How to unblock files in Windows 10

General information

Attachment Manager is integrated in Windows to help protect your PC from the invasion of unsafe attachments that you can receive with an email message or from any Unclear source on the Internet.If Attachment Manager identifies an attachment that may be unsafe, it will prevent you from opening the file or warning you of security risks before you open the file.

Attachment Manager uses the AttachmentExecute application programming interface (API) to determine file type, find file links.One of the applications on the device saves a downloaded file to a disk formatted with NTFS, then updates the metadata for the file with the data area where it is downloaded.Metadata is saved as an alternative data stream (Alternate Data Stream - ADS).If you want to unblock a downloaded file, you can right-click the file, select Properties and click Unblock .

There are the following factors to determine if you have been prevented from opening the file or if you received a warning before opening the file:

1. The type of program you are using.
2. The type of file you are downloading or trying to open
3. Security settings of the Web content area where you are downloading files.
4. Internet
5. Local intranet
6. Reliable sites
7. Site is restricted

Attachment Manager categorizes the files you receive or you download based on the file type and file extension.Then continue to classify file types according to the level of risk from high risk, medium risk to low risk.

1. High risk : If the attached file is in the list of high risk file types and comes from restricted areas, Windows will block users from accessing this file.If the file comes from the Internet zone, Windows prompts the user with the Windows Security Warning (Windows Security Warning) as follows: 'Windows detects that the file is potentially harmful.To help protect your computer, Windows has blocked access to this file. '
2. Medium Risk (Moderate Risk) : If the attachment is in the list of file types with medium risk level and comes from a restricted or Internet zone, Windows will prompt the user with the following warning: "Cannot verify the release source. Are you sure you want to run this software? ".
3. Low risk (Low Risk): If the attachment is in the list of file types with low risk, Windows will not give any prompt to the user before they access the file, regardless of the region of What is the file.

Open File - Security Warning is a security measure that requires you to license it before opening a file from an unknown source such as the Internet or another computer . on your PC.

Windows SmartScreen helps keep your PC safer by alerting you before running applications and files downloaded from the Internet but not recognizable.

Open File - Security Warning and Windows SmartScreen will automatically block such applications 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 logo attached

right above the file's main icon to indicate that the file is currently blocked.

This article will show you how to unlock files blocked by Open File - Security Warning and Windows SmartScreen in Windows 10.

Note: Be sure to only disable files that you find reliable enough to avoid compromising the security of the PC system.

For example, the file is blocked when Windows Defender Application Guard is turned on:

Unblock file in Properties

1. Right-click or click and hold on the blocked file, select Properties .

Click the General tab, check the Unblock item at the bottom and click OK . If you do not see the Unblock entry, then the file is not blocked.

2. If prompted, click Continue and select Yes (if you are the admin of the machine) or enter the administrator's password (if you are a user).

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

3. If prompted, click Continue and select Yes (if you are the admin of the machine) or enter the administrator's password (if you are a user).

(You will only be prompted if the file is in a location where your user account does not have access by default.)

Unblock the file in Open File - Security Warning

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

2. In the Open File - Security Warning window, uncheck the Always ask before opening this box , and click Open or Run .

3. If prompted, click Continue and select Yes (if you are the admin of the machine) or enter the administrator's password (if you are a user).You will only be prompted if the file is in a location where your user account does not have access by default.

Unblock the application or file in Windows SmartScreen

1. Open the file or run the blocked application to activate Windows SmartScreen.

2. Click the More info link.

3. Click the Run button anyway .

Unblock a single file with PowerShell

1. Open Windows PowerShell or Windows PowerShell with admin rights (depending on whether your user account has access to the file where it is blocked).

2. In PowerShell, type the command below and press Enter (see screenshot below).

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

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

For example:

 unblock-file -path "C: UsersBrinkDesktopExample.reg" 

Unblock all files in a folder with PowerShell

1. Open Windows PowerShell or Windows PowerShell admin.

2. In PowerShell, type the commands below and press Enter (see screenshot below).

(no confirmation prompt)

 get-childitem "full path of directory" | Unblock file 

Or

(with confirmation prompt)

 get-childitem "full path of directory" | -confirm file -confirm 

Replace the 'full path of the directory' in the above commands with the actual full path of the folder containing the blocked file (s) that you want to unblock.

For example:

 get-childitem "C: UsersBrinkDesktop" | Unblock file 

Or

 get-childitem "C: UsersBrinkDesktop" | -confirm file -confirm 

Unblock files in a folder and subdirectories in PowerShell

1. Open Windows PowerShell or Windows PowerShell admin.

2. In PowerShell, type the commands below and press Enter.

No confirmation prompt:

 get-childitem "full path of -recurse" directory | Unblock file 

Orhave a confirmation prompt:

 get-childitem "full path of -recurse" directory | -confirm file -confirm 

Replace the 'full path of the directory' in the above commands with the actual full path of the folder containing the blocked file (s) that you want to unblock.

For example:

 get-childitem "C: UsersBrinkDesktop" -recurse | Unblock file 

Or:

 get-childitem "C: UsersBrinkDesktop" -recurse | -confirm file -confirm 

Good luck!

See more:

1. How to turn off Windows Update on Windows 10
2. Turn off Windows Defender on Windows 10
3. Ways to troubleshoot audio on Windows 10
4. Instructions for dividing hard drives right in Windows 10