Microsoft Announces Windows 11 Baseline Security Mode to Limit Unsigned Apps and Drivers

Microsoft is working on changes to make Windows 11 more secure by default by limiting the apps and drivers that can run on the operating system. The Redmond-based tech giant is exploring a configuration where only properly signed applications and drivers would be allowed to execute on the system, unless users manually toggle the setting. This move is part of Microsoft's broader push to strengthen Windows security in response to rising threats.

Windows Baseline Security Mode

At the centre of Microsoft's announcement is a new feature called Windows Baseline Security Mode. As the company describes it, the new mode is s a configuration that enables a strong set of recommended security settings by default, particularly for new devices and fresh installations.

When enabled, Windows Baseline Security Mode can restrict the system to running only properly signed and trusted apps and drivers. The tech giant says this ensures that software must carry valid digital signatures from verified publishers to execute, helping reduce the risk of malware delivered through unsigned executables or compromised drivers.

Microsoft says this approach builds on existing technologies such as driver signing enforcement and application control policies, but packages them into a more accessible, default-ready security baseline.

Alongside Baseline Security Mode, Microsoft also announced plans to improve how Windows communicates security-related information to users. This includes clearer prompts when apps or drivers attempt to make system-level changes, as well as better visibility into whether software is digitally signed and verified.

The company emphasised that user consent should be informed and meaningful, not buried in confusing dialogs. Microsoft aims to reduce opportunities for malicious actors to exploit system weaknesses by modernising legacy components and tightening how unsigned drivers are handled.

The tech giant did not provide a firm rollout timeline but indicated that these changes will be introduced gradually through updates to Windows 11. The company said its broader objective is to make Windows “secure by default,” while maintaining compatibility and user choice.

More details about Windows Baseline Security Mode and related protections are expected to surface in upcoming Windows Insider builds and future updates.