Installing Unigrid on Windows

The Unigrid installers are not yet signed with a Windows code-signing certificate, so Microsoft Defender SmartScreen stops the installer the first time and asks you to confirm. This page walks through that.

1. Download

  1. Download janus-<version>-windows-x64.msi from the Releases page.
  2. Optionally check it against SHA256SUMS, which is on the same page. In PowerShell: Get-FileHash .\janus-<version>-windows-x64.msi
  3. Your browser may warn that the file is not commonly downloaded. In Edge, open the … menu next to the download, choose Keep, and then Show more and Keep anyway. In Chrome, choose Keep.

2. Open the installer, and let SmartScreen say no

Double-click the .msi. Windows shows this and does not start the installer:

Windows protected your PC

Click More info, not Don’t run.

3. Choose Run anyway

The dialog now shows the file name and Unknown publisher, and has a Run anyway button:

Run anyway

Click Run anyway.

4. Install

The Unigrid Setup Wizard opens. Follow it with Next.

The Unigrid Setup Wizard

Unigrid installs for your own user, under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Unigrid, so it does not need administrator rights. Afterwards it is in the Start menu under Unigrid.

If SmartScreen does not show More info

Some setups block the file before SmartScreen can offer a choice. Unblock it first, then open it again:

  • Right-click the .msi, choose Properties, tick Unblock at the bottom of the General tab, and click OK.
  • Or in PowerShell: Unblock-File .\janus-<version>-windows-x64.msi

First start

Janus downloads Hedgehog the first time it runs and checks its signature before using it. That needs an internet connection and takes a moment. Your wallets and backups are kept in a folder named .janus in your user folder.

Uninstalling

Open Settings, then Apps, find Unigrid and choose Uninstall. Delete the .janus folder in your user folder only if you also want to remove your wallet backups, and make sure you have your recovery phrase before you do.

The screenshots were taken on Windows Server 2022. The dialogs on Windows 10 and 11 use the same wording, and may look a little different.