Installation & getting started
System requirements
- Windows 10 build 17763+ or Windows 11
- 64-bit recommended
- .NET 10 included with the installer
- Optional webcam for photo capture
- SMTP credentials for alert emails
Installation steps
- Download the installer from the Kynos download page.
- Run the installer and follow the prompts.
- Launch Kynos from the Start Menu or desktop shortcut.
- Complete the first-run onboarding flow.
First run experience
On first launch, Kynos opens its onboarding wizard because OnboardingCompleted is false. The flow covers the intro, features, EULA, license path, PIN setup, email alerts, and finish state.
After onboarding, the main settings window is ready and the lock screen can be triggered immediately.
Quick start
- Launch Kynos and complete onboarding.
- Press Alt+L or use the tray menu to lock the screen.
- Unlock with Windows Hello if available, otherwise use the PIN.
- If email alerts are configured, check the inbox for the security snapshot after a failed unlock attempt.
Configuration & customization
Core settings
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| OnboardingCompleted | false | Whether the first-run wizard has been completed |
| PIN | (empty) | AES-encrypted numeric unlock PIN |
| GlobalHotKey | Alt+L | Global keyboard shortcut to lock the screen |
| UsePauseKeyToLock | false | Enables the Pause / Break key as an extra trigger |
| EnableEmergencyPinPad | true | Shows the on-screen numeric keypad alternative |
| WindowsHello.AuthenticationTimeoutSeconds | 30 | Hello prompt timeout |
| WindowsHello.MaxFailedAttempts | 3 | Maximum consecutive biometric failures |
| WindowsHello.LaunchOnInput | true | Auto-triggers the Hello prompt on user input |
| BorderColorCode | #1E3A8A | Hex color for the lock-screen border accent |
| LogoPath | Assets\logo.png | Custom logo file path |
| FollowOsTheme | true | Use the Windows light/dark theme setting |
| Theme | Light | Manual Light / Dark override when FollowOsTheme is false |
| EnableScreenSaverMode | false | Pure-black OLED-friendly screensaver mode |
| SendAlertMails | true | Send security emails on unlock attempts |
| AlertsMailBox | dev@pangaia.software | Recipient address for alerts |
| MailServer | mail.pangaia.software | SMTP hostname |
| MailServerPort | 587 | SMTP TLS port |
| MailSender | noreply@pangaia.software | From address for alert emails |
Integrations & ecosystem
Windows platform integrations
- Windows Hello through KeyCredentialManager and UserConsentVerifier
- Windows Credential Manager for AES-key storage
- Registry usage for extended logging and startup integration
- Windows Media Capture APIs for webcam access
Network and services
- Any standard SMTP server that supports TLS on port 587
- ipify.org and ipinfo.io for external IP and geolocation data in alert emails
- Pangaia Software licensing API for trial generation and key validation
- Bugsink / Sentry endpoint for crash analysis
Local automation hooks
- Named Pipe IPC through Kynos_IPC for local scripts, schedulers, and applications
- No MCP integration documented