Configure detection for potentially unwanted applications
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Defender Antivirus Description
Enable or disable detection for potentially unwanted applications. You can choose to block, audit, or allow when potentially unwanted software is being downloaded or attempts to install itself on your computer. Enabled: Specify the mode in the Options section: -Block: Potentially unwanted software will be blocked. -Audit Mode: Potentially unwanted software will not be blocked, however if this feature would have blocked access if it were set to Block, then a record of the event will be in the event logs. Disabled: Potentially unwanted software will not be blocked. Not configured: Same as Disabled.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender Value name: PUAProtection
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Defender/PUAProtection Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
CSP values
-
0 (Default)- PUA Protection off. Windows Defender won't protect against potentially unwanted applications. -
1- PUA Protection on. Detected items are blocked. They will show in history along with other threats. -
2- Audit mode. Windows Defender will detect potentially unwanted applications, but take no action. You can review information about the applications Windows Defender would've taken action against by searching for events created by Windows Defender in the Event Viewer.
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Configure detection for potentially unwanted applications
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender]
"PUAProtection"=dword:00000001
"PUAProtection"=dword:00000000More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure detection for potentially unwanted applications
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PUAProtection' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PUAProtection' -Value 0 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Defender/PUAProtection
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<data id="Root_PUAProtection" value="0"/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure detection for potentially unwanted applications
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender' -Name 'PUAProtection' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender' -Name 'PUAProtection' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure detection for potentially unwanted applications
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PUAProtection' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PUAProtection' -Value 0 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure detection for potentially unwanted applications
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure detection for potentially unwanted applications
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender' -Name 'PUAProtection' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender' -Name 'PUAProtection' -Expected 0 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Configure detection for potentially unwanted applications
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Version 1607
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PUAProtection' -Value 1 -Type DWord
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'PUAProtection' -Value 0 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.