Fix: The App You’re Trying to Install Isn’t a Microsoft Verified App

Does your screen display the ‘The app you’re trying to install isn’t a Microsoft-verified app’ error whenever you try to install apps outside the Microsoft Store?

 

[FIXED] The App you’re trying to Install isn’t a Microsoft Verified App

 

Microsoft Store is a great place to install the latest apps securely, but it isn’t for everyone. It comes with several issues, one being the absence of some of the most popular apps like Microsoft Teams.

Luckily, several other online downloading platforms allow users to install their favorite apps in no time. 

If you have been trying to download an app from a source other than the Microsoft Store, but your screen displays the ‘The app you’re trying to install isn’t a Microsoft-verified app’ error, you’re in the right place. 

Sometimes you need to make necessary changes in Windows before attempting to download apps from foreign sources. This guide will walk you through the process of doing it in detail. 

Let’s dive right in. 

 

1. Adjust Microsoft Store Settings.

If you cannot uninstall an app on Windows because the app is not Microsoft verified, then the easiest way to fix this issue is to adjust the Microsoft Store settings. It is common for the users to face this issue if their Windows only allows the Microsoft Store to install apps. 

Here is how you can change the Microsoft Store settings on your PC:

  1. Type Settings in the search bar and click Open to launch the program. 
  2. Select Apps and choose the Apps and Features option from the left panel. 
  3. Under ‘Choose where to get apps’, select Anywhere by clicking on the dropdown menu.

[FIXED] The App you’re trying to Install isn’t a Microsoft Verified App

 

That’s it. You should now be able to download apps from different sources on your PC. However, if the Choose where to get apps option is greyed out on your PC, this means that you do not have the administrative rights to make such changes. 

This typically happens when the PC is owned by another person, such as an employer. In this case, ask the owner to log in as an administrator and change the settings. 

 

 

2. Use Command Prompt to Install the Application.

Windows comes with several powerful interfaces that help users perform advanced administrative functions by simply executing commands. One such program is Command Prompt that is often used to troubleshoot and fix several operating system issues. 

If you cannot install an app on Windows from a source other than the Microsoft Store, try using Command Prompt. Command Prompt will allow you to install the required app in no time. 

Here is what you need to do:

  1. Type cmd in the search bar and click on Run as administrator to launch Command Prompt with administrative privileges. 
  2. Type the command mentioned below in the Command Prompt window. Don’t forget to replace the path against cd with the installation file location on your PC. For instance, if the installation file is located on your desktop, then type the command as follows:
cd C:\users\zainab\desktop

[FIXED] The App you’re trying to Install isn’t a Microsoft Verified App

 

  1. Once done, type the setup file name directly. If the file is a .exe file, then type setup.exe and hit Enter
  2. After the command is executed, check if the program is installed correctly. 

Hopefully, doing so will resolve the error, and the application will be installed. 

 

 

3. Turn Off App Recommendations via Group Policy or Registry Editor.

To help protect your PC, Microsoft recommends only using the Microsoft Store to install apps. As much as this is a great feature, it can sometimes cause a hindrance when you attempt to install apps from other sources. 

If Method 1 did not work for you, try turning off app recommendations via ‘Group Policy’ or ‘Registry Editor’. Hopefully, doing so will help you fix the issue. 

Turn Off App Recommendations via Group Policy.

Group Policy supports a wide range of advanced settings that help you control your PC’s working environment. Here is how you can turn off app recommendations via Group Policy:

  1. Type Group Policy in the search bar and click on Open to launch the window. 
  2. Inside the ‘Local Group Policy Editor’ window, navigate to the location mentioned below.
Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Windows Defender SmartScreen/Explorer.

Windows Group Policy editor

 

  1. Now double-click on the Configure App Install Control option. 
  2. Select Enable and under Options, click on Turn off app recommendations

Group Policy Windows 10

 

  1. Click on Apply and then select OK to save the settings. 

Once done, check if now you can install apps without any errors. If the error persists, turn off recommendations via the Registry Editor. 

