“Windows protected your PC” when installing
Why SmartScreen warns about the Bricklayer installer, how to continue safely, and how to check you have the real file.
Updated November 8, 2026
When you open the installer, Microsoft Defender SmartScreen may show a blue screen that says Windows protected your PC and lists the publisher as unknown.
Why it happens
Bricklayer is in beta and its installer is not code signed yet. SmartScreen warns about any unsigned app that it has not seen many people install. The warning is about reputation, not about anything it found in the file.
Continue the install
- On the blue screen, click More info.
- Check that the file name is the Bricklayer installer you just downloaded.
- Click Run anyway.
The Run anyway button only appears after you click More info. It is easy to miss.
Only do this for an installer you got through the official Downloads page or a link emailed to you after requesting a download. If you got an installer from somewhere else, such as a video description, a Discord DM, or a file-sharing site, delete it and download a fresh copy.
How to check you have the real installer
- You got the download from the Bricklayer website, or from the link emailed to you after you requested a download.
- The file is in your Downloads folder with the name the site gave it, and you did not have to unzip a password-protected archive to get it.
- Nobody asked you to turn off your antivirus or paste anything into PowerShell to install it. Bricklayer's installer never needs either.
My work computer will not let me click Run anyway
Some school and work computers block unsigned apps entirely through IT policy. There is no setting Bricklayer can change for that. Ask whoever manages the computer, or install on a computer you control.
Will this warning go away?
Yes, once the installer is signed. Until then, it is expected on new versions too.
Did this answer your question?
Related articles
Still need help? or start a thread in the community forum.