Microsoft removes a mandatory clean install requirement

Last week, Microsoft released the latest version of Windows 11 to Insiders on the Dev and Beta channels. The new version, 22620.7344Update KB5070316 brings several new features, including improvements to how app updates are handled.

While this is the latest build for the Dev and Beta channels, in November, a previous build on these channels, 26220.7070, with build number KB5070300, introduced another interesting change that is somewhat significant, especially if you are someone looking forward to performance improvements.

See more articles from iGuRu.gr when you search for news on Google.

iGuRu.gr preferred source

The company has confirmed that a Windows security feature called “Smart App Control” will no longer be mandatory.

For those who don't know, Smart App Control is a cloud-based intelligent security service that Microsoft introduced in 2022. It is one of the few security features exclusive to Windows 11, as it is not available in Windows 10. For this reason, Microsoft is urging users to upgrade to Windows 11 from 10 via a clean install, as it is required to enable the Smart App Control feature. So, if you upgrade to Windows 11 version 25H2, which can now be installed by anyone, you will have this feature.

In the release notes, Microsoft states :

“We’re updating Smart App Control (SAC) so you can now disable or enable SAC without requiring a clean install. To make changes, go to Windows Security > App & Browser Control > Smart App Control Settings. When enabled, it helps block untrusted or potentially harmful apps.”

What makes this feature interesting is that it is also supposed to help with performance. Microsoft states :

“One advantage of Smart App Control is its smaller impact on your computer’s performance, as it helps block harmful apps before they run. This means less strain on your system, so you can continue working or playing games without worrying about slowdowns.” So Smart App Control could help a computer with fewer resources at its disposal perform better, according to Microsoft.

Of course, this change is still in testing and will become generally available at some point, probably early next year.

We'll have a better picture when it goes into the release preview channel.

newsbot

Although the press releases will range from very select to rare, I said I'd pass...because sometimes the editors hide.