Troubleshooting and FAQ

Answers to common questions about Winora: the SmartScreen warning, the administrator prompt, settings managed by policy, undo, and reporting a problem.

Windows SmartScreen warns me when I open the download

Windows may not know a new app yet, so SmartScreen can show a warning for a new download. Check the file first. Each release on the releases page (opens in a new tab) comes with a SHA256SUMS file. Compare the SHA-256 hash of your download with the line for that file. In a terminal you can get the hash with this command, using the name of the file you downloaded:

Bash

certutil -hashfile <file name> SHA256

If the hash matches, the file is the one that was published.

Why does Winora ask for administrator rights?

Winora changes settings for the whole PC, services, scheduled tasks and installed programs. Windows allows these changes only to an app that runs as administrator. Choose Yes at the prompt.

If you choose No or start Winora another way, the pages still open, but changes that need these rights are off. To start it as administrator, close Winora, right-click its icon, choose Run as administrator, and choose Yes when Windows asks.

A setting shows "Set by your organization"

A policy on this PC controls that setting. It can come from Group Policy, device management or another tool. Winora does not change a setting that a policy manages. Change the policy, or ask the person who manages the PC.

On the Windows Update page the same case shows as Managed by your organization.

Undo is refused because the value changed

Winora never overwrites a value that something else changed after Winora set it. Windows, an update or another program may have changed it. Open the setting on its page, read the current value, and change it there if you want. See History and undo.

I removed Winora and my settings did not go back

Removing Winora leaves your Windows settings as they are. Install Winora again, open History, and undo the changes you want back.

Does Winora work on Windows 10?

No. Winora is made for Windows 11 on 64-bit (x64) PCs.

A change does not show yet

Some settings take effect only after File Explorer restarts, after you sign out and in again, or after a restart of the PC. The review and the notification after the change tell you which one is needed.

A tool or an uninstaller runs for a long time

Winora waits and never ends the program because of the time. If you often use slow tools, set Wait for slow tools to Long (2 times) or Very long (4 times) in Settings.

How do I report a problem?

Open Settings and click Export diagnostics.
Choose a folder. Winora creates the diagnostics archive there.
Open a new issue on GitHub issues (opens in a new tab). Describe what you did and what happened, and attach the archive.

The archive never contains your files, user name, machine name or setting values. On a repair tool you can also click Copy the result log and paste the log into the issue.