> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cocoondata.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installing and upgrading SafeShare for Windows

## System requirements

To install SafeShare for Windows, your Windows computer must meet the following minimum system requirements:

#### Hardware requirements

* 1 GHz or faster CPU
* 1 GB RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB of RAM (64-bit)
* 1 GB of available drive space

#### Software requirements

Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 (32-bit and 64-bit versions) and later.

SafeShare for Windows also depends on the following software libraries being installed on your operating system:

* [Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.1 (minimum version)](http://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?id=40779)
* [Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable 2012 x86 Update 4 11.0.61030.0](http://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?id=30679)
* [Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable 2013 x86/x64 12.0.21005.1](http://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?id=40784)

> [!TIP]
>
> **Tips and Notes:**
>
> * The `.exe` version of the [SafeShare for Windows installer](/3.5/windows/installing-and-upgrading-the-application.md#installing) automatically installs these software libraries (above), if they have not yet been installed.
> * If planning to install SafeShare for Windows using the `.msi` version of the [installer](/3.5/windows/installing-and-upgrading-the-application.md#installing), be aware that this installer neither includes nor installs these software libraries (above). Hence, these libraries must first be installed on all computers that the `.msi` version of the SafeShare for Windows installer will be run on.

## Installing

These instructions are for user-driven/manual installations of SafeShare for Windows as opposed to remote/silent installations of the application, which would typically be conducted by a systems administrator (within your organisation).

> [!NOTE]
>
> If SafeShare for Windows has already been installed on your computer (because it was installed remotely/silently by a systems administrator), then there is no need to follow this procedure, as is likely to be the case for [configuring your Covata Platform instance](/3.5/windows/installing-and-upgrading-the-application.md#configuring-your-server-url) and [upgrading](/3.5/windows/installing-and-upgrading-the-application.md#upgrading) procedures. If SafeShare for Windows has already been installed and configured on your computer, continue on to [Starting SafeShare for Windows and signing in](/3.5/windows/starting-the-application-and-signing-in.md).

**To install SafeShare for Windows:**

1. Double-click the installer executable to start the *SafeShare (for Windows) Setup Wizard*, which will prompt you to select the most suitable language for your region (i.e. for the installer's language) before presenting you with the intial installer welcome message:

   ![Setup Wizard - start](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/XFCH1-fsOPTworsw/images/bc1ecfa12860-setup-wizard-1.jpg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=XFCH1-fsOPTworsw\&q=85\&s=47e083802090381cb2d1c63d73437ecf)

   **Notes:**

   * If Windows' User Account Control features are active, then allow the "Covata SafeShare" application to make changes to your computer.
   * The language chosen at this step only affects the installer's language - not that of the SafeShare for Windows application itself. The language of the SafeShare for Windows application is determined by the language and locale settings of your Windows operating system.
   * If any anti-virus or anti-malware software prevents the installer executable from running, then follow the required actions to allow the *Setup Wizard* and SafeShare for Windows installation to continue.
2. Click **Next** to specify where SafeShare for Windows will be installed:

   ![Setup Wizard - installation directory](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/nH8pbjLreDSHB6fD/images/6f5b48c6103a-setup-wizard-2.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=nH8pbjLreDSHB6fD\&q=85\&s=f200b80fd845d3283cd05c0da96fbb17)

   **Note:** An appropriate installation directory will be specified by default.
3. Click **Next** to verify that you are ready to install SafeShare for Windows with your previously specified options:

   ![Setup Wizard - ready to install](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n/images/508465af2c87-setup-wizard-3.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n\&q=85\&s=455601c5b6328520aee48f6dfa0e9252)
4. Click **Install** to begin installing SafeShare for Windows:

   ![Setup Wizard - installing](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/XFCH1-fsOPTworsw/images/b3825bd5ccc4-setup-wizard-4.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=XFCH1-fsOPTworsw\&q=85\&s=840f0451726a47d3819364559677aedc)

    **Notes:**

   * During this step, the Setup Wizard may ask you to shut down Windows Explorer. Proceed with this action as Windows Explorer automatically restarts once installation is complete.
   * If running the `.exe` version of the SafeShare for Windows installer *and* certain prerequisites (i.e. [software library requirements](/3.5/windows/installing-and-upgrading-the-application.md#software-requirements) for SafeShare for Windows) are missing from your computer, the *Setup Wizard* will automatically begin installing them before continuing on with the SafeShare installation itself (above). You may be asked to restart your computer before the actual SafeShare *Setup Wizard* (above) continues; this should happen automatically after your computer restarts.
5. Once the installation process is complete, click **Finish** to close the Setup Wizard:

   ![Setup Wizard - completing](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/PII5vWTBhNvVAbCi/images/f15f5d5c948b-setup-wizard-5.jpg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=PII5vWTBhNvVAbCi\&q=85\&s=f5defb522d5c745d12fde20540cc5d79)

   You are then required to restart your computer:

   ![Restarting your computer](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/XFCH1-fsOPTworsw/images/a7ad496d0d53-setup-wizard-6.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=XFCH1-fsOPTworsw\&q=85\&s=4080842bfc4fd08ec9ab7959b206cf3e)
6. After restarting your computer, configure SafeShare for Windows to work with your Covata Platform instance (if this has not already been done). See [Configuring your Covata Platform instance](/3.5/windows/installing-and-upgrading-the-application.md#configuring-your-server-url) below for more information.

