What this guide is (and is not)
Idle Sleep after / “never sleep on AC” as the farm policy belongs in always-on-pc-earnapp-setup-europe-2026. First-run SmartScreen belongs in earnapp-windows-smartscreen-install-europe-2026. Smart App Control Evaluation/On belongs in earnapp-windows-smart-app-control-europe-2026. Core isolation Memory integrity belongs in earnapp-windows-memory-integrity-europe-2026. Firewall allow-app on Private belongs in earnapp-windows-firewall-europe-2026. Background apps Always belongs in earnapp-windows-background-apps-europe-2026. Metered Wi‑Fi or Ethernet belongs in earnapp-windows-metered-connection-europe-2026. A tray that vanished after reboot without a Protection-history PUA block belongs in earnapp-windows-autostart-reboot-europe-2026. VPN split-tunnel versus EarnApp bans belongs in vpn-split-tunnel-vs-earn-app-bans-europe-2026. A week of $0 with the official tray Online belongs in earnapp-offline-zero-earnings-europe-2026. Power mode, Energy Saver, Efficiency / EcoQoS, Game Mode, Xbox Game Bar, Processor idle disable, Processor performance boost mode, Maximum processor state, Minimum processor state, System cooling policy, USB Root Hub Device Manager, USB 3 LPM, USB selective suspend, NIC adapter checkbox, Wi‑Fi Power Saving Mode, random MAC, EEE / Green Ethernet, PCIe ASPM, Fast startup, Modern Standby, Hibernate, hybrid sleep, lid close, power button, turn-off-display, hard-disk timeout, AHCI HIPM/DIPM, new-PC and first PayPal have their own pages. Here the stall was Reputation-based protection still blocking EarnApp.exe as a PUA while Smart App Control was already Off, SmartScreen already dismissed, Sleep after already Never, Background apps already Always, Firewall already allowed on Private, Memory integrity already compatible with the NIC, and the tray still would not stay Online.
RefDeal will not invent a “PUA off promo,” a Defender coupon, or an EU payout minimum copied from a 2023 screenshot. Windows 11 Reputation-based protection (App & browser control) is a separate settings sheet from Smart App Control and from the SmartScreen “More info → Run anyway” dialog. Potentially unwanted app blocking can be Off, Warn, or Block. Block treats some unsigned or rarely seen bandwidth clients — including some EarnApp/Bright Data updates — as PUA even when SmartScreen already said Run anyway and Smart App Control is Off. EarnApp is a Bright Data client that needs a live process, not a Protection-history tombstone labelled potentially unwanted. Install from the tracked invite, then confirm PUA blocking versus the official EarnApp.exe — do not download a “Defender exclusion.reg” from a chat. Do not farm a work laptop whose MDM forces PUA Block forever. Do not turn Real-time protection Off.
Confirm it is PUA blocking, not Smart App Control or SmartScreen
PUA blocking of EarnApp.exe is not a SmartScreen first-run sheet and not Smart App Control — it is a quiet-hour EarnApp stall from a Windows 11 Reputation-based protection class on an “awake” box, not a missing promo code.
- Windows Security → App & browser control → Reputation-based protection settings → Potentially unwanted app blocking. Note Off, Warn, or Block. Screenshot before you touch anything. Then Virus & threat protection → Protection history: if EarnApp.exe / Bright Data is Blocked, Isolated, or “potentially unwanted” only while PUA blocking is Block, that is this page
- If PUA blocking is already Off but Smart App Control is still Evaluation or On, that is the Smart App Control guide first. PUA blocking is not the SAC Off/Evaluation/On radio
- If PUA blocking is already Off but SmartScreen still greys the first installer, that is the SmartScreen guide first. PUA blocking is not the SmartScreen “More info → Run anyway” sheet
- If PUA blocking is already Off but Windows Firewall still blocks EarnApp.exe on Public, that is the Firewall guide first. PUA blocking does not write the allow-list
- If PUA blocking is already Off but Background apps is still Never, that is the Background-apps guide first. PUA blocking does not grant background-run permission
- If PUA blocking is already Off but Device Manager yellow-bangs Ethernet only with Memory integrity On, that is the Memory integrity / HVCI guide. PUA blocking does not unload NIC drivers
- If PUA blocking is already Off but the NIC is still Metered, that is the metered-connection guide. Metered is a cost flag, not Reputation-based protection
- If PUA blocking is already Off but a VPN is on (even split-tunnel), that is the VPN-split-tunnel guide. Bright Data often flags datacentre/VPN exits; turning PUA blocking Off will not fix a VPN path
- If Put my device to sleep after is 5, 10, or 15 minutes on AC, that is the always-on guide first. A parked machine after Sleep is Sleep (or Modern Standby), not a PUA block that killed the process
- If the tray vanished after reboot and Protection history is empty, that is the autostart path first — missing Startup vs a PUA block are different logs
- Search Microsoft Learn for “Windows 11 potentially unwanted app blocking reputation-based protection,” not a Telegram “EarnApp Defender off.reg”. OEM “secure PC” SKUs and MDM can lock PUA Block — those chassis are weak EarnApp farm boxes. A per-file exclusion under Virus & threat protection → Manage settings → Exclusions is a last-resort on a personal spare PC after you verified the official EarnApp path — never a folder exclusion for Downloads
- After a quiet hour, reopen Protection history. If EarnApp is not listed as a PUA, PUA blocking is Off or Warn, Smart App Control is Off, Firewall allowed on Private, Background apps Always, Sleep after Never, Memory integrity compatible, and the tray is still Limited, check NIC power-saving / USB hub / Power mode / Energy Saver next, then the offline/$0 guide
Fix PUA blocking versus the official EarnApp.exe
Do this on the machine that actually runs EarnApp, on the home Ethernet path you intend to keep. Do not fight a work laptop whose MDM restores PUA Block, and do not farm a phone hotspot.
