How to Check a Downloaded Installer and Avoid Fake Download Buttons
A short Windows safety routine: find the real download, ignore look-alike buttons, and check the digital signature before you run an installer.
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Why check before you run an installer
Search results and web pages are full of look-alike download buttons. An installer from the wrong place can bundle extra software or change browser settings. Checking takes about a minute. The example below uses the Logitech G HUB installer, but the steps work for any Windows installer.
Spot the real download
- Read the address bar. Download from the publisher’s own domain. For G HUB that is
logitechg.com; its Windows button points todownload01.logi.com, Logitech’s download server. - Be wary of ads. A large “Download” button inside a banner or a box marked Ad or Sponsored is not part of the page’s own content, even if it looks like it.
- Watch for extra words. The G HUB file is named
lghub_installer.exe. A different name, an unexpected file type, or a “download manager” is a reason to stop. - Ignore pressure. Countdown timers, “your download is ready” banners and several competing green buttons are common on look-alike pages.
- Start from the publisher. Type the official address yourself or follow a link from the publisher’s site.
Check the digital signature
- Right-click the downloaded file and choose Properties.
- Open the Digital Signatures tab. If there is no such tab, the file is not signed.
- The Name of signer should be the publisher. Select it and choose Details; Windows should say This digital signature is OK.
The Windows permission prompt
When you start an installer, Windows may ask whether to allow it to make changes. Check the Verified publisher line. If it names the company you expect, you can continue. If it says Unknown publisher and you were expecting a well-known company, stop.
If something looks wrong
- Do not run the file. Delete it.
- Go back to the publisher’s own site and download again.
- Run a scan with Windows Security.
- Do not turn off Windows or antivirus protection to get an installer to run.
After installing
If you change your mind, you can remove the program from Settings > Apps. Look at what the installer asked during setup, and decline optional offers you do not want.