Release verification

Last updated: Oct 20, 2026

The Freevy desktop app is open source under the GNU GPL v3: github.com/FreevyApp/freevy. Releases are not code-signed, on purpose: a signature costs money every year and proves only who published a file, while Freevy's source is public for anyone to read and build. Windows therefore shows an "unknown publisher" warning (choose More info, then Run anyway). To be sure a download is genuine, compare its checksum with the one on the download page, or build Freevy yourself from the source.

How releases are made

• Every release is built from a tagged commit of the public source. The repository's release workflow builds the same tag on GitHub Actions, so anyone can compare the result.
• Only Freevy's own files are signed. The installer may include unmodified open source libraries, such as .NET and WebView2 components, under their own licenses.
• Each release's SHA-256 and MD5 checksums are on the download page, and installed apps check every update against its checksum before installing it.

Privacy

Freevy does not transfer any information to other networked systems unless the user asks for it, with one exception: a few times a day it asks freevy.app whether a new version exists, sending its version number and Windows architecture. This update check can be turned off in Settings ("Update automatically"). Signing in to sync is optional; synced snippets are end-to-end encrypted. Details: privacy policy.

Installing and uninstalling

The installer works per user without admin rights, adds Start menu and desktop shortcuts, starts Freevy with Windows (can be turned off in Settings) and handles freevy:// links for signing in. Uninstall it under Windows Settings, Apps; this removes the program, the shortcuts, the startup entry and the link handler, and keeps your snippets.

Reporting a problem

Security issues, including a file that claims to be Freevy but does not match a published checksum: see the security policy.