================================================================
  ARC COMPANION SYNC
  https://arccompanion.io
================================================================

WHAT IS THIS
------------
Arc Companion Sync mirrors your live ARC Raiders stash, currencies
and progression into the Arc Companion mobile app — without you
ever typing a game password into anything.

WHAT'S IN THIS ZIP
------------------
  Arc-Companion-Sync.exe   The desktop sync wizard (Windows 10 / 11)
  README.txt               This file
  THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.txt  Licenses for bundled open-source components

There is no installer. The .exe is fully self-contained.


HOW TO INSTALL & RUN
--------------------
1) Extract this zip somewhere convenient (e.g. Desktop or Documents).

2) Right-click "Arc-Companion-Sync.exe" -> "Run as administrator".
   - Administrator is required ONCE so Sync can capture the in-game
     session token from your network traffic. Sync never reads, sends,
     or stores your password.

3) On your phone, open Arc Companion -> "Connect Embark Account"
   and scan the QR code shown in the desktop wizard.

4) Pick your platform (Steam or Epic) so Sync knows which session
   to mirror, then hit "Sync Now".

5) Your stash, currencies and progression appear on the phone in
   a few seconds.

To re-sync later: just run Arc-Companion-Sync.exe and click "Sync Now".


WINDOWS SMARTSCREEN WARNING ("Windows protected your PC")
---------------------------------------------------------
On first launch, Windows may show a blue SmartScreen panel saying
"Windows protected your PC" or "Publisher: Unknown". This is normal
for any small unsigned Windows app.

To run it:
  - Click "More info"
  - Click "Run anyway"

Why this happens (and the honest answer):
We are not yet code-signing the .exe with a paid Authenticode
certificate. Microsoft SmartScreen warns on every unsigned binary
from a publisher it hasn't seen before. We're working on a real
signed build; for now the .zip + this README is the workaround.

If you want extra peace of mind, you can verify the file hash:

  Open PowerShell in the folder, run:
    Get-FileHash Arc-Companion-Sync.exe -Algorithm SHA256

  Compare with the published hash at https://arccompanion.io/sync


CHROME / EDGE "DOWNLOAD BLOCKED AS SUSPICIOUS"
----------------------------------------------
Same root cause as above: browsers flag unsigned .exe downloads.
That is why we ship as a .zip instead of a raw .exe. If the .zip
itself is ever flagged, click the small arrow next to the warning
and choose "Keep" / "Keep anyway".


WINDOWS DEFENDER / ANTIVIRUS
----------------------------
Sync uses raw-socket / packet-capture APIs to read your ARC Raiders
game session — exactly the same APIs Wireshark and Npcap use. Some
antivirus tools treat any unsigned program that touches these APIs
as "suspicious" by default. If your AV quarantines Sync, you can
safely restore it from quarantine, or add an exclusion for the
extracted folder.


SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
-------------------
  - Windows 10 (1809+) or Windows 11, 64-bit
  - About 50 MB free disk space
  - Internet access
  - ARC Raiders installed via Steam or Epic Games


SECURITY MODEL (TL;DR)
----------------------
  - Your platform password NEVER leaves your machine. Sync only
    captures the short-lived session token that the game itself
    already uses.
  - The token is encrypted in your OS credential manager and bound
    to the device you paired from the phone.
  - Disconnect from inside the mobile app and the token is wiped
    both locally and server-side.
  - You can quit Sync, delete the .exe, and nothing is left behind
    — no installer, no services, no registry entries.

Full details: https://arccompanion.io/privacy-policy


UNINSTALL / REMOVE
------------------
  - Quit Sync from the system tray.
  - Delete the extracted folder.
  - In the mobile app: Settings -> Connected Accounts -> Disconnect
    Embark Account (this wipes any server-side device record).

That's it.


SUPPORT
-------
  Website   https://arccompanion.io
  Email     support@arccompanion.io

Please include your Sync version, Windows version, and a short
description of the issue. If you saw a SmartScreen / AV warning,
a screenshot helps a lot.


LICENSE
-------
Arc Companion Sync is a closed-source proprietary tool from
Brightfox Studio. See THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.txt for the licenses
of bundled and statically linked open-source components.

Original source code authored by RaidTheory; used under license.

Copyright (c) 2026 Brightfox Studio. All rights reserved.
