Download DeskAuth

The latest version is DeskAuth 4.1.0. It is free and open source, and downloads come from the GitHub releases page.

Download for most Windows PCs (x64) Release notes and all files Older versions

Which file?

DeskAuth-4.1.0-x64.exe: for most Windows PCs. Needs the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime; Windows offers to install it the first time you run DeskAuth if you don't already have it.
DeskAuth-4.1.0-arm64.exe: for Windows on ARM PCs, such as Snapdragon laptops. Also needs the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime.
DeskAuth-4.1.0-x86.exe: for 32-bit Windows 10. Needs the 32-bit (x86) .NET 10 Desktop Runtime.
DeskAuth-4.1.0-x64-standalone.exe: includes .NET, so it is larger but needs nothing else installed.

DeskAuth runs on Windows 10 and Windows 11. SHA256SUMS.txt lists the checksum of each file. DeskAuth tells you when a new version is available.

Windows SmartScreen may say it "protected your PC" the first time you run DeskAuth, because the program is new and not yet code signed. Check you downloaded it from the GitHub releases page, then choose More info and Run anyway.

Getting started

Download the file for your PC and put it anywhere you like, for example in a DeskAuth folder in your Documents. There is nothing to install.
Run it and click Add.
On the website you want to protect, turn on two-factor authentication and choose the authenticator app option.
Paste the secret key or link the website shows, or take a screenshot of its QR code (Win+Shift+S) and click Paste QR code image.
Check the code matches what the website asks for, and click Add.
When you add your first authenticator, DeskAuth asks how to protect it. Choose a password you will remember.

Keep a backup. If you lose your password or reinstall Windows, your authenticators cannot be recovered. Save the backup codes each website gives you, or use Export and keep the file somewhere safe. See backing up your authenticators.

Upgrading from WinAuth

The first time DeskAuth runs, it copies your authenticators from WinAuth's %APPDATA%\WinAuth\winauth.xml, including password and Windows account protection. Your WinAuth file is not changed. DeskAuth saves in a stronger encryption format that WinAuth 3 cannot read.

DeskAuth supports the standard authenticators used by almost every website. Service-specific authenticators from WinAuth 3 (Battle.net, Steam, Guild Wars 2, Glyph and others) and YubiKey protection are no longer supported. See what changed.

Portable mode

Put a deskauth.xml file in the same folder as DeskAuth.exe and DeskAuth uses that file instead of the one in your profile, so you can keep it on a USB drive. Copy your existing file from %APPDATA%\DeskAuth; an empty file is not valid. A WinAuth portable winauth.xml next to DeskAuth.exe also works.

Building from source

Install the .NET 10 SDK, clone the repository and run:

git clone https://github.com/DeskAuth/DeskAuth.git
cd deskauth
dotnet test
dotnet publish src/DeskAuth -c Release -r win-x64 --self-contained false -p:PublishSingleFile=true -o publish

See COMPILING.md for more details.