How to Download and Install Git on Windows

This guide has everything you need to start with Git.

So if you want to download and install Git on Windows, you’re in the right place.

Keep reading…

What is Git?

Git is a version control system for tracking changes in files. You can use it for source code management in software development.

Linus Torvalds created Git. Its current maintainer since 2005 is Junio Hamano.

Step #1: Download

Head over to the Git downloads page.

Click on the Download X.X.X for Windows button.

At the time of writing the latest Git release was version: 2.19.0.

Wait for the download to complete.

Step #2: Install

Open the location of the downloaded executable.

In this tutorial, we install Git only for the current user. Double-click the installer to start the setup.

You can install Git for your current user account or for all users on the system. For the last option, you need to run the installer with administrative privileges. To do this on Windows, right click on the executable and select Run as administrator.

On Windows 10 a pop-up window will appear: The app you're trying to install isn't a verified app from the Store

Click on Install anyway.

The installer setup wizard will open.

Click Next.

The default install location is the user home folder. This is because we install Git for the current user.

Leave the default suggested location and click Next.

Do not change the default selection of components and click Next.

Keep the default start menu folder and click Next.

Some Git commands will launch a text editor to prompt for further input. You can use the drop-down to select the editor you would like Git to use.

Note that you can always change the default text editor Git uses at a later point.

In this guide, we keep the default editor (Vim) that ships with Git.

Click Next.

To use Git from a Windows command prompt it needs to be added it to your environment PATH variable.

Select the Use Git from the Windows Command Prompt option and click Next.

Keep the default Use the OpenSSL library option selected and click Next.

Different operating systems use different character(s) to represent the end of a line. Git uses these characters to compare files. As a result, it may cause unexpected issues when you edit a file on different machines.

To avoid this keep the recommended setting which is the first option: Checkout Windows-style, commit Unix-style line endings.

Click Next.

Keep the default terminal emulator for Git Bash (MinTTY) and click Next.

Leave the selection of extra options untouched.

Click Next.

Do not enable any of the experimental options.

Click Install to start the installation.

The Git installation will now start.

A progress bar shows the various steps that are executed.

Once the installation is complete, click Finish.

Step #3: Test

To test the setup click on the search button. Then type “cmd”.

Click on the Command Prompt shortcut.

Wait for the command prompt to open.

Type “git --version” and press ENTER.

The above command prints the installed Git version.

Congratulations, you have installed Git on Windows 10!

Now it’s time to perform a first-time Git setup.

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