Windows Installation

This guide walks you through installing Thriva on a Windows computer. The process takes about 5 minutes.

System Requirements

• Windows 10 or Windows 11 (Home, Pro, or Enterprise)
• Administrator access to the computer
• Internet connection for registration

Step 1: Download the Installer

1. Go to downloads.thriva.app
2. Click “Download for Windows”
3. Save ThrivaSetup.exe to your computer

Browser warnings

Your browser may warn about downloading an .exe file. This is normal for any software download. Click “Keep” or “Allow” to proceed.

Step 2: Run the Installer

1. Locate the downloaded ThrivaSetup.exe file
2. Right-click and select “Run as administrator”
3. If Windows SmartScreen appears, click “More info” then “Run anyway”

Administrator Required

You must run the installer as administrator. If you don’t see the option, you may need to log in with an administrator account.

Step 3: Get a Registration Code

Before running the installer, get a registration code from the Parent Portal:

1. Log in to parents.thriva.app
2. Go to Devices in the sidebar
3. Click “Add Device”
4. Enter a device name (e.g., “Family Laptop”, “Kids’ Desktop”)
5. Select “Windows” as the device type
6. Click “Generate Code”
7. Copy the 8-character code displayed (like A7F2B401)

This code expires in 1 hour and can only be used once.

Step 4: Complete Registration

Run the installer and follow the prompts:

1. Enter the 8-character registration code
2. Wait while setup downloads and installs the Thriva components
3. The installer completes when you see “Setup Complete”

The installer will:

• Download and install the Thriva service
• Configure it to start automatically with Windows
• Set up the system tray app to launch at user login
• Connect this device to your family account

Step 5: Link User Accounts

After installation completes, you need to link Windows usernames to your children in the Parent Portal:

1. Go to parents.thriva.app
2. Navigate to Devices and click on your newly registered device
3. You’ll see a list of Available Users (Windows usernames detected on the device)
4. For each child’s username, click “Assign to Child”
5. Select the appropriate child from your family

Multiple children, one computer

If multiple children share this computer with different Windows accounts, link each Windows username to the appropriate child profile. Each child’s schedule will only apply when they’re logged in.

Step 6: Verify Installation

After completing setup:

1. The device should appear in your Parent Portal under Devices
2. Linked children will show this device in their profiles
3. The Thriva service runs in the background automatically

What Gets Installed

The setup installs these components to C:\Program Files\Thriva\:

Component	Purpose
ThrivaService	Background service that manages device modes (runs automatically)
ThrivaTray	System tray app for mode status and voluntary mode changes
ThrivaUpdater	Handles automatic updates
ThrivaDesktop	Downloaded by the service when Focused Mode is first activated

ThrivaService starts automatically with Windows. ThrivaTray starts automatically when a user logs in. ThrivaDesktop is downloaded on-demand the first time a child enters Focused Mode.

After Installation

The device starts in Free Time mode by default. To activate structure:

1. Go to the Parent Portal
2. Select a child linked to this device
3. Change their mode to Focused Mode or Quiet Time
4. Or create a schedule for automatic mode changes

Family Discussion Starters

Take a moment to discuss these questions together as a family:

• Let's install Thriva on the computer together - do you have any questions?
• Which user account on this computer is yours?
• How do you feel about having this installed?

Troubleshooting

If installation doesn’t complete successfully:

• Windows Troubleshooting Guide
• Ensure you’re running as administrator
• Check that Windows Defender isn’t blocking the installer
• Verify your registration code hasn’t expired

Updating Thriva

Thriva updates automatically. When a new version is available:

1. The service downloads it in the background
2. Updates apply the next time the computer restarts
3. No action required from you

You can see the current version in the Parent Portal under Device details.