TRAILFLOW

TRAILFLOW Installation Guide

This guide explains how to download, extract, start, license, and validate the TRAILFLOW Recording Agent and Trail Verifier on a Windows workstation. It also covers the most common browser, Windows, and antivirus blocks that can prevent first use.

1. System Requirements

Important: TRAILFLOW captures screen, mouse, keyboard, anchors, and window context. Because of this, some browsers, Windows SmartScreen, antivirus products, or corporate endpoint protection tools may block the download or execution until it is explicitly allowed.

2. Download

Download the current Windows executables from:

https://trailflow.eu/download.html

If the browser blocks the download

Typical browser messages include “file may be dangerous”, “download blocked”, or “untrusted application”. This is common for executable files and for software that captures workstation activity.

3. Extract and Place the Files Correctly

  1. Create a simple local folder, for example C:\TRAILFLOW\
  2. Place the downloaded executables in that folder
  3. Keep the TRAILFLOW files together in the same application folder
Do not run TRAILFLOW from inside a ZIP archive. If your delivery format is a ZIP package, extract it fully first.
For the first test, avoid protected or managed folders such as Downloads, Desktop, network shares, or cloud-synced folders unless your environment explicitly allows them. A simple local folder such as C:\TRAILFLOW\ is the safest option.

4. Modules

Recording Agent

Trail Verifier

The Recording Agent and Trail Verifier are separate executables. Recording is done in the Agent. Review and verification are done in the Verifier.

5. Licensing Files

TRAILFLOW uses local licensing files stored per Windows user profile.

installation.json identifies the local installation.
license.json contains the license, features, expiry, machine binding, and signature.
If the license files are missing, invalid, blocked, or bound to a different installation ID, licensed operation may not apply correctly.

Current behavior:

6. Default Local Configuration

The default configuration currently points to the following local paths:

Current default capture behavior includes:

7. First Start of the Recording Agent

  1. Open the TRAILFLOW application folder
  2. Double-click trailflow.exe
  3. If Windows shows a security prompt, review it
  4. If the file was obtained from the official TRAILFLOW website and your environment allows it, continue execution
  5. Confirm that the Agent window opens

If Windows SmartScreen blocks execution

If antivirus or endpoint protection blocks execution

Because TRAILFLOW captures mouse, keyboard, and screen activity, security tools may treat it as sensitive until explicitly allowed. This is expected in some environments.

8. First Recording Test

  1. Start the Recording Agent
  2. Start a short test recording
  3. Perform a few visible actions on screen
  4. Stop the recording
  5. Check that files were written to C:\TRAILFLOW\recordings or to the configured evidence folder
If no recording is created, the most common causes are:

9. First Verification Test

  1. Start TrailflowEvidenceVerifier.exe
  2. Open the test recording created by the Recording Agent
  3. Confirm that the recording loads correctly
  4. Confirm that review and verification views are accessible
First-run validation is complete only when both steps succeed:
  1. the Agent creates a recording locally
  2. the Verifier opens that recording successfully

10. Recommended Usage Practices

11. Updates and Versioning

12. Troubleshooting

The file will not download

The executable will not start

The Agent starts but no recording is created

The Verifier does not open the recording

Licensed outputs still appear unlicensed or unverified

13. Notes