site/docs/install-windows.md - bazel - Git at Google

 ---
 layout: documentation
 title: Installing Bazel on Windows
 ---

 # Installing Bazel on Windows

 ## 1. Check your system

 Recommended: 64 bit Windows 10, version 1703 (Creators Update) or newer, enable "Developer Mode".

 <!-- Developer mode: for symlink support. -->

 Also supported:

 *   64 bit Windows 7 or newer

 *   64 bit Windows Server 2008 R2 or newer

 ## 2. Install the prerequisites

 *   [Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48145)

 *   [MSYS2 x86_64](https://www.msys2.org/)

     You should use the default install path.

 *   MSYS2 packages

     Open the MSYS2 terminal, and run this command:

     ```
     pacman -S zip unzip patch diffutils git
     ```

 ## 3. Download Bazel

 [Download the Bazel binary (<code>bazel-&lt;version&gt;-windows-x86_64.exe</code>) from
  GitHub](https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel/releases).

 Recommended: rename this binary to `bazel.exe` and move it to a directory on the `PATH`.

 Alternatively you can:

 *   [Install from Chocolatey](#install-using-chocolatey) (see below)
 *   [Install from Scoop](#install-using-scoop) (see below)
 *   [Build from source](install-compile-source.html)

 ## 4. Optional: install compilers

 **You can skip this step. Bazel can work without these programs, but you may need them.**

 We recommend installing:

 *   [Build Tools for Visual Studio 2019](https://aka.ms/buildtools)

     Make sure you install the C++ build tools with the Windows 10 SDK.

     You will need this to build C++ code on Windows.

     Also supported:

     *   Visual Studio 2015 (or newer) with Visual C++ and Windows 10 SDK

     *   Visual C++ Build Tools 2015 (or newer) and Windows 10 SDK

 *   Java SE Development Kit 10 (JDK) for Windows x64

     You will need this to build Java code on Windows.

     Also supported: Java 8, 9

 *   [Python 2.7 for Windows x86-64](https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/)

     You will need this to build Python code on Windows.

     Also supported: Python 3 or newer for Windows x86-64

 ## 5. Done

 **You have successfully installed Bazel.**

 Troubleshooting: see the "Appendix" &gt; "Troubleshooting" section below.

 Tutorials: see the "Tutorials" section on the left navigation panel.

 ---

 # Appendix

 Table of contents:

 *   [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
     *   [Problem: Bazel does not find Bash or bash.exe](#problem-bazel-does-not-find-bash-or-bashexe)
     *   [Problem: Bazel does not find Visual Studio or Visual C++](#problem-bazel-does-not-find-visual-studio-or-visual-c)

 *   [Other ways to install Bazel](#other-ways-to-install-bazel)
     *   [Install from Chocolatey](#install-using-chocolatey)
     *   [Install from Scoop](#install-using-scoop)
     *   [Build from source](install-compile-source.html)

 ## Troubleshooting

 ### Problem: Bazel does not find Bash or bash.exe

 **Possible reasons**:

 *   you installed MSYS2 not under the default install path

 *   you installed MSYS2 i686 instead of MSYS2 x86\_64

 *   you installed MSYS instead of MSYS2

 **Solution**:

 Ensure you installed MSYS2 x86\_64.

 If that doesn't help:

 1.  Go to Start Menu &gt; Settings.

 2.  Find the setting "Edit environment variables for your account"

 3.  Look at the list on the top ("User variables for &lt;username&gt;"), and click the "New..."
     button below it.

 4.  For "Variable name", enter `BAZEL_SH`

 5.  Click "Browse File..."

 6.  Navigate to the MSYS2 directory, then to `usr\bin` below it.

     For example, this might be `C:\msys64\usr\bin` on your system.

 7.  Select the `bash.exe` or `bash` file and click OK

 8.  The "Variable value" field now has the path to `bash.exe`. Click OK to close the window.

 9.  Done.

     If you open a new cmd.exe or PowerShell terminal and run Bazel now, it will find Bash.

 ### Problem: Bazel does not find Visual Studio or Visual C++

 **Possible reasons**:

 *   you installed multiple versions of Visual Studio

 *   you installed and removed various versions of Visual Studio

 *   you installed various versions of the Windows SDK

 *   you installed Visual Studio not under the default install path

 **Solution**:

 1.  Go to Start Menu &gt; Settings.

 2.  Find the setting "Edit environment variables for your account"

 3.  Look at the list on the top ("User variables for &lt;username&gt;"), and click the "New..."
     button below it.

 4.  For "Variable name", enter `BAZEL_VC`

 5.  Click "Browse Directory..."

 6.  Navigate to the `VC` directory of Visual Studio.

     For example, this might be `C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC`
     on your system.

 7.  Select the `VC` folder and click OK

 8.  The "Variable value" field now has the path to `VC`. Click OK to close the window.

 9.  Done.

     If you open a new cmd.exe or PowerShell terminal and run Bazel now, it will find Visual C++.

 ## Other ways to install Bazel

 ### Install using Chocolatey

 1.  Install the [Chocolatey](https://chocolatey.org) package manager

 2.  Install the Bazel package:

         choco install bazel

     This command will install the latest available version of Bazel and
     its dependencies, such as the MSYS2 shell. This will not install Visual C++
     though.

 See [Chocolatey installation and package maintenance
 guide](https://bazel.build/windows-chocolatey-maintenance.html) for more
 information about the Chocolatey package.

