Installation Guide
How to Install CoreLock
CoreLock works on macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel) and Windows 10/11. Follow the steps below for your platform.
macOS Installation
Download the DMG
Go to the download page and click the macOS button. Choose Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) or Intel depending on your Mac.
Open the DMG
Double-click the downloaded CoreLock-0.1.0.dmg file.
Drag to Applications
Drag the CoreLock icon to the Applications folder in the window that appears.
Open CoreLock
Open CoreLock from your Applications folder. macOS may ask you to confirm since it was downloaded from the internet — click Open.
CoreLock is signed and notarized by Apple, so you should not see any "damaged" or "unidentified developer" warnings.
Need Full Disk Access? For the deepest scans, CoreLock may ask for Full Disk Access permission. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access and toggle CoreLock on.
Windows Installation
Download the installer
Go to the download page and click the Windows button to download the installer.
Run the installer
Double-click the downloaded CoreLock-Setup-0.1.0.exe file.
Windows SmartScreen — click "More info"
Since CoreLock is new software, Windows SmartScreen may show a blue dialog saying "Windows protected your PC". This is normal for any new app — it happens because Windows hasn't seen enough downloads yet to build a reputation.
Click "More info" at the bottom of the dialog, then click "Run anyway".
Follow the setup wizard
Choose your installation directory (or keep the default) and click Install. CoreLock will be ready in seconds.
Launch CoreLock
Open CoreLock from your Start menu or desktop shortcut. Your first scan takes about 30 seconds.
Why does Windows show a warning?
Windows SmartScreen uses a reputation system. Brand-new software — no matter how safe — starts with zero reputation. As more people download and use CoreLock, the warning disappears automatically. This is how it works for every new app on Windows, including tools from companies like Discord and Notion when they first launched.
CoreLock does not contain malware, adware, or any harmful code. Our codebase is open for review, and we're in the process of obtaining a Windows code signing certificate to eliminate this warning permanently.
Windows Defender flagging CoreLock?
Because CoreLock is a security app that scans processes, monitors network connections, and checks files — the same things antivirus software does — some antivirus programs may flag it as suspicious. This is a false positive.
If Windows Defender blocks CoreLock:
- Open Windows Security from the Start menu
- Go to Virus & threat protection → Protection history
- Find the CoreLock entry and click Actions → Allow on device
We've submitted CoreLock to Microsoft for review to resolve this. It typically takes a few weeks for Microsoft to whitelist new security software.
Troubleshooting
macOS: "CoreLock.app is damaged"
This should not happen with our signed builds. If you see this, you may have an older version. Download the latest from our download page.
Windows: Installer blocked completely
If your organization uses Windows Defender Application Control or Smart App Control, it may block unsigned apps entirely. Contact your IT administrator to allow CoreLock, or download the MSI version which is better recognized by enterprise security tools.
Still having issues?
Email us at info@corelock.net with a screenshot of the error and we'll help you get set up.