- Open /earnapp/ and use the RefDeal tracked invite if the client is not installed yet. The invite attributes a first signup. It does not change PUA blocking
- Best EU path: spare Ethernet mini-PC — PUA blocking Off or Warn, Smart App Control Off, Memory integrity On with an OEM NIC, Firewall allow on Private, Background apps = Always, Power mode = Best performance plugged in, Energy Saver Off, Efficiency leaf Off, Game Mode Off, Sleep after = Never. Leave Windows Firewall On. Leave Defender Real-time protection On. Leave the box on AC, vents clear
- If Protection history blocks EarnApp.exe as a PUA while Block is on: on a dedicated spare farm PC you own, switch Potentially unwanted app blocking to Off (or Warn if you still want a toast). Restart EarnApp from the official shortcut. Document the before/after screenshot. Do not turn Real-time protection Off
- If Protection history still quarantines EarnApp.exe after PUA blocking is Off: restore the official binary from Protection history once, then add a file exclusion only for the verified EarnApp.exe path under Program Files (not a Downloads folder). Do not install a third-party “Defender bypass” or unsigned “EarnApp unlocker”
- On a real travel laptop: keep PUA blocking on Block (or Warn) and skip EarnApp there if the official binary is treated as unwanted. Farm overnight only on AC with a personal spare home PC, Firewall allow on Private, Background apps Always, Sleep Never, and the chassis not in a bag
- Tell the household: a dark monitor is supposed to happen; PUA blocking Off does not “open” EarnApp to the internet. Do not buy a “Defender whitelist pack”. If a Windows feature update re-quarantined the client, redo this page from Protection history, not from a chat ZIP
After PUA blocking no longer treats EarnApp.exe as unwanted and Sleep stays Never
Sign in with the same account you intend to keep. Leave the box on AC. Confirm the official tray through a quiet hour on home Ethernet. Use /earnapp/ if you never started from our tracked invite.
- Tray Online through a quiet week with PUA blocking Off or Warn on the spare box, Smart App Control Off, Firewall allow on Private, Background apps Always, Memory integrity compatible, and Sleep Never: leave it. We will not quote a fake first-day amount. Screenshot your own dashboard if you need a record
- PUA blocking still Block and Protection history still labels EarnApp.exe potentially unwanted: stay on this page until Off or Warn on a dedicated spare PC, or skip EarnApp on that chassis
- PUA Off but Smart App Control still Evaluation/On: switch to the Smart App Control guide
- PUA Off but SmartScreen still blocks a new installer: switch to the SmartScreen guide
- PUA Off but Firewall still blocks Public: switch to the Firewall guide
- PUA Off but Background apps still Never: switch to the Background-apps guide
- PUA Off but Ethernet still yellow-bangs under Memory integrity: switch to the Memory integrity guide
- PUA Off but the NIC is Metered: switch to the metered-connection guide
- PUA Off but a VPN is still on: switch to the VPN-split-tunnel guide
- PUA Off but Sleep after still has minutes: switch to the always-on guide
- PUA Off, Protection history empty, tray vanished after reboot: switch to the autostart guide
- PUA Off, SAC Off, Firewall allowed on Private, Power mode Best performance, Energy Saver Off, Efficiency leaf Off, Background apps Always, Sleep Never, unmetered home fibre, tray Online or Limited, still $0 after a quiet week: switch to the offline/$0 guide (official binary, Limited, ISP)
What we will not claim
There is no RefDeal EarnApp promo code, no published “PUA bonus,” and no honest EU minimum we can paste from a 2023 screenshot. Primary CTA stays the EarnApp offer with our tracked invite. Hub: /guides/bandwidth-safety/. Starter: /en/start/bandwidth/.