I downloaded the latest Blender (3.1.2) as a ZIP and unzipped it, because I want to execute it alongside other Blender versions that I have installed.
Every time I try to execute blender.exe (3.1.2) I get an annoying Windows popup: "The app you're trying to install isn't a Microsoft-verified app..." If I select "Install anyway" it runs.
Has anyone else seen this? Does anyone have an explanation / workaround / solution? Thanks.
[also posted on Blender Stack Exchange]
This happens with all non Microsoft apps, prior to being verified by Microsoft.
Apps like Blender are updated so frequently, Microsoft can't keep up with the millions of apps out there being updated.
Blender is continuously evolving, but sometimes apps need updating because it needs to work with the latest version of Windows, so its a constant cycle of unverified installations.
Clicking 'Install Anyway', when you download from a legitimate reputable source, isn't really a big deal.
With constant Windows updates that install a basic GPU driver that overrides the latest manufacturer driver, that's annoying! 🤬
"Install anyway", on the first run, was acceptable. That happened for 3.0, 3.0.1. The mystery is that for 3.1.x (I tried all Zip versions), the warning appears EVERY time it is run.
I got nothing much from either Microsoft or StackExchange - just "change your preference". Now the preference seems to require an Administrator (I don't think it did before, but I can't prove it). So I gave up and just changed the preference. :/
UPDATE: Downloaded and tested all 3.0.x and 3.1.x today, they all behave the same (they didn't before). So it doesn't seem to be a Blender version issue. It must be an unknown Windows issue. Lots of investigation didn't give me any helpful clues.