblock File in Windows 10

    Unblock File in Windows 10

    How to Unblock a File in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Security System
    29 Aug 2021
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Unblock a File in Windows 10


    The Attachment Manager is included in Windows to help protect your PC from unsafe attachments that you might receive with an e-mail message and from unsafe files that you might save from the Internet. If the Attachment Manager identifies an attachment that might be unsafe, the Attachment Manager prevents (blocks) you from opening the file, or it warns you before you open the file.

    It uses the IAttachmentExecute application programming interface (API) to find the file type, to find the file association. When one of these applications saves a downloaded file on a disk formatted with NTFS, then it updates the metadata for the file with the zone it was downloaded from. The metadata is saved as an Alternate Data Stream (ADS). If you wish to unblock a downloaded file, you can do so by right-clicking it, selecting Properties and clicking on Unblock.

    The following determine whether you are prevented from opening the file or whether you are warned before you open the file:
    • The type of program that you are using.
    • The file type that you are downloading or trying to open
    • The security settings of the Web content zone that you are downloading the file from.
      • Internet
      • Local intranet
      • Trusted sites
      • Restricted sites

    The Attachment Manager classifies files that you receive or that you download based on the file type and the file name extension. Attachment Manager classifies files types as high risk, medium risk, and low risk.
    • High Risk – If the attachment is in the list of high risk file types and is from the restricted zone, Windows blocks the user from accessing the file. If the file is from the Internet zone, Windows prompts the user with a Windows Security Warning: Windows found that this file is potentially harmful. To help protect your computer, Windows has blocked access to this file.
    • Moderate Risk – If the attachment is in the list of moderate risk file types and is from the restricted or Internet zone, Windows prompts the user with a warning: "The publisher could not be verified. Are you sure you want to run this software?".
    • Low Risk – If the attachment is in the list of low risk file types, Windows will not prompt the user before accessing the file, regardless of the file’s zone information.

    The Open File - Security Warning prompt is a security measure that will ask for your permission before opening a file on your PC that came from an unknown source such as the Internet or another PC.

    Windows SmartScreen helps keep your PC safer by warning you before running unrecognized apps and files downloaded from the Internet.

    Open File - Security Warning and Windows SmartScreen automatically blocks these types of apps and files until you unblock them.
    Starting with Windows 10 build 17639, if you have Windows Defender Application Guard turned on, blocked files will have a Unblock File in Windows 10-blocked.png icon overlay on the file's icon to indicate the file is currently blocked.

    This tutorial will show you different ways on how to unblock files that are blocked by Open File - Security Warning and Windows SmartScreen in Windows 10.

    Be sure to only unblock files that you trust to avoid compromising the security of your PC.



    Contents




    EXAMPLE: Blocked file when Windows Defender Application Guard is turned on
    Unblock File in Windows 10-blocked_file.jpg






    OPTION ONE

    Unblock File in Properties


    1 Right click or press and hold on the blocked file, and click/tap on Properties.

    2 Click/tap on the General tab, check the Unblock box at the bottom, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

    If you do not see a Unblock checkbox, then the file is not blocked.

    Unblock File in Windows 10-unblock_file_in_properties-1.png

    3 If prompted, click/tap on Continue, and click/tap on click/tap on Yes (if administrator) or enter password of administrator (if standard user) for UAC prompt. (see screenshot below)

    You will only be prompted if the file is in a location that your user account does not have access rights to by default.

    Unblock File in Windows 10-unblock_file_in_properties-2.png






    OPTION TWO

    Unblock File in Open File - Security Warning


    1 Open or run the blocked file to trigger the Open File - Security Warning prompt.

    2 In the Open File - Security Warning prompt, uncheck the Always ask before opening this file box, and click/tap on the Open or Run button. (see screenshots below)

    Unblock File in Windows 10-unblock_file_in_open_file_security_warning.png Unblock File in Windows 10-unblock_file_in_open_file_security_warning-2.png

    3 If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes (if administrator) or enter password of administrator (if standard user).

    You will only be prompted if the file is in a location that your user account does not have access rights to by default.







    OPTION THREE

    Unblock App or File in Windows Defender SmartScreen


    1 Open or run the blocked app or file to trigger the Windows SmartScreen.

    2 Click/tap on the More info link. (see screenshot below)

    Unblock File in Windows 10-windows_smartscreen-1.png

    3 Click/tap on the Run anyway button. (see screenshot below)

    Unblock File in Windows 10-windows_smartscreen-2.png






    OPTION FOUR

    Unblock a Single File in PowerShell


    1 Open Windows PowerShell or an elevated Windows PowerShell depending on if your user account has access rights to where the blocked file is located.

