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Windows Defender False Positive on Launcher

· One min read
itsneufox

Some users have reported that Windows Defender is flagging the open.mp Launcher as a Trojan/virus. This is a false positive, the launcher is completely safe to use.

The launcher is fully open source and you can review or build it yourself: https://github.com/openmultiplayer/launcher

We're already working on fixing this so future builds won't be flagged.

What to do for now​

Until Microsoft updates their detection signatures, add the launcher folder as an exclusion in Windows Defender:

  1. Open Windows Security (search for it in Start)
  2. Go to Virus & threat protection
  3. Under Virus & threat protection settings, click Manage settings
  4. Scroll down to Exclusions and click Add or remove exclusions
  5. Click Add an exclusion → Folder
  6. Select your open.mp launcher installation folder and confirm
  7. Close and re-open the launcher

Notes​

  • Exclude the entire launcher folder, not individual files because file hashes change between updates.
  • If Defender still warns you after adding the exclusion, fully close the launcher, double-check the exclusion path, and try again.

Why does this happen?​

False positives are common with game-related software. Antivirus heuristics can flag legitimate programs that interact with game processes. We're working with Microsoft to get the launcher properly whitelisted.

Still have questions? Reach out on our Discord.