 ### Install using Scoop

 1.  Install the [Scoop](https://scoop.sh/) package manager using the following PowerShell command:

         iex (new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://get.scoop.sh')

 2.  Install the Bazel package:

         scoop install bazel

 See [Scoop installation and package maintenance
 guide](https://bazel.build/windows-scoop-maintenance.html) for more
 information about the Scoop package.
	---
	layout: documentation
	title: Installing Bazel on Windows
	---

	# Installing Bazel on Windows

	## 1. Check your system

	Recommended: 64 bit Windows 10, version 1703 (Creators Update) or newer, enable "Developer Mode".

	<!-- Developer mode: for symlink support. -->

	Also supported:

	* 64 bit Windows 7 or newer

	* 64 bit Windows Server 2008 R2 or newer

	## 2. Install the prerequisites

	* [Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48145)

	* [MSYS2 x86_64](https://www.msys2.org/)

	You should use the default install path.

	* MSYS2 packages

	Open the MSYS2 terminal, and run this command:

	```
	pacman -S zip unzip patch diffutils git
	```

	## 3. Download Bazel

	[Download the Bazel binary (<code>bazel-<version>-windows-x86_64.exe</code>) from
	GitHub](https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel/releases).

	Recommended: rename this binary to `bazel.exe` and move it to a directory on the `PATH`.

	Alternatively you can:

	* [Install from Chocolatey](#install-using-chocolatey) (see below)
	* [Install from Scoop](#install-using-scoop) (see below)
	* [Build from source](install-compile-source.html)

	## 4. Optional: install compilers

	You can skip this step. Bazel can work without these programs, but you may need them.

	We recommend installing:

	* [Build Tools for Visual Studio 2019](https://aka.ms/buildtools)

	Make sure you install the C++ build tools with the Windows 10 SDK.

	You will need this to build C++ code on Windows.

	Also supported:

	* Visual Studio 2015 (or newer) with Visual C++ and Windows 10 SDK

	* Visual C++ Build Tools 2015 (or newer) and Windows 10 SDK

	* Java SE Development Kit 10 (JDK) for Windows x64

	You will need this to build Java code on Windows.

	Also supported: Java 8, 9

	* [Python 2.7 for Windows x86-64](https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/)

	You will need this to build Python code on Windows.

	Also supported: Python 3 or newer for Windows x86-64

	## 5. Done

	You have successfully installed Bazel.

	Troubleshooting: see the "Appendix" > "Troubleshooting" section below.

	Tutorials: see the "Tutorials" section on the left navigation panel.

	---

	# Appendix

	Table of contents:

	* [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
	* [Problem: Bazel does not find Bash or bash.exe](#problem-bazel-does-not-find-bash-or-bashexe)
	* [Problem: Bazel does not find Visual Studio or Visual C++](#problem-bazel-does-not-find-visual-studio-or-visual-c)

	* [Other ways to install Bazel](#other-ways-to-install-bazel)
	* [Install from Chocolatey](#install-using-chocolatey)
	* [Install from Scoop](#install-using-scoop)
	* [Build from source](install-compile-source.html)

	## Troubleshooting

	### Problem: Bazel does not find Bash or bash.exe

	Possible reasons:

	* you installed MSYS2 not under the default install path

	* you installed MSYS2 i686 instead of MSYS2 x86\_64

	* you installed MSYS instead of MSYS2

	Solution:

	Ensure you installed MSYS2 x86\_64.

	If that doesn't help:

	1. Go to Start Menu > Settings.

	2. Find the setting "Edit environment variables for your account"

	3. Look at the list on the top ("User variables for <username>"), and click the "New..."
	button below it.

	4. For "Variable name", enter `BAZEL_SH`

	5. Click "Browse File..."

	6. Navigate to the MSYS2 directory, then to `usr\bin` below it.

	For example, this might be `C:\msys64\usr\bin` on your system.

	7. Select the `bash.exe` or `bash` file and click OK

	8. The "Variable value" field now has the path to `bash.exe`. Click OK to close the window.

	9. Done.

	If you open a new cmd.exe or PowerShell terminal and run Bazel now, it will find Bash.

	### Problem: Bazel does not find Visual Studio or Visual C++

	Possible reasons:

	* you installed multiple versions of Visual Studio

	* you installed and removed various versions of Visual Studio

	* you installed various versions of the Windows SDK

	* you installed Visual Studio not under the default install path

	Solution:

	1. Go to Start Menu > Settings.

	2. Find the setting "Edit environment variables for your account"

	3. Look at the list on the top ("User variables for <username>"), and click the "New..."
	button below it.

	4. For "Variable name", enter `BAZEL_VC`

	5. Click "Browse Directory..."

	6. Navigate to the `VC` directory of Visual Studio.

	For example, this might be `C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community\VC`
	on your system.

	7. Select the `VC` folder and click OK

	8. The "Variable value" field now has the path to `VC`. Click OK to close the window.

	9. Done.

	If you open a new cmd.exe or PowerShell terminal and run Bazel now, it will find Visual C++.

	## Other ways to install Bazel

	### Install using Chocolatey

	1. Install the [Chocolatey](https://chocolatey.org) package manager

	2. Install the Bazel package:

	choco install bazel

	This command will install the latest available version of Bazel and
	its dependencies, such as the MSYS2 shell. This will not install Visual C++
	though.

	See [Chocolatey installation and package maintenance
	guide](https://bazel.build/windows-chocolatey-maintenance.html) for more
	information about the Chocolatey package.

	### Install using Scoop

	1. Install the [Scoop](https://scoop.sh/) package manager using the following PowerShell command:

	iex (new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://get.scoop.sh')

	2. Install the Bazel package:

	scoop install bazel

	See [Scoop installation and package maintenance
	guide](https://bazel.build/windows-scoop-maintenance.html) for more
	information about the Scoop package.