Windows sandboxing
One-time setup
For sandboxing to work, the itch app creates a separate local account whose
name starts with itch-player-.
The account is assigned a randomly generated password and removed from the
Users group so that it does not appear on the login screen. The app asks for
Administrator approval when this one-time setup is required. Sandboxed games do
not run with Administrator privileges.
The sandbox account has its own folder under C:\Users, and that is where most
game saves and configuration files will go.
Troubleshooting
If your game is broken by the itch.io sandbox on Windows, we recommend using Microsoft Process Monitor to see what the game is trying to access that it does not have permission to.
You may need to filter by executable name for the logs to be readable.
You can disable the sandbox for a specific game from Manage → Launch settings. If you run into an issue that you need help resolving, feel free to open an issue on our Issue Tracker.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have a new folder in C:\Users\, what gives?
This is necessary for the sandbox to function properly, since it runs games as another user. It allows itch to protect personal files that the sandbox account does not have permission to access.
I lost my saves when enabling the sandbox
They are still present, but the game is looking in the sandbox account's profile instead of your regular profile. For example:
- Original location:
C:\Users\leaf\AppData\Roaming\com.unity.game - Sandboxed location:
C:\Users\itch-player-…\AppData\Roaming\com.unity.game
You can switch the sandbox off for that game to use the original save location, or copy the save files between the two profiles. Windows may ask for Administrator permission when you open the sandbox account's profile.