TrustInstall warnings

Why Windows May Warn You

Windows SmartScreen may show a warning when you run the Speakeasy installer. Here is what that means, why it happens, and how to verify that what you downloaded is what we published.

What the warning means

When you run a downloaded installer, Windows checks it against Microsoft SmartScreen, a reputation system. Applications earn reputation over time as many people download and run them without incident. Speakeasy is new independent software, so it has not built up broad SmartScreen reputation yet. The warning ("Windows protected your PC" / "unrecognized app") means Windows does not know this program yet — it is not a statement that the program is malicious.

Only download Speakeasy from speakeasy.im. If you got the installer anywhere else, do not run it — download it from the official site instead.

How to proceed past the warning

  1. On the SmartScreen dialog, click More info.
  2. Confirm the file name matches the release you downloaded (for example speakeasy-im-0.0.1-rc9 Setup.exe).
  3. Click Run anyway.

If you want stronger assurance than the file name, verify the SHA-256 hash first.

Verify your download (recommended)

Every release's SHA-256 hashes are published in the release manifest and shown on each card in the download section. A hash match proves the file you have is byte-for-byte the file we published.

Windows (PowerShell)

Get-FileHash "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\speakeasy-im-0.0.1-rc9 Setup.exe" -Algorithm SHA256

Windows (Command Prompt)

certutil -hashfile "%USERPROFILE%\Downloads\speakeasy-im-0.0.1-rc9 Setup.exe" SHA256

Linux

sha256sum ~/Downloads/speakeasy-im-0.0.1-rc9-linux-x64.AppImage

Compare the output against the hash for the same file name in the release manifest. If it matches, the download is authentic. If it does not match, delete the file and tell us.

Self-host server bundles ship with a SHA256SUMS file next to the artifacts; verify with sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS.

Will this warning go away?

Yes, two ways: SmartScreen reputation accumulates as more people install Speakeasy, and code-signing the installer with an organization-validated certificate is on the roadmap, which shortens that process significantly. Until then, hash verification is the strongest check available and is stronger than reputation alone.