Windows SmartScreen "Windows protected your PC" warning blocks Esper Device Provisioner install: bypass the prompt to proceed

Windows

When you try to install the Esper Device Provisioner on Windows 10 or Windows 11, Microsoft Defender SmartScreen may block the installer with a warning message. This is normal behavior for enterprise software and doesn't indicate a security problem. Follow these steps to bypass the warning and complete your installation.

Bypass the SmartScreen warning

When the SmartScreen dialog appears with the message Windows protected your PC — Microsoft Defender SmartScreen prevented an unrecognized app from starting, click the More info link in the dialog box.
On the next screen, review the app name and publisher information.
Click Run anyway to proceed with the installation.
The Esper Device Provisioner installer will launch normally. Complete the installation steps as prompted.
Verify that the Esper Device Provisioner opens successfully and displays the provisioning workflow.

If the "Run anyway" button is missing or grayed out

Your organization may have enforced a restrictive Windows Group Policy or mobile device management (MDM) policy that blocks unrecognized applications at the SmartScreen level. In this case, contact your IT administrator to:

Whitelist the Esper Device Provisioner executable by file hash or publisher in your endpoint security policy, or
Temporarily lower the SmartScreen enforcement level to allow the installation to complete.

If the installer fails after bypassing SmartScreen

If you successfully bypass the SmartScreen warning but the Esper Device Provisioner fails to launch or displays a different error, this indicates a separate issue. Note the exact error message and contact Esper Support with the details.

Why this warning appears

Microsoft Defender SmartScreen uses a reputation system based on download volume across the Windows ecosystem. Applications must reach a certain threshold of verified downloads before SmartScreen stops flagging them. The Esper Device Provisioner is an enterprise tool distributed to a targeted audience, so it does not accumulate the broad download volume required to earn automatic SmartScreen trust. This warning is not indicative of malware or a security defect—it's a blanket caution for any application below Microsoft's reputation threshold. The warning frequency may decrease over time as more users download the installer.

Still need help?

If you encounter issues during or after the installation, submit a support ticket with a description of the problem and any error messages you see.