packaging/windows/WINDOWS_INSTALLER.md
Netdata provides a simple Windows installer for quick setup.
The Netdata Windows Agent is a 64-bit (x64) application. We recommend Windows 10 / 11 or Windows Server 2019 or newer as the supported baseline.
The installer is built to run on older 64-bit Windows editions as far back as Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, but those versions are not tested or officially supported, and several have reached end-of-life.
:::note
Older Windows and Windows Server releases are end-of-life and are more likely to encounter the download/TLS limitations described below. For the oldest versions, see Will it run on Windows Server 2008?.
:::
netdata-x64.msi.On Windows, whether you can view monitoring data on the local dashboard at http://localhost:19999 depends on your Netdata Cloud plan and deployment mode. On the free Community tier, standalone Agents collect metrics but the local dashboard is locked — view your data in Netdata Cloud instead. For the full details by plan and deployment mode (including air-gapped and streaming setups), see Access Control and Feature Availability.
Choose the version that suits your needs:
| Version | Download Link | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|
| Stable | Download Stable | Most users — stable, well-tested |
| Nightly | Download Nightly | Users who need the latest features and can handle potential bugs |
:::warning
Silent installation isn’t supported on Windows Server versions earlier than 2019 when the workflow depends on downloading the installer over TLS. Use the GUI installer instead.
:::
Use silent mode to deploy Netdata without user interaction. Run the command prompt as Administrator.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
/qn | Enables silent mode (no user interaction) |
/i | Specifies the path to the MSI installer |
TOKEN= | Claim token from your Netdata Cloud Space |
ROOMS= | Comma-separated Room IDs for your node |
PROXY= | (Optional) Proxy address if required |
INSECURE=1 | (Optional) Allow insecure connections (hostname verification disabled) |
REINSTALL=ALL | (Optional) It forces a complete reinstallation of all Netdata components. |
Install Netdata and connect to your Cloud Space:
msiexec /qn /i netdata-x64.msi TOKEN="<YOUR_TOKEN>" ROOMS="<YOUR_ROOMS>"
Replace:
<YOUR_TOKEN> with your claim token<YOUR_ROOMS> with your Room ID(s)$ProgressPreference = 'SilentlyContinue'; Invoke-WebRequest https://github.com/netdata/netdata/releases/latest/download/netdata-x64.msi -OutFile "netdata-x64.msi"; msiexec /qn /i netdata-x64.msi TOKEN=<YOUR_TOKEN> ROOMS=<YOUR_ROOMS>
.msi installer.During the wizard you'll see a Connect to the Cloud dialog. These fields register the Windows Agent with your Netdata Cloud Space — they are the GUI equivalent of the silent-install TOKEN, ROOMS, PROXY, and INSECURE options.
| Field | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Claim Token | The claim token from your Netdata Cloud Space. |
| Rooms ID(s) | The Room(s) you want to add this Agent to. |
| Proxy URL | (Optional) A proxy address, if your network requires one to reach Netdata Cloud. |
| Cloud URL | The Netdata Cloud endpoint. Defaults to https://app.netdata.cloud. |
| Insecure | (Optional) Disables TLS hostname verification when the Agent contacts the Netdata Cloud endpoint. |
:::warning The Claim dialog connects to Netdata Cloud only
The Cloud URL and Insecure fields connect the Agent to Netdata Cloud. They cannot be used to connect this Agent to another local or on-premises Netdata node.
If your goal is to stream metrics to a Parent on your local network, entering a local address such as http://192.168.0.x:19999 as the Cloud URL and checking Insecure will not set up streaming. The local dashboard at http://localhost:19999 is this Agent's own web UI — it is not something you connect to through this dialog.
To stream to a local Parent, configure stream.conf on the Child instead. The streaming destination uses Netdata's streaming protocol, not an http:// URL:
[stream]
enabled = yes
destination = PARENT_IP:19999
See the Parent-Child Configuration Reference for the full setup, and the Streaming Routing Reference for routing options.
:::
Use this method to install Netdata on a Windows system with no internet access.
On an internet-connected machine, download the MSI installer using one of the links from the Download the Windows Installer table above.
Copy the downloaded .msi file to the offline Windows system using a USB drive, network share, or other secure transfer method.
Open a command prompt as Administrator and run a silent install without TOKEN or ROOMS parameters:
msiexec /qn /i netdata-x64.msi
:::note
This offline method uses msiexec /qn with a locally available MSI. On Windows Server versions earlier than 2019, the automated download commands in this document may fail due to TLS compatibility issues, so download the MSI on another machine first or use the GUI installer.