    2 Type the command below into PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    unblock-file -path "full path of blocked file"

    Substitute full path of blocked file in the command above with the actual full path of the blocked file (with file extension) that you want to unblock.

    For example: unblock-file -path "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop\Example.reg"

    Unblock File in Windows 10-unblock_file_in_powershell.png






    OPTION FIVE

    Unblock All Files in a Folder in PowerShell


    1 Open Windows PowerShell or an elevated Windows PowerShell depending on if your user account has access rights to where the folder containing the blocked file(s) is located.

    2 Type the command you want to use below into PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    (without confirmation prompt)
    get-childitem "full path of folder" | unblock-file

    OR

    (with confirmation prompt)
    get-childitem "full path of folder" | unblock-file -confirm

    Substitute full path of folder in the command above with the actual full path of the folder that contains the blocked file(s) you want to unblock.

    For example:

    get-childitem "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop" | unblock-file

    OR

    get-childitem "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop" | unblock-file -confirm

    Unblock File in Windows 10-unblock_all_files_in_folder_in_powershell.png






    OPTION SIX

    Unblock Files in a Folder and every Subfolder in PowerShell


    1 Open Windows PowerShell or an elevated Windows PowerShell depending on if your user account has access rights to where the folder containing the blocked file(s) is located.

    2 Type the command you want to use below into PowerShell, and press Enter.

    (without confirmation prompt)
    get-childitem "full path of folder" -recurse | unblock-file

    OR

    (with confirmation prompt)
    get-childitem "full path of folder" -recurse | unblock-file -confirm

    Substitute full path of folder in the command above with the actual full path of the folder that contains the blocked file(s) you want to unblock.

    For example:

    get-childitem "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop" -recurse | unblock-file

    OR

    get-childitem "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop" -recurse| unblock-file -confirm

    Unblock File in Windows 10-unblock_files_recurse.png






    OPTION SEVEN

    Unblock File(s) using Context Menu



    That's it,
    Shawn Brink






  1. Posts : 97
    win 10
       #1

    Sorry but for option 2 in which way i entre in Windows SmartScreen ??

    Thank
    Hispa
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hello Hispa,

    I think you meant option 3 instead. If so, then it's only if a Windows SmartScreen warning is given when you try to open a blocked file instead of the other options.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 32
    Windows 10
       #3

    Brink, you never cease to amaze, option one worked for me perfectly, was having some problems with my frequent folders not showing up after a blue screen. Everything is back to normal.

    Thank you.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Glad it could RealPetChicken. :)
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 1
    Win5,7,8,10
       #5

    And because you could also have the UAC blocked file message....
    Unblock File in Windows 10-win8to10-vmware-workstation_2015-08-13_16-01-13.jpg
    ... which is resolved by the old "activate/use administrator" trick.
    Seems M$ have targeted all Samsung software to be auto-blocked.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 5,439
    Windows 11 Home
       #6

    To disable blocking completely, you can run those via CMD as admin:

    rem 1808 - Disable the warning The Publisher could not be verified
    reg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Associations" /v "DefaultFileTypeRisk" /t REG_DWORD /d 1808 /f

    rem Disable Security warning to unblock the downloaded file
    reg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Attachments" /v "SaveZoneInformation" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 2
    Windows 10
       #7

    HungryGeorge said:
    And because you could also have the UAC blocked file message....
    Unblock File in Windows 10-win8to10-vmware-workstation_2015-08-13_16-01-13.jpg
    ... which is resolved by the old "activate/use administrator" trick.
    Seems M$ have targeted all Samsung software to be auto-blocked.
    Can you tell me this trick, or link to it?
    It's the exact problem I have but I haven been unable to find a solution to unblocking the app in question
    I might be using the wrong keywords to search.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Hello DWoodhouse, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)

    I believe George is referring to enabling and signing into the built-in Administrator account to workaround it. Just be warned that everything than runs while signed into this account will run elevated. That will be very bad news if malware was allowed to run by mistake.

    https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2...dows-10-a.html
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 2
    Windows 10
       #9

    Brink said:
    Hello DWoodhouse, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)

    I believe George is referring to enabling and signing into the built-in Administrator account to workaround it. Just be warned that everything than runs while signed into this account will run elevated. That will be very bad news if malware was allowed to run by mistake.

    https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2...dows-10-a.html
    Thank you!
    I have tried that and it worked so far that I was able to use the program on there. However, the program in question was an old Windows 7 installed utorrent client, and it remained blocked on the regular administrator account when I switched back to there.
    So I "fixed" it by switching to a new torrent client. Not the prettiest solution, but it worked.
      My Computer


 

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