windows-itpro-docs/windows/security/application-security/application-control/windows-defender-application-control/applocker/configure-the-application-identity-service.md

title, description, ms.localizationpriority, ms.topic, ms.date

title	description	ms.localizationpriority	ms.topic	ms.date
Configure the Application Identity service	This topic for IT professionals shows how to configure the Application Identity service to start automatically or manually.	medium	conceptual	07/01/2021

Configure the Application Identity service

Note

Some capabilities of Windows Defender Application Control are only available on specific Windows versions. Learn more about the Windows Defender Application Control feature availability.

This topic for IT professionals shows how to configure the Application Identity service to start automatically or manually.

The Application Identity service determines and verifies the identity of an app. Stopping this service will prevent AppLocker policies from being enforced.

Important: When using Group Policy, you must configure it to start automatically in at least one Group Policy Object (GPO) that applies AppLocker rules. This is because AppLocker uses this service to verify the attributes of a file.

To start the Application Identity service automatically using Group Policy

1. On the Start screen, type gpmc.msc to open the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC).
2. Locate the GPO to edit, right-click the GPO, and then click Edit.
3. In the console tree under Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings, click System Services.
4. In the details pane, double-click Application Identity.
5. In Application Identity Properties, configure the service to start automatically.

Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, is the minimum access required to complete this procedure.

To start the Application Identity service manually

1. Right-click the taskbar, and click Task Manager.
2. Click the Services tab, right-click AppIDSvc, and then click Start Service.
3. Verify that the status for the Application Identity service is Running.

Starting with Windows 10, the Application Identity service is now a protected process. Because of this, you can no longer manually set the service Startup type to Automatic by using the Services snap-in. Try either of these methods instead:

• Open an elevated command prompt or PowerShell session and type:

  sc.exe config appidsvc start= auto
  

• Create a security template that configures appidsvc to be automatic start, and apply it using secedit.exe or LGPO.exe.