Setup
Get the 4.0.86 EXE
Download from the download page. Confirm SHA256 before you run it.
Allow User Account Control
Choose Yes when Windows asks. The installer needs elevation to write drivers.
Accept the license
Select Continue on the Razer Software License Agreement.
Uncheck extras
Include RAZER CHROMA APP is on by default. Uncheck Chroma App, Cortex, Axon, or other offers if you only want Synapse. Then choose Install.
Restart if asked
Use Restart Now when the prompt appears. After reboot, keep Launch Razer Synapse 4 checked and sign in with a Razer ID or continue as guest.
Common complaint
Insider reports: the tray shows no devices until the full Synapse window opens. A Tartarus Pro, Huntsman Elite, Naga Pro, and headsets have all shown this pattern.
Confirm the product is on the Synapse 4 list
Synapse ignores non-Razer hardware. Some older products never left Synapse 2. If Add WiFi Device also fails, that model is not supported in this build.
Open the full window on boot
In Synapse settings, leave “minimize to system tray on start up” unchecked. The window starts visible. Close it after devices appear. Several owners say this survives a reboot when a clean install did not.
Use a direct USB port
Skip unpowered hubs and front-panel headers while testing. Re-plug the device once after the dashboard is open.
Repair, then reinstall
Windows Apps and Features, Razer Synapse, Modify or Repair. If the tray is still empty, uninstall 4, reboot, install 4.0.86 again. Do not keep Synapse 3 beside it.
Security software
MakeUseOf and Razer community posts both describe detection failing while a shield is active. The installer is a driver package, so the flag is often a false positive, not proof of malware. Still verify the SHA256 on the download page first.
Pause real-time protection briefly
Use Windows Security or the tray icon of a third-party suite. Launch Synapse. If devices appear, the shield was blocking the service.
Add an exclusion
Exclude the Razer program folders and the Synapse executable. Turn protection back on. Do not leave the PC unprotected.
Allow USB and driver prompts
If the tool quarantined RzActionSvc, Razer App Engine, or a device INF, restore that file from quarantine rather than downloading a random replacement.
Upgrade path
Synapse 3 cloud services stopped on 3 February 2026. New features, including Snap Tap on more boards, live in 4.
Do not import a Synapse 3 file by hand
The profile format changed. Manual import can corrupt the new profile store.
Install Synapse 4
The setup removes Synapse 3. You do not uninstall 3 first.
Open Profile Migration
Synapse 4 detects leftover Synapse 3 profiles, macros, and Chroma effects. Move everything or select only the profiles you want. Details live on the features page.
Going back to 3
Uninstall Synapse 4 first, then install Synapse 3. Cloud sync on 3 will not return.
Performance
Update to V4.0.86.2608140202. The 18 August 2026 notes specifically mention CPU use during system monitoring.
Uninstall modules you do not use (Alexa, Gamer Room, unused Chroma effects).
Avoid running Cortex “boosters” all day. Cortex is a separate app and has its own overhead.
On 8 GB machines, close extra RGB layers. Public write-ups often cite roughly 150–300 MB RAM at idle and 1–3% CPU. Spikes happen while editing lighting.
Display
Set resolution to 1024×720 or higher.
Lower Windows display scaling if it is above 350%.
Restart Synapse 4. Reset display settings if the window still paints off-screen.
Input
Fixed in the 5 August 2026 notes: Snap Tap was forgotten after close, and new profiles inherited the previous pair. Update Synapse 4, restart the app, then set pairs again under Customize. On Huntsman V3 Pro also update firmware if onboard storage is empty.
When you need Razer support
Download Razer Log Collector from Razer’s support article for Synapse 4 logs.
Unzip and run the executable.
Choose Save To, pick a folder, save the archive, then attach it to a support case.
Habits
