Windows Setup

Run Freedom Messenger on a Windows server or desktop. The installer handles firewall rules, Windows Defender, and service creation.

Quick Start

  1. Download the latest freedom-mess-windows-amd64.exe from the GitHub releases page
  2. Download install.bat from the same release
  3. Place both files in the same folder
  4. Right-click install.bat and select "Run as administrator"

What the Installer Does

1

Finds the binary

Locates the .exe file in the same folder as the install script.

2

Configures Windows Defender

Adds an exclusion for the Freedom Messenger binary so real-time scanning does not interfere with database operations.

3

Opens firewall port

Creates a Windows Firewall rule to allow inbound traffic on port 443.

4

Runs the setup wizard

Same interactive wizard as Linux — asks for domain, transport mode, and generates keys.

5

Creates a Windows service

Registers Freedom Messenger as a Windows service with automatic restart on failure.

6

Starts the service

The server starts and you can access it via your domain.

Managing the Service

Use the Services management console (services.msc) or command line:

# Check status
sc query freedom-mess

# Restart
sc stop freedom-mess && sc start freedom-mess

# View logs (PowerShell)
Get-EventLog -LogName Application -Source freedom-mess -Newest 50
Windows deployments are best for development and testing. For production use with many users, Linux is recommended due to better resource efficiency and easier automation.