How to Install Git on Windows 11

To install Git on Windows 11, download the 64-bit installer from git-scm.com, run it, and select Next through the setup screens; the default choices suit most people. Or open Terminal and run winget install --id Git.Git -e --source winget. When it finishes, open a new Terminal window and type git --version to confirm it worked.

Applies to: Windows 11 (x64 and Arm). Checked against git-scm.com on October 9, 2026, when the current release was Git for Windows 2.56.

Option 1: Install Git with winget (fastest)

1. Right-click Start and select Terminal.
2. Run winget install --id Git.Git -e --source winget.
3. Approve the User Account Control prompt.
4. Close Terminal and open a new window so it picks up the updated PATH.
5. Run git --version. You should see a version number such as git version 2.56.0.windows.1.

winget installs Git with the standard options. Use the installer below if you want to choose them yourself.

Option 2: Install Git with the installer

1. Go to the official download page and select the x64 setup (or ARM64 for Arm-based PCs such as Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon chips).
2. Open the downloaded file and approve the User Account Control prompt.
3. Read the license and select Next.
4. Keep the default install folder, C:\Program Files\Git, unless you need another location.
5. On Select Components, keep the defaults. Git Bash Here and Git GUI Here add right-click options in File Explorer.
6. Work through the remaining screens using the choices explained below, then select Install.
7. Select Finish. Tick Launch Git Bash if you want to start using it straight away.

Which installer options should you choose?

• Default editor: the installer suggests Vim, which many beginners find confusing. Choose Notepad, or Visual Studio Code if you have it.
• Name of the initial branch: choose Override the default branch name and keep main, which matches GitHub and most hosting services.
• PATH environment: keep the recommended Git from the command line and also from 3rd-party software so Git works in Terminal, PowerShell and code editors.
• SSH executable: keep Use bundled OpenSSH.
• HTTPS transport: keep the OpenSSL library, or choose the Windows Secure Channel library if your organization uses its own certificates.
• Line endings: keep Checkout Windows-style, commit Unix-style line endings for cross-platform projects.
• Terminal emulator: keep Use MinTTY for Git Bash.
• Credential helper: keep Git Credential Manager, which stores your GitHub, GitLab or Azure DevOps sign-in securely.

Set up Git after installing

Tell Git who you are, because it records this name and email on every commit:

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "[email protected]"

Check your settings with git config --list. To start a project, open a folder in Terminal and run git init, or copy an existing repository with git clone followed by its URL.

Git for Windows includes Git Bash, a Bash-style terminal. If you want a full Linux environment instead, see how to install Bash on Windows 11. Many JavaScript projects also need Node.js; see how to install npm on Windows 11.

Connect Git to GitHub with an SSH key (optional)

HTTPS sign-in through Git Credential Manager is the easiest way to start. If you prefer SSH:

1. In Git Bash or Terminal, run ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]" and press Enter to accept the default file location. Add a passphrase if you want one.
2. Copy the public key: cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub in Git Bash, then select and copy the line it prints.
3. On GitHub, go to Settings > SSH and GPG keys > New SSH key, paste the key, and save.
4. Test the connection with ssh -T [email protected].

Use Git in your code editor

Visual Studio Code and most other editors detect Git automatically once it’s installed. Open your project folder and use the Source Control view to stage, commit and push changes without typing commands. If the editor was open during installation, restart it so it finds Git.

Large files such as videos or design assets can be handled with Git LFS, which the Git for Windows installer includes by default. Run git lfs install once to turn it on for your account.

Update or uninstall Git

• Update: run git update-git-for-windows in Git Bash, or winget upgrade --id Git.Git in Terminal. Running a newer installer also upgrades it in place.
• Uninstall: go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find Git, and select Uninstall. Your repositories aren’t deleted.

If Git doesn’t work after installing

• “git is not recognized as an internal or external command”: close and reopen Terminal. If it still fails, rerun the installer and choose the recommended PATH option.
• The installer won’t run: make sure you downloaded it from git-scm.com, and check that your account has administrator rights.
• Push asks for a password that doesn’t work: GitHub no longer accepts account passwords for Git. Sign in through the Git Credential Manager window, or use a personal access token or SSH key.
• Files show as changed when nothing changed: line endings differ between systems. Check git config core.autocrlf; true is the usual Windows setting.

Frequently asked questions

Is Git the same as GitHub?

No. Git is the version-control program on your PC. GitHub is an online service that hosts Git repositories. You can use Git without GitHub.

Is Git free?

Yes. Git and Git for Windows are free and open source.

Do I need Git Bash?

No. After installation, Git works in Terminal, PowerShell and Command Prompt too. Git Bash is useful if you’re following tutorials written for Mac or Linux.

Can I install Git without administrator rights?

Yes. Use the portable (“thumbdrive edition”) version from the same download page. Extract it to a folder in your user profile and run Git Bash from there, or add its cmd folder to your user PATH.

Related: how to install Redis on Windows 10.

Related: how to update PowerShell in Windows 11.