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Install Bunsho on Windows

Run the installer, get past the Windows warning, and open Bunsho for the first time.

Updated October 15, 2026

Bunsho is free to download. You do not need an account to install it or to write in it. It needs Windows 10 or newer, 64-bit.

Install it

  1. Go to the download page and choose Download for Windows.
  2. When it finishes, open the file in your Downloads folder. Its name ends in Setup.exe.
  3. Windows may show a blue box that says Windows protected your PC. This is expected. See the next section.
  4. The installer has no questions to answer. It installs Bunsho for your user account only, so it does not ask for administrator rights, and then opens the app.

The "Windows protected your PC" warning

Bunsho is not yet code-signed, so Windows SmartScreen does not recognise the installer and warns you. The installer is safe to run. To continue:

  1. In the blue box, click More info.
  2. A new button appears at the bottom. Click Run anyway.
Tip:You only need to do this when you run the installer. Updates install themselves and do not show this box.

Where Bunsho is installed

The app goes into a Bunsho folder inside %LocalAppData%\Programs. Your books are saved separately, in a Bunsho folder in your user folder by default. Uninstalling the app does not delete your books.

First launch

Bunsho opens to a start screen. From there you can start a novel or screenplay, import a manuscript, or explore a sample story.

Updates

Bunsho checks for updates while it is open. When one has downloaded, a notice at the top says "A Bunsho update is ready. Restart to update." Click Restart now when you are ready. To check right away, choose File → Check for Updates.... Updates never need an account.

Related articles

Create your first bookStart a new novel or screenplay, choose where it is saved, and add your first chapter.Import a manuscriptBring a draft in from Word, Markdown, plain text or Fountain, step by step.Install Bunsho on a MacDownload Bunsho, drag it to Applications, and open it for the first time.Windows says "Windows protected your PC"A blue Windows warning appears when you open the Bunsho installer. Here is how to continue.

Still stuck?

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Email support@bunsho.io