## Configuring your Covata Platform instance 

If your computer has just restarted after the [installation](/3.5/windows/installing-and-upgrading-the-application.md#installing) process, SafeShare for Windows displays the **Configure Service Address** dialog box to configure your Covata Platform instance (which SafeShare for Windows integrates with to upload your secured data to remote storage, share this data and download data from storage):

![Configuring the service address](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/UCzlmDjgVturBxhL/images/88feea79df08-configure-server-url.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=UCzlmDjgVturBxhL\&q=85\&s=95e427a88424a7bc286160ea3bddff21)

> [!NOTE]
>
> If SafeShare for Windows has already started but this dialog box still does not appear, then it is possible that SafeShare for Windows was previously installed on your computer without the complete removal of its registry keys (following an [uninstall](/3.5/windows/installing-and-upgrading-the-application.md#uninstalling)). If you need to update the Covata Platform instance that SafeShare for Windows will use, see [Modifying the Covata Platform URL](/3.5/windows/installing-and-upgrading-the-application.md#modifying-the-server-url).

Specify the URL of your Covata Platform instance in this dialog box. This URL can be obtained:

* from your SafeShare administrator, Organisation administrator or the systems administrator who installed and configured your Covata Platform instance, *or*
* directly from Covata (for Covata-hosted instances of the Covata Platform).

After clicking **OK** and the application verifying that the URL specified is that of a valid Covata Platform instance, SafeShare for Windows automatically prompts you to sign in by opening the ['Sign In' dialog box](/3.5/windows/starting-the-application-and-signing-in.md#sign-in-dialog-box). Otherwise, you can [sign in manually](/3.5/windows/starting-the-application-and-signing-in.md#signing-in-manually).

## Upgrading

These instructions are for user-driven/manual upgrades of SafeShare for Windows as opposed to remote/silent upgrades of the application, which would typically be conducted by a systems administrator.

**To upgrade SafeShare for Windows:**

* Double-click the newer version of the installer executable for SafeShare to start the Setup Wizard. \

  The steps for upgrading SafeShare for Windows are the same for [installing the product](/3.5/windows/installing-and-upgrading-the-application.md#installing). However, you will not need to:

  * [Install prerequisites](/3.5/windows/installing-and-upgrading-the-application.md#software-requirements) (assuming they have not been uninstalled in the meantime)
  * [Re-configure your Covata Platform instance](/3.5/windows/installing-and-upgrading-the-application.md#configuring-your-server-url).

## Uninstalling

These instructions are for a user-driven/manual removal of SafeShare for Windows as opposed to remote/silent removals of the application, which would typically be conducted by a systems administrator.

**To uninstall SafeShare for Windows:**

1. Do either of the following:

   * Choose **Uninstall SafeShare** from the Windows Start menu.
   * From Windows' 'Uninstall or change a program' feature, select **Covata SafeShare** and choose **Uninstall**.
2. Follow the remaining prompts to uninstall SafeShare for Windows.

> [!NOTE]
>
> The registry keys for SafeShare for Windows (one of which contains the URL of your configured Covata Platform instance) are not removed as part of this process. To completely remove SafeShare for Windows from your computer, delete the registry key:
>
> * `HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Covata\SafeShare`
>
> If you do not delete this registry key and at a later point in time, re-install SafeShare for Windows, then the **Configure Service Address** dialog box will not be shown after the installation process is completed. To re-configure/update the URL of your Covata Platform instance, you will need to [modify the Covata Platform URL](/3.5/windows/installing-and-upgrading-the-application.md#modifying-the-server-url). \
> **Important:** Modifying the Windows registry can irreparably damage your operating system if you are uncertain of what you are doing. If you are unfamiliar with modifying the Windows registry, ask someone who is (e.g. a systems administrator) to assist you with this process.

## Modifying the Covata Platform URL 

**To modify the Covata Platform URL:**

1. Ensure SafeShare for Windows has been [started](/3.5/windows/starting-the-application-and-signing-in.md#starting-the-application).
2. Click the application's icon

   ![SafeShare for Windows - signed in](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/UCzlmDjgVturBxhL/images/91b3a11c5563-taskbar-icon-signed-in.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=UCzlmDjgVturBxhL\&q=85\&s=49c3af3c89f37a30e7b74646756c210e)

   or

   ![SafeShare for Windows - signed out](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n/images/4565af3abf9f-taskbar-icon-signed-out.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n\&q=85\&s=f77cde4945fd446145dde559855be7cd)

   in the taskbar notification area to open the SafeShare for Windows *application pane* (which appears at the lower-right of the screen), then click the 'Settings' icon

   ![Application pane settings icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/nH8pbjLreDSHB6fD/images/5d9feb547c51-application-pane-settings-icon.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=nH8pbjLreDSHB6fD\&q=85\&s=f3e752b1028a4b57b0d8693c3063becc)

   at the top-right of the application pane ... :

   ![Accessing the application pane settings icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/_MzKWwAlmVvZNHNz/images/cd4eff171629-application-pane-signed-in.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=_MzKWwAlmVvZNHNz\&q=85\&s=4681c621ce43ec71f5254a173a33db19)

   and choose **Application settings** from this icon's pop-up menu to open the **Settings** dialog box: \


   ![Settings dialog box - General tab](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/MnwEzgXdF2yy5sI6/images/2b56d629cfe1-settings-dialog-box-general-tab.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=MnwEzgXdF2yy5sI6\&q=85\&s=9fe7a528204b007e56220e2575440f43)
3. Specify the URL of your new/modified Covata Platform instance in the **Service Address** field.
4. Click **Save** to save the updated Covata Platform URL.


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