How to Block Users from Installing Software on Your Windows Computer

Irrespective of for those who’re utilizing your employer or your private laptop, it’s an enormous safety threat if anybody can set up software program in your system. An unknown app might result in a malware an infection, or it may monitor your exercise, which is a substantial risk to non-public safety.

Moreover, it’s actually annoying to continually need to take away ineffective apps that others have put in. On this article, we’ll present you the way you should use Windows built-in instruments to cease anybody from putting in software program in your laptop. Additionally, there are a few third-party apps that you should use.

1. Add a Native Consumer (Non-Administrative) Account

If you happen to don’t wish to set up an app or continually change your system settings to maintain different folks from putting in software program in your laptop, including a typical account ought to be sufficient. A Native Consumer account has no elevated rights and might’t handle apps or change your system settings.

Right here’s how one can shortly add a Native Consumer account in Windows 11:

1. Launch Windows Settings and go to Accounts.
2. There, choose Household & different customers.
3. Click on the Add account button subsequent to Add a member of the family.
4. Undergo the steps and ensure to decide on a non-administrative account.

Moreover, you may take away some other administrative Microsoft account, apart from yours.

2. Cease Customers From Putting in Third-Get together Apps

There’s an opportunity that stopping different customers from putting in third-party apps in your laptop may be sufficient to maintain you protected from any malware assault. Right here’s how one can set your system to permit the set up of Microsoft apps solely.

1. Open the Settings menu by urgent Windows key + I.
2. From the left pane, choose Apps.
3. Click on Apps & options.
4. Open the drop-down menu subsequent to Select the place to get apps and choose The Microsoft Retailer solely (Really useful).

These strategies aren’t that sophisticated, and they may not cease a person with fundamental data about Windows from putting in software program. So, we’ll check out more advanced options to maintain your laptop protected.

3. Edit the Group Policy Editor

Group Policy comprises a number of teams of insurance policies, permitting you to alter administrative-level settings. There’s a Windows Installer devoted policy that you may disable and cease customers from putting in new software program in your laptop. Right here’s how you are able to do it:

1. Press Windows key + R to carry up a Run dialog.
2. Sort gpedit.msc and click on OK.
3. Within the Native Group Policy Editor, navigate to Pc Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Elements > Windows Installer.
4. In the precise pane, find and open Flip off Windows Installer.
5. Choose Enabled.
6. Click on Apply > OK to save lots of the brand new system adjustments.

The change will take impact after you restart your laptop. If you wish to undo the change, undergo the above steps and choose Disabled in step 5.

4. Do not Run Specified Windows Functions

One other strategy to block the Windows Installer from getting used may be present in one other space of the Native Group Policy Editor.

Return to the principle menu within the Policy Editor window, and navigate to Consumer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System. Within the right-hand window, scroll down till you discover Do not Run Specified Windows Functions. Because the title implies, that is used for blocking sure packages from being run, however we are able to additionally use it to dam the Windows Installer.

Double-click that and one other window seems. Whenever you click on Enabled, a brand new choice seems known as Listing of Disallowed Functions. Click on Present and a 3rd window seems, the place you kind within the path of this system to be blocked.

You must lay out the path to the situation of the Windows Installer, so the Policy Editor can discover it. The Windows Installer Program known as msiexec.exe and is positioned at C:WindowsSystem32msiexec.exe

Copy and paste that into the house offered within the field and click on OK. The Windows Installer ought to now be blocked.

5. Edit the Registry Editor

Just like the Group Policy Editor, the Registry Editor comprises settings relating to your working system and all of the put in software program. Earlier than modifying the registry, create a restore level in case one thing goes flawed and you find yourself messing up the registry.

1. Within the Begin menu search bar, seek for registry editor and choose the Best match.
2. Within the Registry Editor window, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software program > Lessons > Msi.Package deal > DefaultIcon.
3. In the precise pane, open the (Default) key.
4. Change Worth information to C:WindowsSystem32msiexec.exe,1.
5. Restart your laptop.

6. Disable USB Ports

Even for those who haven’t linked your laptop to the web, somebody may nonetheless set up software program in your laptop utilizing a USB flash drive. To forestall this from taking place, it is best to disable the USB ports. The method is kind of easy, and you may re-enable the ports while you want them.

7. Software program Choices

If you happen to’re not comfy modifying the Group Policy or Registry Editor, you may attempt an app to cease different customers from putting in software program with out your approval.

Set up-Block

This stops something from being put in by searching for sure key phrases in apps working in your system. So if somebody tries to put in one thing, and a key phrase is observed, Set up-Block routinely blocks it from going any additional.

Set up-Block will ask for a password when somebody tries to put in an app in your laptop. In the event that they don’t know the password, they will’t proceed the method.

Even for those who’ve signed in with an administrative account, Set up-Block will cease anybody from making adjustments to your system as it may well block entry to the Begin menu, Job Supervisor, Management Panel, and more.

Moreover, you should use Set up-Block to cease folks from accessing the folders, software program, and even video games.

Obtain: Set up-Block (Free trial)

Deep Freeze

One ultimate intriguing choice is “deep-freezing” your laptop, which resets your system again to a earlier state each time you reboot it. This fashion, any adjustments made to your laptop can be worn out when rebooted. So if somebody dares to put in one thing, it will likely be deleted while you change the pc off.

The one draw back to this after all is that it’ll additionally wipe out your adjustments. So it isn’t good.

Obtain: Deep Freeze (Free trial)

No More Unauthorized Apps

As we’ve mentioned, there are many choices in the case of stopping different customers from putting in software program in your laptop. Even Windows native options are sufficient to maintain your laptop protected. Nonetheless, if you wish to take it a step additional, you may select one of many software program choices.

If you happen to’re involved about malware assaults or keyloggers, there are more methods to improve your Windows 11 safety.