This free Windows tool monitors app installations and reveals changes you never see

SoftDetective is a free Windows utility designed to reveal what happens during software installs and uninstalls—information users typically never see. The tool monitors application activity while an installer runs and produces a report afterward, letting users inspect where files go and what changes are made to Windows. Testing it is described as straightforward: the user selects the installer to monitor, runs with administrator privileges when needed, starts monitoring, and the main window can hide while the process continues from the system tray. After installation, the user stops monitoring and reviews the captured report instead of relying solely on what installers claim.