Windows blocked the installer: SmartScreen and Smart App Control explained

If Windows refuses to run the GamepadOS PC server installer, you are almost certainly seeing one of two Windows protections. Neither means the file is a virus. Both react to the same fact: the installer is unsigned, because GamepadOS is a one-person project that has not yet bought a code-signing certificate. This guide explains what each warning means and what your honest options are.

What code signing is

A code-signing certificate is a digital signature a publisher attaches to software. It tells Windows who made the file and proves nobody changed it after signing. Certificates are issued by authorities that verify the publisher's identity, and they cost money every year. Software without a signature is not necessarily unsafe. It is just unverified, and Windows treats unverified software with more caution than software from a known publisher.

Warning 1: Microsoft Defender SmartScreen

SmartScreen is the blue "Windows protected your PC" window. It appears when you run a downloaded file that Windows does not recognise, either because it is unsigned or because few people have downloaded it yet. It is a warning, and you can proceed.

To continue past it:

1. On the blue window, click More info.
2. A Run anyway button appears. Click it.

Only do this for files you downloaded from the official site, which for GamepadOS means this website or the store listings linked from the support page. Never use "Run anyway" for a file from an email attachment or a random download site.

Warning 2: Smart App Control

Smart App Control is a stricter feature on Windows 11. When it is on, Windows runs only software that is signed by a trusted publisher or that its cloud reputation service judges safe. If the file fails that test, Windows does not offer a "Run anyway" button. It shows a message such as "Smart App Control blocked an app that may be unsafe".

This is the one that catches people out. It is on by default only on fresh installations of Windows 11, which is why one person never sees it and another cannot run the installer. If your PC was upgraded from Windows 10, or Smart App Control is switched off, you will not meet it.

Check which protection you have

1. Open Windows Security from the Start menu.
2. Choose App & browser control.
3. Open Smart App Control settings. It shows On, Evaluation or Off.

• Off: you will only meet SmartScreen. Use More info and Run anyway.
• Evaluation: Windows is still learning how you use your PC and has not decided whether to turn it on. It does not block apps yet, but it may switch itself on later.
• On: unsigned installers will be blocked.

Your options if Smart App Control blocks it

Option 1: wait for a signed version

The safest choice is to wait until GamepadOS ships a signed installer. Signing is on the project's list, and when it happens the warning disappears for everyone, with no change needed on your side.

Option 2: turn Smart App Control off

You can turn it off in Windows Security → App & browser control → Smart App Control settings. Before you do, understand the trade-off clearly: this is permanent. Windows has no switch to turn it back on. The only way to re-enable it is to reset or reinstall Windows. And Smart App Control protects everything on your PC, not only this program.

Because of that, please do not switch it off on GamepadOS's account unless you are comfortable with the trade. If you do not want that trade, Option 1 is the right one. Some people use a different PC, such as one with Smart App Control already off, for the server.

Antivirus warnings

Some antivirus programs flag new, unsigned programs, especially ones that install a driver or open a network port, as GamepadOS does. This is called a heuristic detection. It is a guess based on behaviour, not a finding of malware. If your antivirus blocks the installer:

• Download only from the official site or an official store listing.
• If you choose to proceed, add an exclusion for the installer and the installed program, and report the detection as a false positive in your antivirus's interface. That helps the vendor learn.
• If you are unsure, do not proceed. Waiting costs you nothing.

What the installer actually does

You are entitled to know what you are allowing. The installer:

• installs the open-source ViGEmBus driver so Windows can create a virtual controller;
• adds a Windows Firewall rule so your phone's controller packets reach the server (UDP ports 7777 to 7786);
• installs the server program, which listens only on your local network.

The server does not upload your controller input or screen. The apps contain no analytics, and the only internet request they make on their own is a small version check. The privacy guide and the privacy policy have the full detail.

Why not just sign it?

Because certificates cost money every year, and identity checks take time for a one-person project. It is on the list. In the meantime the honest choices above are the ones available, and we would rather explain them than hide the problem.

If you are stuck

If you cannot run the installer by any route, tell us through the contact form, including whether Smart App Control is On, Evaluation or Off on your PC. We can suggest what else to try, and the report helps us prioritise signing. For the rest of the setup once it is installed, see the setup guide.