Microsoft Edge has a new feature known as "Scareware Blocker" that helps you block (primarily) tech support online scams. In this guide, I'll help you understand and enable the feature on Windows 11.
What is Scareware Blocker on Edge?
Scareware Blocker is a security feature that uses a local AI model to analyze the contents on the screen (in this case, the web browser) to detect signs of scams in real-time.
Scareware scams have been around for many years, and they have been increasing significantly each year. Usually, the malicious individual builds up a web page with a large popup that is impossible to close and tries to persuade you to believe that your computer has been infected with malware and that you must contact the fake technical support phone number to recover your system.
A big part of the scam is to use design elements to make it seem like the message is coming from the operating system, using a similar window and button design.
As part of the security system built into the operating system and the browser, Microsoft implements the Defender SmartScreen, a similar technology that helps protect users from phishing, malware, and other online threats. It works by checking the reputation of files and websites and then taking action based on that reputation.
However, the new Scareware Blocker feature adds an extra layer of protection, using AI to detect more accurately when a web page is trying to scam you.
It's important to note that this feature is currently in preview with the latest release of the browser in the stable channel.
In this how-to guide, I will outline the easy steps to enable the new Scareware Blocker on Microsoft Edge. The instructions focus on Windows 11, but I have also found the option to enable the feature on Windows 10.
How to enable Scareware Blocker on Microsoft Edge
To enable the AI-powered Scareware Blocker on your browser, use these steps:
- Open Microsoft Edge.
- Click the "Settings and more" button from the top-right.
- Click the Settings option.
- Click on "Privacy, search, and services" from the left pane.
- Turn on the Scareware blocker toggle switch under the "Security" section.
- Turn on "Microsoft Defender SmartScreen" toggle switch (if applicable).
Once you complete the steps, the security feature will turn on, and you can continue browsing the web as always.
As you browse the web, the Defender SmartScreen feature will continue to provide real-time protection for untrusted websites. When a site is detected as malicious, the cloud-based database for SmartScreen will be updated, and the information will spread across devices around the world.
Now, the Scareware blocker feature is an extra layer of security that will intervene in those instances when you're exposed to a scam, and the SmartScreen hasn't been updated with that particular attack.
In these cases, the feature will use the machine learning model on the computer to analyze the full-screen page with trained samples to determine if the page is suspicious.
If a scam is detected, the browser will notify you with a warning and put you in control.
If you know the page is not malicious, you can always continue and load the website.
If you want to undo the changes, you can use the same steps outlined above, but in step 5, turn off the Scareware blocker toggle switch.
More resources
Find in-depth guides, troubleshooting tips, and the latest updates on Windows 11 and 10 here:
