How to Fish Error 0x11C7: Smart App Control Fix

Why does Windows show How to Fish error 0x11C7?

As of Patch 1.0.10, players report the exact message: “An application control policy has blocked this file (0x11C7).” One detailed report found Microsoft-Windows-CodeIntegrity event 3118 and identified Smart App Control as the component blocking How to Fish.exe before Unity starts.

Several replies confirm the same symptom. One player said reinstalling fixed it; others still reported the block after later dates. That disagreement matters: the error message identifies the blocking layer, but the reports do not prove whether every machine rejected the same file version or reputation state.

What is the safest fix order?

1. Install pending Windows security and reputation updates, then restart. Smart App Control decisions can change as Microsoft’s reputation data changes.
2. Restart Steam and confirm Patch 1.0.10. Do not test an incomplete update or a copied executable.
3. Verify the game files through Steam. This restores the official package if a file was modified or incomplete.
4. Check Windows Security and Event Viewer. Confirm the message really is 0x11C7 and look under Code Integrity for the blocked path. If a different program or path is listed, this guide does not match your case.
5. Reinstall How to Fish from Steam. One player reported that this worked, but multiple others still saw the block, so success is not guaranteed.
6. Submit the file or event as a false-positive report through Windows Feedback Hub. Keep the original Steam file intact so Microsoft can evaluate the same executable.
7. Wait for a game or reputation update if safe steps fail. The durable solution may require a newly signed build or an updated reputation decision rather than a local workaround.

If your message only says Error 51, follow the Error 51 guide instead. If the game opens a Unity window with a red exclamation mark, use the Unity signature guide.

Why is disabling Smart App Control a last resort?

Microsoft documents Smart App Control as a Windows 11 security feature that blocks untrusted or unsigned applications. Its settings page warns that after it is turned off, switching it back on is not a normal toggle; re-enabling can require resetting or reinstalling Windows.

That makes “just turn it off” a poor first recommendation for one game. The reviewed How to Fish thread explicitly asks for a fix that does not require disabling a Windows security feature. Try file restoration, updates, and false-positive reporting first.

Do not download a replacement How to Fish.exe, add broad drive exclusions, or disable Defender entirely. Those steps are not supported by the reports and expose more than the single blocked file.

How can you verify that this guide matches your case?

Your case should have all or most of these signs:

• Windows shows 0x11C7, not only a Unity signature.
• The text says an application control policy blocked the file.
• The blocked path points to the Steam installation of How to Fish.exe.
• Code Integrity logs identify Smart App Control or policy enforcement.
• The game never reaches its own menu or creates a fresh crash window.

If Windows Security shows malware rather than a reputation or application-control decision, stop and follow the security product’s guidance. If Steam starts the process and it crashes afterward, use the broader crash-on-launch guide or test the Steam Deck and compatibility checks only when they match your platform.

Sources

• Steam discussion: Smart App Control error 0x11C7 — exact message, Code Integrity event 3118, repeated confirmations, and one reinstall success. Accessed 2026-09-02.
• Steam discussion search: additional How to Fish 0x11C7 reports — independent thread titles reporting the same executable block. Accessed 2026-09-02.
• Microsoft Support: Smart App Control — feature behavior and warning about turning it off. Accessed 2026-09-02.
• Official Steam announcements — Patch 1.0.10 is current and does not list a 0x11C7 fix. Accessed 2026-09-02.
• Steam user reviews — checked for launch-failure corroboration; the exact policy diagnosis comes from discussion evidence. Accessed 2026-09-02.