Verify the official installer
The official installer is named AI Stripper Setup 2.1.1.exe. Windows should report Sputnik Digital LLC as the verified publisher.
The installer SHA-256 is:
3CCA7BA78CA3CAA2E38BBB35C96121071BB5BB6FF18A724041A91E7996A37890In PowerShell, verify a downloaded copy with:
Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256 ".\AI Stripper Setup 2.1.1.exe"
Get-AuthenticodeSignature ".\AI Stripper Setup 2.1.1.exe"The hash must match exactly and the Authenticode status should be Valid.
Installation and removal
Version 2.1.1 requests administrator permission and defaults to the system Program Files directory. The installed package includes the application, PDF user manual, changelog, and third-party notices.
The installer creates a Start menu group and can add a desktop shortcut. Use Windows Installed apps to remove AI Stripper. The uninstaller is signed through the same Sputnik publisher profile.
Uninstalling the application does not delete image originals or completed output files. Saved defaults in the user profile may remain unless they are removed separately.
How update checks work
AI Stripper makes one small HTTPS request after startup and can repeat that request when you select the version control. It asks SputnikFX.com for the current version, a trusted product URL, and a short release note.
If a newer version exists, AI Stripper displays a notification. It does not download an executable, run an installer, or replace files automatically. The final download and install choice remains with the user.
The app accepts update links only from SputnikFX.com over HTTPS. Invalid, untrusted, or unavailable responses are ignored.
Privacy boundaries
Image processing is local. AI Stripper has no account system, analytics package, ad SDK, or cloud image service. It does not send images, filenames, file paths, metadata contents, or a device identifier during the version check.
The request identifies the application and installed version through a user-agent string. That is enough for the server to return compatible release metadata without receiving the work being processed.
Saved defaults remain in the current Windows user's Local AppData folder. They include output choices, author, and copyright. They do not form an activity log.
Troubleshooting
- Installer cannot write to a folderUse version 2.1.1, approve the administrator prompt, and select a location where the account has installation permission.
- Windows shows an unknown publisherStop. Verify the file came from SputnikFX.com, check the SHA-256 hash, and inspect the Authenticode signature.
- No update message appearsThe installed build may be current, the network may be unavailable, or the response may have failed validation. Image processing still works offline.
- A file will not processConfirm that it is a valid JPG, JPEG, PNG, or WebP file and that the destination folder is writable.
- Conversion is rejectedAnimated WebP files must stay WebP for same-format stripping. AI Stripper will not silently flatten them.
Questions
Why does the installer ask for administrator permission?
Version 2.1.1 installs into Program Files by default, which is a protected Windows application folder.
Does AI Stripper download updates automatically?
No. It only displays a notification and trusted product link when a newer version is available.
What information does the update check send?
The request identifies AI Stripper and its installed version. It does not include images, filenames, paths, metadata, or a device identifier.
Continue through the AI Stripper manuals
Review Rewrite Fields and Saved Defaults for the earlier part of this workflow.
Return to the AI Stripper Quick Start or open the current product page to download the signed release.
Reference files Keep the manual nearby
Work from the complete release manual.
The versioned PDF covers every control, installation, privacy behavior, and troubleshooting step in AI Stripper 2.1.1.
