How do I disable a program without uninstalling it in Windows 10?

Question

Is there a way that I can disable a program without uninstalling it? Essentially, the program would no longer be listed in programs and the program itself wouldn't show up in search, but the physical files themselves wouldn't be removed. Attempting to launch the program while it's disabled would require it to be re-enabled. Re-enabling the program would be significantly faster than reinstalling and simply be a matter of allowing it to show up in programs and search. Is this a thing in Windows? Is this possible to do—with third party programs or otherwise?

Answer 1

I don't know if this is a solution that works the way you want it, but you can try it out and see for yourself. Also, I don't think it'll work 100% the way you want it

Normally all programs/applications will be shown if you start typing the name in the start menu. If you right-click on them, you can select "Go to file location". This will send you to StartMenu\Programs directory. If you move the required program away from this folder (to the desktop for example), it will no longer appear in your start menu when searching it in the start menu. You can move it back in if you want to reuse it.

Optimally, you can write a script (I presume you are familiar with this) that automatically copies the program that's linked in the start menu to a seperate folder and back.

Answer 2

There are three methods I can think of off the top of my head on how this can be done, all permissions related. You can either remove a user or group's read access to a folder and/or files in the File Permissions dialog. Alternatively, you can remove the execute permission in the advanced permissions of the aforementioned dialog.

With the former method, the affected users will not be able to read the files or folders contents, thereby making it unable to be executed. Be aware, all files with this change cannot be read at all, meaning a text file in the folder, or a configuration file, will not be able to opened or edited. You can limit the permission change to just the executable.

With the latter method, it is more targeted and only the executable would be affected and unable to run.

Lastly, you could mark the files/folders hidden. This wouldnt make them non-executable, but unable to be seen without some snooping.

Of course, you would manually remove the Start Menu entries manually.

I wont go in to much detail on how to do it, as there are countless guides you can Google on how to do this. Here is one example.

Answer 3

As @Biswapriyo mentioned in the comments, I just rename the executable file. (I add -disabled to the end of the name.) Then if I want it to work again, I just rename it to the original name. Of course, this doesn't fully hide it from all menus, as you requested, but it's very fast and easy.

Answer 4

Take a look at the procedure here: https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/8739/restrict-users-to-run-only-specified-programs-in-windows-7/ This may also work in Windows 10. It's done by registry keys/values.