Installing NOX on Windows

// short version: the blue warning is expected and safe — click More info → Run anyway

Why the warning appears: Windows SmartScreen flags any installer it hasn't seen before. It does not mean the file is malicious — it means the publisher hasn't paid for a code-signing certificate (hundreds of dollars a year), so Windows hasn't built a trust record for this app yet. Over time, after enough installs, SmartScreen stops warning automatically.

1. How to install

Download NOX Setup <version>.exe from the home page.
Double-click the file.
A blue dialog appears: “Windows protected your PC”.
Click the small More info link on the left side of the dialog.
A new button appears at the bottom: Run anyway. Click it.
The NOX installer wizard launches. Default settings are fine.
Launch NOX from the Start menu or desktop shortcut.

After the first install, NOX updates itself silently — no more warnings.

2. If your browser also warned

Before SmartScreen even runs, Edge or Chrome may say “This file isn’t commonly downloaded” and hide the Save button:

Edge — click the ··· next to the warning → Keep → Keep anyway.
Chrome — click the up-arrow next to the warning → Keep.

3. If your antivirus flags it

Electron apps get false-positive-flagged by aggressive AV engines (Kaspersky, Avast, some corporate endpoint tools). The installer contains only Chromium + Node.js + NOX app code, nothing else. Options:

Restore from quarantine and add NOX Setup.exe to your AV’s allowlist.
Skip the installer entirely — use NOX in your browser at app.nox-chat.com. Same app, no install.

4. Verify the file yourself (optional)

Every release has a SHA-256 checksum in the release notes. In PowerShell, after downloading:

Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256 "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\NOX Setup*.exe"

Compare the Hash value to the one listed in the release notes. If they match bit-for-bit, the file was not tampered with in transit.

5. The warnings go away

SmartScreen’s trust model is reputation-based: after enough people install a binary from the same publisher, Windows stops warning. Once the project can afford a code-signing certificate, the warnings disappear entirely for new downloads.

6. Still not convinced? Good.

Don’t install things you don’t trust. NOX is:

Privacy-first — no ads, no tracking, no analytics SDKs, no data sold. See the privacy policy.
Open about what it does — every surface lives on nox-chat.com; the privacy policy lists exactly what’s stored and what isn’t.
Zero-install alternative — use app.nox-chat.com until you’re comfortable with the installer.

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