Starting 4 December 2025, Windows custom clients downloaded from my.anydesk II will slightly change the default installation directory location:
File Type | Old Default Installation Directory | New Default Installation Directory |
EXE |
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|
MSI |
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Only newly downloaded Windows custom clients are affected. Existing installations remain unchanged.
Who is affected?
Windows custom clients downloaded from my.anydesk II on or after December 3, 2025 that are installed in the default installation directory.
💡 NOTE
Installed Windows custom clients already deployed before that date will continue functioning.
Portable clients are not affected.
Other operating systems are not affected.
Custom clients downloaded from my.anydesk I are not affected.
Why is this happening?
The old installation directory (AnyDesk-ad_{prefix}) introduced issues with URL handler registration. Changing to the new directory structure (AnyDesk-{prefix}) avoids collisions without adding migration or versioning complexity.
What happens when users install a new Windows custom client after this date?
The installation places the application in a different default directory than the current default one. Because the paths differ, Windows treats it as a separate application, not an upgrade.
A user who has an existing installed my.anydesk II client will end up with 2 installation directories:
Old installation:
C:\Program Files (x86)\AnyDesk-ad_{prefix}New installation:
C:\Program Files (x86)\AnyDesk-{prefix}
As the configuration directories have not been changed, both these installations will share the same ID and settings:
Will existing myAD2 clients update automatically to the new format?
No. There is no automatic migration. Windows cannot update across directory changes. The new installer simply adds a second installation.
Do users need to uninstall the old installation?
Yes. If users want to avoid having two installations, they must manually uninstall the old custom client located in C:\Program Files (x86)\AnyDesk-ad_{prefix} .
Are configuration files, IDs, or settings affected?
No. All configuration directories remain unchanged. The newly installed client continues using the same ID and settings as before.
How are command-line scripts and URL handlers affected?
If using the newly downloaded client, any customer using:
Hardcoded paths
Automated deployment scripts
must update them to reference the new installation directory.