This guide will show you how to use Shadow Defender step by step. If you haven't got a Shadow Defender by now, just click here to get coupon code for Shadow Defender with high discount off.

Getting started

Step1. Installing Shadow Defender

Use the installation instructions corresponding to the interface and whether the product was downloaded from the web.

  1. Click the Setup.exe file. 
  2. At the main screen click the NEXT button. 
  3. Select I Agree to accept the license agreement and click NEXT. 
  4. Type the name and organization and click NEXT.
  5. Click NEXT to confirm the installation. 
  6. Once the installation is complete, click the CLOSE button. 
  7. Reboot the system.

Step2. Register Shadow Defender

You must register Shadow Defender with a valid serial number obtained from ShadowDefender.com. Otherwise, the software will expire in 30 days. To activate Shadow Defender complete the following steps.

  1. Right-click and select "Copy" or press Ctrl + C to copy the register code in the registration letter
  2. Click Register in the main interface of Shadow Defender
  3. Right-click the "Serial Number" field and select "Paste" or press Ctrl+V to enter your registration code
  4. Press "OK" and Shadow Defender is registered

Step3. Starting Shadow Defender

Click Start > Programs > Shadow Defender > Shadow Defender to open the Shadow Defender interface.

Using Shadow Defender

  • Shadow Mode

Basing on the original windows, Shadow Defender clone an independent system platform that we call them "shadow mode". With the same configuration and function to the original windows, people could do anything as he were in normal mode. The substantial difference between the normal mode and the shadow mode is: everything in the shadow mode, which includes the file you downloaded, the document you created or the settings that you have changed will disappear at all when you exit the shadow mode.That is the reason why shadow mode can absolutely leave no trace in the computer.

  • Write Cache

Shadow Defender can use RAM as write cache. When write cache is enabled, Shadow Defender will write all the changes into the cache. This will increase the disk access speed. And when the write cache is exhausted, all the write operations will be redirected to disk seamlessly.

  • Enter Shadow Mode

Open "Shadow Defender" interface under normal mode, switch to the "Mode Settings"page, select the volume which will enter Shadow Mode, then click "Enter Shadow Mode".

then a message box will display:

there are 2 options you can select:

  1. Exit Shadow Mode when shutdown
  2. Enter Shadow Mode on boot

Select one option above and click "OK", then the volumes you selected will be in Shadow Mode.

NOTE: If you select 'Exit Shadow Mode when shutdown' the volume will exit Shadow Mode automatically when OS reboot or shutdown. If you select 'Enter Shadow Mode on boot' the volume will exit Shadow Mode automatically when OS reboot or shutdown. BUT when you log into windows next time, the volume will enter Shadow Mode automatically.

  • Exit Shadow Mode

Open "Shadow Defender" interface under normal mode, switch to the "Volume Settings"page, select the volume which will exit Shadow Mode, then click "Exit Shadow Mode".

then a message box will display:

there are 2 options you can select:

  1. Discard all changes except Exclusion List
  2. Commit all changes

Select one option above and click "OK", then the volumes you selected will be out of Shadow Mode.

NOTE: If you select 'Discard all changes except Exclusion List' all the changes in the volume will be discarded. If you select 'Commit all changes' all the changes will be kept in the volume.

NOTE: Because some volumes are being used by system, so these volumes cannot exit Shadow Mode without a reboot or shutdown.

NOTE: If you select 'Force dismount volume', Shadow Defender will try to close all the files used by other applications before exit Shadow Mode.

  • Exclusion List

Select the files and folders you wish to exclude from a Shadow Mode. When accessing these files and folders, the changes will automatically be saved to the original volume.

To add an excluded file do the following:

  1. Select Add File.
  2. Use the windows explore window to select the file you wish to exclude from Shadow Mode.
  3. The selected file will be displayed in the Exclusion List.

To add an excluded folder, which will exclude from Shadow Mode all contents of the folder, including subfolders and their contents, do the following:

  1. Select Add Folder.
  2. Use the windows explorer window to select the folder you wish to exclude from Shadow Mode.
  3. The selected folder will be displayed in the Exclusion List.

To delete a file or folder from the Exclusion List

  1. Just highlight the file or folder.
  2. click the Delete button. 
  3. The file or folder will be removed from the Exclusion List.
  • Commit

The feature performs just like an exclusion file, but the action must be taken manually. There are 2 ways to commit files and folders to original volume permanently:

  • Commit from Shadow Defender Main Interface

Switch to the "Commit Now" page, then

To save file to original volume:

  1. Select Add File.
  2. Use the windows explore window to select the file you wish to save to original volume.
  3. The selected file will be displayed in the Commit List.
  4. Click the button "Apply".

To save folder to original volume:

  1. Select Add Folder.
  2. Use the windows explorer window to select the folder you wish to save to original volume.
  3. The selected folder will be displayed in the Commit List.
  4. Click the button "Apply".

To delete a file or folder from the Commit List

  1. highlight the file or folder and click the Delete button. The file or folder will be removed from the Commit List
  • Commit from Context Menu

The Commit from the context menu can be used at anytime to save a file or folder permanently to the volume. To use the feature right click on the file or folder to save changes to the disk and select Commit by Shadow Defender.

NOTE: If subsequent changes are made to the file, the Commit must be repeated to permanently save those changes

l  Encrypt Write Cache

When this option is checked, all the changes made to the protected volume will be encrypted automatically.