 


 

Turn Off App Recommendations via Registry Editor. 

If turning off the app recommendations via Group Policy did not work for you, try using the Registry Editor to turn them off. 

Here is how you can do it:

  1. Type Registry Editor in the search bar and click Open to launch the program.
  2. Inside the Registry Editor, navigate to the key mentioned below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

[FIXED] The App you’re trying to install isn’t a Microsoft Verified App

 

  1. Now locate a string named AicEnabled in the right panel and double-click on it. If you cannot find this string, you can create one at the spot. However, if you locate one, jump to the 6th step directly. 
  2. To create the AicEnabled string, right-click on the Explorer option and select New
  3. Click on String Value and type AicEnabled in the Value name text field. 
  4. Under Value Data, type Anywhere and click OK

[FIXED] The App you’re trying to install isn’t a Microsoft Verified App

 

  1. Now navigate to the following location inside the Registry Editor.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\SmartScreen
  1. Double-click on ConfigureAppInstallControl and change its Value data to Anywhere
  2. Click OK and close the Registry Editor. 
  3. Finally, reboot your PC and check if the error is resolved. 

Doing so will fix the ‘The app you’re trying to install isn’t a Microsoft Verified app’ error on your PC. 

 

 

4. Try Using CleanMyPC. 

You can also try cleaning the junk system files as they can cause temporary errors within the system frequently. You can eliminate these errors by removing the junk files using a reliable PC cleaner. 

 

Install CleanMyPC on your PC

 

When it comes to PC cleaning, there are just a lot of options to choose from, but hardly any tool lives up to the expectations. If you are tired of cleaning your PC’s junk manually, try using CleanMyPC

CleanMyPC is an easy-to-use yet effective cleaning software that can optimize the system files, clean the junk, and repair the issues within your operating system. It comes with a full package of system maintenance tools including a cleaner, browser extension manager, startup manager, shredder, and uninstaller. 

Bid your old, ineffective cleaner goodbye and improve the performance of your PC today using CleanMyPC!

 


Try CleanMyPC Now 


 

 

5. Switch Out of Home S Mode.

Another possible reason behind the ‘The app you’re trying to install isn’t a Microsoft-verified app’ is the Home S mode. The Home S mode offers users a secure Windows experience, and due to security reasons, this mode does not allow users to install apps from sources other than the Microsoft Store. 

You can fix this issue by switching out of the Home S mode on your PC. 

Here is how you can do it:

  1. Go to Settings and click on System
  2. Scroll down in the left panel of the System window and click on About
  3. Under the Windows Specifications, check if the current version of Windows on your PC is Home S

[FIXED] The App you’re trying to Install isn’t a Microsoft Verified App

 

  1. If it is Home S, go to Settings again.
  2. Click on Update & Security and select Activation.
  3. Now click on Go to the Store link

[FIXED] The App you’re trying to Install isn’t a Microsoft Verified App

 

  1. Doing so will open the Microsoft Store window from where you can switch out of S mode. 
  2. Click the Get button on your screen under the Switch out of S mode and close Microsoft Store once you have installed the switching feature on your PC. 
  3. Now repeat step 2 and see if the Windows version has changed to Home
  4. Finally, retry installing the required application and see if the error is resolved. 

Switching out of the Home S mode will solve the issue once and for all. 

This brings us to the end of our guide on fixing the ‘The App you’re trying to install isn’t a Microsoft Verified App’ error code which occurs when the users try to install apps from sources other than the Microsoft Store. 

We walked you through the steps in detail, and we hope that our troubleshooting steps helped fix the issue. If you have any questions regarding the troubleshooting methods, please let us know in the comment section below.

 

 If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂

Author

  • Zainab Falak

    Zainab Falak is a staff writer for Saint and an expert in Microsoft Windows, having authored more than 200 posts. She has a Bachelors in Actuarial Sciences and her passion for computers extends to exploring various aspects, from UI customization to the Windows registry and exploring error codes. Twitter LinkedIn

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