Windows Security

A repeating Potentially unwanted app found warning usually means Windows Security is detecting the same app repeatedly, or a blocked app/download is being retried in the background.

Try this in order:

1. Open Protection history
   • Open Windows Security.
   • Select Protection history.
   • Expand the warning card to review the detected item.
   • If the item is shown as Threat blocked, no action is usually required unless it keeps returning.
2. If the warning is a false positive, allow it
   • In Protection history, select Actions > Allow.
   • This only applies the next time the file is seen, so the file might need to be downloaded again before it can be used.
   • If later needed, remove it from the allowed list on the Allowed threats page.
3. Check whether SmartScreen blocked an app
   • If the alert says This app has been blocked, it can come from Microsoft Defender SmartScreen.
   • In Protection history, select Actions > Allow if the block was a mistake, then download the file again.
4. Remove software that may be triggering the alert
   • Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features.
   • Uninstall software that is unfamiliar or no longer needed.
   • Potentially unwanted applications can slow the PC, show unexpected ads, or install other unwanted software.
5. Run a deeper scan
   • In Windows Security, update security intelligence and run a full scan with Microsoft Defender Antivirus.
   • If the warning continues, run Microsoft Defender Offline.
6. Check whether PUA protection is enabled
   • In PowerShell, run:

          Get-MpPreference | Format-Table PUAProtection
     

   • Values:
     • 0 = off
     • 1 = on and blocking
     • 2 = audit mode
7. Review event details if needed
   • PUA detections can appear in Windows Event Viewer.
   • PUA events are recorded under event ID 1160.

If the pop-up appears every 15–20 seconds, the most likely cause is that a startup app, scheduled background process, or repeated download attempt is causing Defender to detect the same item over and over. In that case, focus on uninstalling the related app and then run a full scan or offline scan.

References:

• Protection History in the Windows Security App
• Protect your PC from unwanted software
• Detect and block potentially unwanted applications
• Windows Security App Overview