How to install software

Updated: 04/12/2021 by Computer Hope

Microsoft Excel

The installation process for software or apps depends on your operating organization (Windows and macOS), device (estimator, smartphone, or tablet), and the programme you are installing. As a result of these many combinations, nosotros have created the steps below as a general guideline. The following does not cover errors during the installation process, every bit they are too vast for one page. Search our site for farther information on specific errors during the setup.

Full general tips

  • Brand certain your computer meets the system requirements of the program, game, or utility you are attempting to install.
  • The transmission, or a README file, usually contains instructions on how to install a program. Find it online at the software website or in a text file in the same directory equally the installation files.
  • If you have bug installing software, or it takes a long time, close or disable whatsoever other running programs.
  • Subsequently installing a new programme, if it prompts you to reboot the figurer, do and then.

Microsoft Windows users

  • How to install from a CD or DVD.
  • How to install from a download.
  • How to install from a USB flash drive.

How to install from a CD or DVD

Many software titles (similar the Microsoft Part suite), games, and utilities have an AutoPlay feature. This feature automatically starts a setup screen for the software when the CD or DVD is inserted. If your program contains this feature, follow the steps that announced after inserting the disc into the computer.

If AutoPlay is disabled on your computer or unavailable on the software disc, follow these steps.

  1. Open My Computer.
  2. In the My Computer window, open the drive containing the installation files. For example, if the files are on the CD-ROM bulldoze, open the D: drive or letter of your CD-ROM bulldoze.
  3. In the bulldoze containing your files, locate either the executable setup (e.yard., "setup.exe") or install file. Double-clicking this file starts the installation process. If in that location are multiple setup or install files, locate the executable file or double-click each setup or install file until you discover the file that starts the installation.

Tip

Many times the icons associated with the installation files have the same name.

Install a CD on a computer with no disc drive

Many new computers no longer take disc drives. If your computer does not take a disc drive, try finding the software online. Computer drivers, software for hardware devices, games, and other programs are available for download and installed from a download. If you lot accept the product cardinal, it doesn't matter where yous get the program.

If the program is not bachelor for download, re-create all the CD or DVD contents to another drive on another computer. For example, y'all could re-create the disc's contents to a USB flash drive then install the plan from the USB wink drive.

How to install from a Download

  1. Download the program from the website providing the program.
  2. Open the download folder.
  • Where are the files I downloaded using my web browser?
  1. If the file you downloaded is executable, double-click the file icon to start the setup process. If the downloaded file is compressed (east.one thousand., .zip), you must extract the file's contents before setup tin brainstorm. Fortunately, this part is built into nigh versions of Windows.
  • How to excerpt or decompress a compressed file.
  1. One time the files are extracted, double-click the setup or install file to install the program.

How to install from a USB flash drive

  1. Open Windows Explorer or My Computer and find the USB drive that is often the last drive alphabetic character.
  2. In one case the drive is opened, find the setup or executable file, and double-click the file icon to start the setup process.

Installing from MS-DOS or the Windows command line

Users installing a program from Microsoft DOS should take a basic understanding of the MS-DOS commands. If you're unfamiliar with any of the commands listed below, click the link to get additional information on that specific command.

  1. Earlier installing an MS-DOS program, you must switch to the bulldoze or directory containing the installation files. If you lot're installing a program from a CD or diskette, switch to that drive. If the installation files are located in a different directory, use the dir command to listing directories and the cd command to switch directories.
  • How to modify drives in MS-DOS and Windows command line.
  1. In one case you are in the directory or drive containing the installation files, run the executable setup file. Many times this can be washed past typing setup or install at the prompt to start the installation. If both of these commands give a bad command or file proper noun error message, type dir *.exe or dir *.com or dir *.bat. These commands list any executable files found in the directory or drive. If any files are listed, execute these files to run the installation or setup of the programme. If no files are listed when typing all iii of the commands in a higher place, you're in the incorrect directory or drive alphabetic character for that program.
  • How do I run a file from MS-DOS?

How to install on a Mac

Mod Apple computers, like the iMac and MacBook, don't have CD-ROM or DVD drives. Consequently, the following department shows yous how to install from a download.

How to install from a download

  1. Click the Finder icon on the Dock at the bottom of the screen.

Finder icon in the dock

  1. On the left side of the window that appears, under the Favorites section, click the Downloads selector in macOS. selector.
  2. Locate the program you'd similar to install and double-click it.

Downloads on a Mac

  1. Follow the guided instructions to install the program.
  2. Once the plan is installed, drag information technology to the Applications folder and delete the installation file (in this case, FileZilla_3.49_macosx-x86.app.tar.bz2).

Moving a program to the Applications folder.

  1. Click the Applications selector selector to see the programme you installed.

Applications in macOS