windows antivirus is blocking the paradox launcher

[hgj77]

Integrity​

I have verified my game files (on Steam)​

Yes

I have disabled all mods​

No

Required​

Summary​

windows antivirus is blocking the paradox launcher

Description​

every month or so the windows antivirus claims that the paradox launcher is a virus and blocks it, stoping all paradox games from being started
this isn¨t realy a vic 3 problem but it mostly hapens for vic

Steps to reproduce​

start the paradox launcher and see if windows is unhappy

Game Version​

any

OS​

Windows

Additional​

Bug Type​

Crash to Desktop

Save Game​

Attachments​

Player Pain​

3

 

[PDX_Sosanna]

Moving to Tech Support

 

[AndrewT]

We've seen this with Norton's and Kaspersky recently. You'll need to all these files to its exceptions lists:


victoria3.exe (in the Steam Vic3/binaries folder)
dowser.exe (in the Steam Vic3/launcher folder)
C:/users/{username}/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2.2025.1/paradox launcher.exe
C:/users/{username}/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/bootstrapper-v2.exe

You may have to do this after each launcher update, especially the new Paradox Launcher.exe .

And you should report the false positive to them.

All the best!