Block an .exe Running in Windows

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Prevent apps from running on your Windows PC even when you double-click them
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Do you want to stop applications or .EXE programs from running on your computer? Applications and .EXE files can be individually disabled from within the Registry Editor on any Windows computer. But be careful when editing the registry. Changing or deleting any values not explicitly covered in this article can cause damage to your computer. This wikiHow article teaches you how to prevent an application from running on a Windows computer.

Things You Should Know

  • You can block a program name from running on your Windows PC by creating a DisallowRun registry value.
  • You'll need the program file name of the application you want to block, such as notepad.exe or handbrake.exe .
  • Users will not be able to double-click the file or select it from the Start menu to run it, but they can change its name to bypass the limitation.
Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Finding the Application Name

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  1. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
  2. You may need to click All Apps to expand the list.
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  3. Another menu will expand.
  4. This opens the file location of the program's shortcut in File Explorer.
  5. This opens the program's actual file location.
  6. Doing so opens the Properties window for the program.
  7. The file's name is listed in the text box at the top of the Properties window, while the extension is in parentheses to the right of the "Type of file" heading. You'll combine these two (e.g., "name.extension") to create the file's name in the Registry Editor.
    • The extension will almost always be ".exe".
    • For example, if you looked up the file location of Notepad, you'd find that its name is "Notepad.exe".
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Creating Registry Keys

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  1. To get to Registry Editor quickly, type regedit into the Windows Search bar, then click Registry Editor in the search results.
    • Click Yes when prompted.
    • If you aren't an administrator , you won't be able to open the Registry Editor.
  2. To do so:
    • Double-click the HKEY_CURRENT_USER folder in the top-left side of the window.
    • Double-click the Software folder below "HKEY_CURRENT_USER".
    • Double-click the Microsoft folder.
    • Double-click the Windows folder.
    • Double-click the CurrentVersion folder.
    • Click the Policies folder once to display its contents in the right panel.
  3. This tab is in the upper-left side of the Registry Editor window.
  4. A new folder will appear below the "Policies" folder on the left-hand side of the window.
  5. This will create a new folder that's titled "Explorer" in the "Policies" folder.
  6. This is the folder you just created.
  7. To do so, click the Edit menu, select New , and then click DWORD (32-bit) Value.
  8. Doing so renames your DWORD value as "DisallowRun".
  9. This will open the "DisallowRun" value.
  10. Type 1 into the "Value data" field, then click OK .
  11. Click this folder in the left-hand column again.
  12. Click Edit , select New , and click Key .
  13. This creates a new folder inside of the "Explorer" folder titled "DisallowRun".
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Blocking Programs

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  1. Click this folder below the "Explorer" folder on the left side of the window.
  2. Click Edit , select New , and click String Value .
  3. This will name your string value "1".
  4. Double-click the 1 string value to open it.
  5. Click the "Value data" field, then type in the name and extension of the application that you checked in part one.
    • For example, to block Notepad, you would type in notepad.exe here.
  6. Doing so saves your string value. This string value will prevent the specified program from being opened.
    • If you want to add subsequent string values for other programs, name them in numerical order (e.g., "2", "3", "4", etc.).
  7. At this point, you should no longer be able to open the program, but you may need to restart your computer before these changes take effect.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    When creating a registry hack with Notepad. Do I save the file type as unicode?
    Community Answer
    If the file doesn't contain any non-ordinary characters (such as from emojis or text from another language), then you can save it as any file type you want.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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  • Question
    I couldn't rename the Key under "explorer" to DissallowRun it gave an error message. I tried with "Disallow" only.
    WF
    Top Answerer
    Click Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Windows Task Manager and select your app and click on "End Process".
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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  • Question
    Will the icon for the app still be visible if I do this?
    Community Answer
    Yes it is still visible, because it is not deleted. You could hide the file via external Software if you wanted.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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      Warnings

      • Users can still run blocked EXE files by changing the files' names. This won't always work, but it's something to keep in mind.
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