Unable to Install FortiClient on Microsoft Surface Pro 13 (12th Edition) Running Windows 11

Install the latest Fortinet-supported ARM64 VPN-only FortiClient build and avoid FortiClient 7.4.3, which has a reported ARM64 virtual-adapter removal problem after restart.^1^^2^

Recommended resolution

1. Confirm the processor architecture
   • Open Settings → System → About.
   • Under System type, confirm that Windows reports an ARM-based/ARM64 processor.
   • If it instead reports x64, obtain the x64 FortiClient installer rather than the ARM64 package.
2. Check the installer’s exact version
   • Right-click FortiClientVPNInstaller_arm64 → Properties → Details.
   • If it is 7.4.3, do not continue reinstalling that build. Obtain the newest ARM64 VPN-only installer approved by your organization directly from Fortinet or your FortiGate administrator.
   • Fortinet’s ARM support is version- and feature-dependent; the Windows ARM build is intended primarily for the VPN-only use case.^1^
3. Remove the incomplete installation
   • Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
   • Select FortiClient VPN → Uninstall.
   • Restart once after removal, then install the newer ARM64 package using Run as administrator.
   • After installation, open Device Manager → Network adapters and verify that the FortiClient virtual adapter appears without a yellow warning icon.

Repeated restarts alone will not fix an incompatible driver. Windows can emulate many x86/x64 applications, but it cannot emulate drivers: kernel-mode drivers must be native ARM64 binaries.^3^ Microsoft likewise identifies driver-supported apps as the supported category for Arm-based Surface devices.^4^

If the current ARM64 build still fails

Capture the actual driver failure rather than restarting again:

1. Open File Explorer and enter:

      %windir%\inf
   

2. Open setupapi.dev.log in Notepad.
3. Search from the bottom upward for:
   • Fortinet
   • FortiClient
   • the installation time
   • lines beginning with !!!
4. In Device Manager, locate any Fortinet adapter or Unknown device, open Properties, and record:
   • Device status/error code
   • Driver Provider
   • Driver Version
   • Hardware IDs

Windows records driver-installation details in %windir%\inf\setupapi.dev.log; !!! entries indicate failures. Code 52, for example, indicates an unsigned-driver problem.^5^

Send Fortinet support or your FortiGate administrator:

• Exact Surface model
• Windows edition, version, and build from winver
• FortiClient installer version
• Device Manager error code
• Relevant setupapi.dev.log section
• Whether the adapter appears and then disappears after reboot

Do not disable Secure Boot or enable Windows test-signing mode to force the driver to load. Those procedures are intended for driver-development/test environments, not as a workaround for a production VPN client.

If the newest supported package produces the same native-driver error, Fortinet must supply a corrected ARM64 driver/build. Eligible business customers can also use Microsoft App Assure for non-Microsoft application compatibility issues on Windows 11 ARM64.^6^

References

1. Technical Tip: FortiClient Support for ARM Architecture
2. FortiClient 7.4.3 Removes virtual adaptors on ARM64
3. Frequently asked questions about Windows on Arm
4. Deploy, manage, and service Arm-based Surface devices
5. Troubleshooting Driver Signing Installation
6. Arm-based Surface devices FAQ