windows-itpro-docs/windows/security/threat-protection/windows-defender-application-control/applocker/deploy-the-applocker-policy-into-production.md

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Deploy the AppLocker policy into production (Windows)	This topic for the IT professional describes the tasks that should be completed before you deploy AppLocker application control settings.	ebbb1907-92dc-499e-8cee-8e637483c9ae		dansimp	m365-security	deploy	library	security	medium	dansimp	dansimp	ITPro	M365-security-compliance	conceptual	09/21/2017	mde

Deploy the AppLocker policy into production

Applies to

• Windows 10
• Windows 11
• Windows Server 2016 and above

Note

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

This topic for the IT professional describes the tasks that should be completed before you deploy AppLocker application control settings.

After successfully testing and modifying the AppLocker policy for each Group Policy Object (GPO), you are ready to deploy the enforcement settings into production. For most organizations, this means switching the AppLocker enforcement setting from Audit only to Enforce rules. However, it is important to follow the deployment plan that you created earlier. For more info, see the AppLocker Design Guide. Depending on the needs of different business groups in your organization, you might deploy different enforcement settings for linked GPOs.

Understand your design decisions

Before you deploy an AppLocker policy, you should determine:

• For each business group, which applications will be controlled and in what manner. For more info, see Create a list of apps deployed to each business group.
• How to handle requests for application access. For info about what to consider when developing your support policies, see Plan for AppLocker policy management.
• How to manage events, including forwarding events. For info about event management in AppLocker, see Monitor app usage with AppLocker.
• Your GPO structure, including how to include policies generated by Software Restriction Policies and AppLocker policies. For more info, see Determine the Group Policy structure and rule enforcement.

For info about how AppLocker deployment is dependent on design decisions, see Understand AppLocker policy design decisions.

AppLocker deployment methods

If you have configured a reference device, you can create and update your AppLocker policies on this device, test the policies, and then export the policies to the appropriate GPO for distribution. Another method is to create the policies and set the enforcement setting on Audit only, then observe the events that are generated.

• Use a reference device to create and maintain AppLocker policies

  This topic describes the steps to use an AppLocker reference computer to prepare application control policies for deployment by using Group Policy or other means.

• Deploy AppLocker policies by using the enforce rules setting

  This topic describes the steps to deploy the AppLocker policy by changing the enforcement setting to Audit only or to Enforce rules.

See also

• AppLocker deployment guide