Portable copy

A portable copy runs from any folder you choose, such as a folder in your user profile or a USB stick, without running setup and without administrator rights. It keeps its configuration and license in that folder.

The portable download is not signed. Use the setup program unless you need a copy that runs without installing.

The three ZIP files

The Portable section of the download page has up to three ZIP files for each version. Extract every one you use into the same folder.

ZIP file	What it adds	When you need it
Input.Observer-version-Portable.zip	Input.Observer itself, the help, and portable.txt	Always
Input.Observer-version-Portable-Extras.zip	The configuration window, the styles plugin with its sounds, and Input.Observer.Trace.exe for recording a trace	To change your setup in the configuration window rather than by editing config.toml, or to use styles
Input.Observer-Portable-DotNet-runtime version-win-x64.zip	The .NET 10 Desktop Runtime, in a dotnet folder	Only for the configuration window, and only if the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime isn't installed on the PC

Input.Observer and the Extras ZIP must be the same version. The .NET runtime ZIP is listed beside the version it goes with; several versions can share one.

Setting it up

1. Download the ZIP files you need.
2. Before you extract them, right-click each ZIP file, choose Properties, check Unblock and choose OK. Otherwise Windows marks every extracted file as downloaded, and warns about each program.
3. Extract them into one folder.
4. Start Input.Observer.exe.

The portable programs aren't signed, so the first start can show Windows protected your PC. Choose More info, then Run anyway.

The first start is a first run, the same as after setup: the license agreement, the activation window, then the configuration window's welcome. portable.txt beside Input.Observer.exe is what keeps the configuration in that folder (Where it is); the first start creates config.toml next to it with the starter setup. Leave portable.txt in the folder.

When the Extras ZIP is in the folder at the first start, the styles plugin is added then and draws trails, hints and messages. If you extract it later, add the plugin once yourself: on the Plugins page, which shows in Advanced mode, choose Add Plugin… and pick Input.Observer.Styles.exe in the folder (Adding a plugin). Then choose a style on the Appearance page.

What a portable copy can't do

• Programs running as administrator. While a program running as administrator has the keyboard focus, gestures don't start there, text expansion and some hotkeys don't fire, and actions can't send keys or clicks into it (Programs running as administrator). Starting Input.Observer.exe itself as administrator lifts this, but then every action runs as administrator too.
• Updates. Nothing updates a portable copy. To update it, extract the new version's ZIP files over the old ones while Input.Observer isn't running. Your configuration and license stay.
• The .NET runtime ZIP isn't updated by Windows. When the download page lists a newer .NET runtime ZIP for your version, extract it over the old one, or install the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime from Microsoft instead.

When the configuration window doesn't open

Choosing Open from the tray menu checks the folder first, and says which ZIP file to extract:

Message	Fix
The configuration window isn't in this folder.	Extract the Extras ZIP for the same version.
The configuration window needs the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime.	Extract the .NET runtime ZIP listed for your version, or install the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime.
The configuration window in this folder is version …, but Input.Observer is version ….	Extract the Extras ZIP for Input.Observer's version. Yes opens it anyway, but settings may not load or save correctly.

Without the configuration window, Help opens the help in your web browser.

What it keeps outside its folder

The configuration, license, console settings, backups and recordings stay in the folder. A few things are kept in Windows or your user profile, the same as for an installed copy:

• That you accepted the license agreement, and a record of the trial. Deleting the folder doesn't restart the trial.
• The configuration window's own settings, such as its window position, and its browser cache, in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Input.Observer.
• Start with Windows, only if you turn it on (General). If you move the folder, Input.Observer points it at the new location the next time it starts.
• A Start menu shortcut named Input.Observer, created the first time an action shows a Windows notification. Windows needs it to show the notification.

Removing it

1. Turn off Start with Windows if you turned it on.
2. Choose Exit from the tray menu.
3. Delete the folder.
4. If you want them gone too, delete %LOCALAPPDATA%\Input.Observer and the Input.Observer shortcut in the Start menu.