The Safe Surfer for Windows app uses a Microsoft technology for Windows called App Installer. If a Windows device that you're wanting to protect is signed in to a Microsoft work/school account, the Safe Surfer app installer might report that "sideloading is blocked by policy". This is a setting applied to the device remotely by the organisation responsible for managing how the device can be used.

Allow app sideloading

There are a couple of ways to resolve this issue:

Ask your work/school organisation to allow sideloading for the Microsoft account in question

There is likely a Microsoft work/school account signed in to the device (for example, joe.bloggs@example.com). You'll need to ask your school's IT department to allow app sideloading for the school account in question (so that Safe Surfer can be installed). Once they have made the change for the account, you can then try the Safe Surfer app installation process again.

Disconnect the work/school account to allow sideloading

Alternatively, if the account doesn't need to be signed in to the device, you can disconnect the account, which will remove the policy causing this issue. You can do this by navigating to the Start menu > Windows Settings app > Accounts > Access work or school. Click the applicable account, then click the Disconnect button. Once the account has been disconnected, you can then continue with the Safe Surfer app installation.

Updated on: 27/10/2025