How to install software

Updated: 04/12/2021 past Figurer Hope

Microsoft Excel

The installation process for software or apps depends on your operating arrangement (Windows and macOS), device (computer, smartphone, or tablet), and the programme y'all are installing. Every bit a result of these many combinations, we have created the steps below as a full general guideline. The following does not cover errors during the installation process, as they are too vast for one page. Search our site for further information on specific errors during the setup.

Full general tips

  • Make sure your calculator meets the organization requirements of the programme, game, or utility y'all are attempting to install.
  • The manual, 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 as the installation files.
  • If you lot have problems installing software, or information technology takes a long time, close or disable any other running programs.
  • Afterward installing a new programme, if it prompts y'all to reboot the calculator, do so.

Microsoft Windows users

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

How to install from a CD or DVD

Many software titles (like the Microsoft Office suite), games, and utilities have an AutoPlay feature. This characteristic 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 appear afterwards inserting the disc into the reckoner.

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

  1. Open up My Computer.
  2. In the My Computer window, open the bulldoze containing the installation files. For example, if the files are on the CD-ROM drive, open the D: drive or letter of your CD-ROM drive.
  3. In the drive containing your files, locate either the executable setup (eastward.thousand., "setup.exe") or install file. Double-clicking this file starts the installation process. If there are multiple setup or install files, locate the executable file or double-click each setup or install file until yous 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 have disc drives. If your figurer does not take a disc drive, try finding the software online. Computer drivers, software for hardware devices, games, and other programs are bachelor for download and installed from a download. If you have the production cardinal, it doesn't thing where you get the plan.

If the plan is not available for download, copy all the CD or DVD contents to another drive on another computer. For case, y'all could copy the disc's contents to a USB wink drive so install the program from the USB flash bulldoze.

How to install from a Download

  1. Download the plan from the website providing the programme.
  2. Open up the download binder.
  • Where are the files I downloaded using my web browser?
  1. If the file you downloaded is executable, double-click the file icon to outset the setup process. If the downloaded file is compressed (e.chiliad., .null), you lot must extract the file's contents earlier setup can begin. Fortunately, this function is built into about versions of Windows.
  • How to extract or decompress a compressed file.
  1. Once the files are extracted, double-click the setup or install file to install the program.

How to install from a USB wink drive

  1. Open Windows Explorer or My Calculator and find the USB drive that is often the last drive letter.
  2. In one case the drive is opened, discover 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 agreement 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. Before installing an MS-DOS plan, you must switch to the drive or directory containing the installation files. If you're installing a program from a CD or diskette, switch to that bulldoze. If the installation files are located in a different directory, utilize the dir command to list directories and the cd control to switch directories.
  • How to modify drives in MS-DOS and Windows command line.
  1. Once you lot are in the directory or bulldoze containing the installation files, run the executable setup file. Many times this tin can be washed by typing setup or install at the prompt to start the installation. If both of these commands give a bad command or file name error message, type dir *.exe or dir *.com or dir *.bat. These commands listing any executable files constitute in the directory or drive. If whatever files are listed, execute these files to run the installation or setup of the program. If no files are listed when typing all three of the commands above, y'all'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

Modern Apple computers, similar the iMac and MacBook, don't have CD-ROM or DVD drives. Consequently, the following department shows you 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, nether the Favorites section, click the Downloads selector in macOS. selector.
  2. Locate the program y'all'd like to install and double-click information technology.

Downloads on a Mac

  1. Follow the guided instructions to install the program.
  2. Once the program 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 meet the program you installed.

Applications in macOS