:::
After installation, verify that the Netdata service is running:
Get-Service netdata
Open http://localhost:19999 to access the Netdata Dashboard. See Access and Limitations for when the local dashboard is available.
By using silent installation, you agree to:
When Netdata is installed on Windows, it automatically registers as a Windows Service and appears in Add or remove programs (also known as Programs and Features or Apps & features in newer Windows versions). To start, stop, or restart the service, use the PowerShell commands described in Service Control.
For users who want to keep their Windows agents automatically updated with the latest releases, you can set up automated updates.
:::caution
Automatic updates require internet access and are not possible on air-gapped systems. To update, repeat the transfer process with a newer MSI.
:::
This setup will automatically download and install the latest Netdata build (stable or nightly) daily at your preferred time.
Run one of these PowerShell commands as Administrator (choose stable or nightly). Creating directories in ProgramData and running Task Scheduler with the highest privileges requires administrator access.
Stable version
New-Item -Path "$env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata" -ItemType Directory -Force
@'
Invoke-WebRequest https://github.com/netdata/netdata/releases/latest/download/netdata-x64.msi -OutFile $env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata\netdata-x64.msi
msiexec /qn /i $env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata\netdata-x64.msi TOKEN="<CLAIM_TOKEN>" ROOMS="<ROOM_ID>"
'@ | Out-File -FilePath "$env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata\netdata-updater.ps1" -Encoding UTF8
Nightly version
New-Item -Path "$env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata" -ItemType Directory -Force
@'
Invoke-WebRequest https://github.com/netdata/netdata-nightlies/releases/latest/download/netdata-x64.msi -OutFile $env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata\netdata-x64.msi
msiexec /qn /i $env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata\netdata-x64.msi TOKEN="<CLAIM_TOKEN>" ROOMS="<ROOM_ID>"
'@ | Out-File -FilePath "$env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata\netdata-updater.ps1" -Encoding UTF8
Replace <CLAIM_TOKEN> with your Netdata Cloud claim token and <ROOM_ID> with your room identifier.
Task Scheduler| Tab | Setting | Value |
|---|---|---|
| General | Run whether user is logged in or not | ✓ Checked |
| Run with highest privileges | ✓ Checked | |
| Configure for | Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 | |
| Triggers | Schedule | Daily |
| Time | Your preferred time (e.g., 7AM UTC) | |
| Actions | Program/Script | powershell |
| Arguments | -noprofile -executionpolicy bypass -file %PROGRAMDATA%\Netdata\netdata-updater.ps1 |
:::tip
Alternative Scheduling Options
Instead of daily updates, you might prefer:
:::
Netdata on Windows includes a bundled MSYS2 environment for working with Netdata configuration files and other internals.
Launch the bundled MSYS2 shell using one of these methods (the paths below assume Netdata is installed in the default location):
Win + R, enter "C:\Program Files\Netdata\msys2.exe", and press Enter.& "C:\Program Files\Netdata\msys2.exe""C:\Program Files\Netdata\msys2.exe"When msys2.exe starts, it opens a shell environment for working with the Netdata files installed on your system.
Netdata configuration files consumed from the MSYS side require MSYS-style paths instead of native Windows drive-letter format.
Conversion pattern:
/ (e.g., C: → /c, D: → /d)\ with forward slashes /Examples:
| Windows path | MSYS-style path |
|---|---|
C:\Program Files\Netdata\etc\netdata | /c/Program Files/Netdata/etc/netdata/ |
C:\Program Files\Netdata\usr\bin\netdata.exe | /c/Program Files/Netdata/usr/bin/netdata.exe |
Inside the MSYS2 environment, use the edit-config helper to edit Netdata configuration files:
cd /etc/netdata
./edit-config netdata.conf
For the complete edit-config workflow and configuration directory layout, see Netdata Agent Configuration.
On Windows, edit-config opens files with the nano editor.
| Action | Keybinding |
|---|---|
| Edit text | Type normally, use arrow keys to navigate |
| Search | Ctrl + W, type search text, Enter |
| Save | Ctrl + O, Enter to confirm filename |
| Exit | Ctrl + X |
| Exit with save prompt | Ctrl + X, then Y to save or N to discard |
The MSI uninstall removes the Netdata binaries and the Windows service, but it does not remove your metric database, cache, or edited configuration files. To uninstall the Agent and completely delete the data it leaves behind, see Uninstall Netdata.
Windows Server 2008 (pre-R2) is the oldest Windows generation the installer targets, so the Agent may run on it. It is not a tested or supported target:
For the best experience, use Windows Server 2019 or newer.