prodroomsRead this firstWindows is going to tell you this file is dangerous.
It will call it unrecognized, untrusted, or suspicious. Your browser may warn you too. Windows Defender may quarantine or delete it on its own.
This is expected, and we would rather tell you now than have you find out mid-install. Prodrooms is a brand-new app and the installer is not code-signed yet. Windows treats every unsigned installer this way, whoever made it. It is not a detection of anything actually in the file.
If you are not comfortable clicking past a security warning, do not install it and wait for the signed release. That is a completely reasonable call and it will not cost you your beta spot.
Exactly what you will see
Step 1 · Your browser, while downloading
“Prodrooms_x64-setup.exe is not commonly downloaded. Make sure you trust it before you open it.”
Chrome and Edge word this slightly differently and may hide the file behind a Keep or Keep anyway button in the downloads bar. Choose to keep it.
Step 2 · When you open the installer
“Windows protected your PC” — Microsoft Defender SmartScreen prevented an unrecognized app from starting.
A blue full-screen box with one Don't run button. The button you need is hidden: click the small More info link first, then Run anyway appears.
Step 3 · Possibly, from Defender itself
“Threat found” or “Virus & threat protection” removed the file.
Less common, but it happens with unsigned installers. If the file disappears after downloading, open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Protection history, find the item, and choose Allow on device. Then download it again.
Why this happens
Is my computer actually at risk?
Windows is not reporting that it found anything harmful in the file. SmartScreen blocks based on reputation: it has not seen this app installed by enough people, and it is not signed by a certificate Microsoft recognizes. A brand-new unsigned app always starts with zero reputation.
So why not just sign it?
A code-signing certificate costs real money every year. Prodrooms is a free invite-only beta run by one person, so signing is on the list for the paid release, not the beta. Signing it is what makes these screens go away, and nothing else does.
What does the app actually do to my machine?
It captures the window you pick, streams it, and injects mouse and keyboard input into that window when you hand control to a guest. That is genuinely powerful access, which is the honest reason to care where you got the file. It is also why you stay in control: you pick the window, and you can take control back or close the room at any time.
How do I know this download is the real one?
Start the download from prodrooms.com, and check that it lands on the official release page at github.com/snailsandboats-creator/prodrooms-host. Do not install a Prodrooms installer someone sends you directly, from anywhere else. That advice is worth more than the SmartScreen prompt is.
What to click, in order
- Download the installer with the button below.
- If the browser hides it, click Keep or Keep anyway.
- Open the file. The blue “Windows protected your PC” screen appears.
- Click More info (small link, easy to miss).
- Click Run anyway.
- Follow the installer, then sign in with your Prodrooms account.
I understand, download for WindowsWindows 10 or 11 · about 60 MB. An NVIDIA GPU is optional and unlocks the highest-quality mode; every other machine uses the built-in software encoder. Guests never install anything — they join in a browser, so none of this applies to them.
Still unsure?
Ask before you install. Message @d.j.che on Instagram and you will get a straight answer. Waiting for the signed release is always fine.