Skip to main content

Block Applications

Overview

Use Manage Blocklist to stop users from running apps and browser extensions you don't allow, such as Shadow IT apps found on your devices. You choose what to block, choose the devices or device groups, review what will be enforced, and Swif creates the right policy for each operating system.

To block websites and domains instead, see Block Domains and Filter Web Content.


Where to start

You can open Manage Blocklist from several places. The flow is the same everywhere; only what's filled in for you changes.

Start from

How

What's filled in

Applications page

Device Management > Applications, then Manage Blocklist in the toolbar

Nothing

An app on the Applications page

Open the app's row, and click Manage Blocklist

The app, which can't be changed

Shadow IT

Select an app in the Shadow IT report, and click Manage Blocklist

The app's name and main domain

A device group

Device Management > Device Groups, open a group, select an app in its Applications table, and click Manage Blocklist

The device group, and the app if you started from its row

A device

Open the device, go to Applications, and click Add to Blocklist next to an app or extension

The app or extension, and the device

Browser extensions

Shadow IT > Browser Extensions, select an extension, and choose Manage Blocklist

The extension

You can select several apps on the Applications page, and block them together.


How Manage Blocklist works

Manage Blocklist has three steps:

Step

What you do

1. Blocklist Queue

Add the apps, extensions, or domains to block

2. Device Selection

Choose the devices and device groups

3. Review

Check what will be blocked, and on which devices, before you save


Step 1: Add apps to the blocklist queue

Under Blocklist Target, select Application. Then choose how to identify the app:

Option

Use when

Select from known apps

The app is in Swif's app catalog. Start typing to see matches.

Enter Custom Application Name

The app isn't in the catalog, such as an in-house app. Type its name, and press Enter. Catalog matches appear as suggestions, if there are any.

Only one option is shown at a time.

What Swif needs for each operating system

Operating system

What to provide

How it's blocked

macOS

The app's name, or a catalog app

Swif's application block policy stops the app from running

Windows

The app's Application path, such as C:\Program Files\TeamViewer. Required whenever the selection includes Windows devices.

A Windows AppLocker policy, covering .exe, .appx, and .msi files in that path

Linux

The app's name, or a catalog app

Swif's Linux application block policy

Android

Nothing for catalog apps. For custom apps, the package name, such as com.example.myapp.

The app is removed from the device

Windows: if the path is missing, you'll see "Application path is required for Windows", and can't continue. Some built-in Microsoft apps, such as Edge, can't be fully blocked because of Windows limits. Test on a few devices first.

Android: if a catalog app has no known package name, enter it yourself, using Enter Custom Application Name.

iPhone and iPad: desktop and Android app blocks don't apply. The Review step marks them as not supported. To block apps on iPhone and iPad, use the Apple iOS/iPadOS Application Block Policy.

Block browser extensions

Choose how to identify the extension:

Option

Use when

Select user-installed extension

The extension is already installed somewhere in your organization

Enter package ID

It isn't installed yet. Enter its ID, for example from the Chrome Web Store.

Then choose the browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari. Package IDs can differ between browsers, so Swif adds a separate entry for each browser you choose.

Swif enforces extension blocks with each browser's extension policy, such as the Windows Google Chrome Extension Deployment and Blocking Policy, or the Apple Safari Extension Policy.

The queue

Each entry in the queue shows the app or extension, its target operating systems or browser, and, for Windows, its path. You can add apps, extensions, and domains to the same queue before saving.


Step 2: Choose devices

Select individual devices, device groups, or both. Smart groups appear with their names. The counter shows how many devices you've selected.

If you started from a device or a device group, it's already selected.


Step 3: Review

Before anything is saved, Review shows Your blocklist will apply to [N] devices, and what will be enforced on each.

Device summary

Each selected device is counted once, in one of these:

Summary

Meaning

Devices ready

Every rule is enforced

Devices needed action

Something must be installed before every rule can be enforced

Devices with limited support

Some rules can't apply on these devices

Devices not supported

No rules can apply on these devices

What gets blocked

Everything in the queue, with each item's Blocklist Rule and Target OS:

Blocklist Rule

Meaning

Installation

The app is blocked from running

Domain

The domain is blocked. See Block Domains and Filter Web Content.

Domain · Block Sign Up Only

Users can visit the site, but can't sign up or sign in

Click the pencil icon to go back and change the queue. Your selections are kept.

Device Scope and Device Group Scope

Device Scope lists each selected device, with its Rule Status and Rule Coverage, such as "1 of 4 will be enforced". Device Group Scope lists each selected group, with how many devices it has. Expand a group to see its devices.

Rule Status

Meaning

Ready to Enforce

Every rule will be enforced

Action Needed

Something must be installed first

Limited

Some rules can't apply

Not Supported

No rules can apply

Expand a device to see What gets blocked on this device, with each rule's Enforcement:

Enforcement

Meaning

Example

Ready

The rule will be enforced

—

Waiting for setup

The rule needs something installed first. Click the button next to it.

"Requires Swif browser extension to be installed", with Deploy Extension

Not supported

The rule can't work on this device

"App can't be blocked on Android", for a Mac app selected for an Android phone

When you're done, click Apply to [N] devices. Click Back to change your device selection.


See and manage blocks

Where

What you see

Device Details > Applications > Blocked

Everything blocked on the device, including a Blocked Extensions section

The app on the Applications page

The app's blocks, the devices and device groups they apply to, and their policies

A device group's Applications table

The group's blocks, with target operating systems and, for Windows, the path

Each block shows the policy that enforces it, as a link. A chip shows how many rule types the policy has. Hover over it for details.

Unblock an app

In Device Details > Applications > Blocked, click Allow next to the app. To remove every block on the device, click Allow All.


Troubleshooting

An app isn't blocked on a Windows device

Check that the app's Application path is correct, and matches where it's installed on the device. Some built-in Microsoft apps can't be fully blocked.

An app isn't blocked on an Android device

Check the package name. For custom apps, it must match the app's package name exactly, such as com.example.myapp.

Review shows "App can't be blocked" for a device

The app's block doesn't apply to that device's operating system. For example, a Mac app can't be blocked on an iPad. For iPhone and iPad, use the Apple iOS/iPadOS Application Block Policy.

A blocked extension still works in one browser

Check that you chose that browser when adding the extension. Each browser has its own entry.

Blocked devices don't match my selection

Check the device and device group counts in Review. If they still don't match after saving, contact Swif support.


Related resources

Did this answer your question?