The Cisco Packet Tracer download is free from Cisco Networking Academy, with 64-bit installers for Windows 11, macOS and Ubuntu Linux. Sign in to a free NetAcad account, open the Resource Hub and pick the build for your computer.
Packet Tracer is Cisco’s network simulator. You wire up devices and cables in a virtual lab, add IoT devices, and watch data travel across the network in Simulation Mode.
This guide covers which build fits your machine, the sign-in route to the download, installation, system requirements, setup fixes and removal.
Which Cisco Packet Tracer download do you need for Windows, Mac or Linux?
Cisco publishes one build per operating system, and all three are 64-bit. Match your computer to a row, then download that file from the Resource Hub.
| Your computer | Download | What Cisco requires |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 PC with an Intel or AMD processor | Packet Tracer 9.0.1 Windows 64bit | Windows 11, amd64 (x86-64) CPU |
| Mac running macOS 12 or newer | Packet Tracer 9.0.1 MacOS 64bit | macOS 12 or newer, amd64 (x86-64) CPU |
| PC running Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 LTS | Packet Tracer 9.0.1 Ubuntu 64bit | Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 LTS, amd64 (x86-64) CPU |
| Windows 10 PC | No build listed for Windows 10 | Cisco’s 9.0.1 requirements name Windows 11 only |
Not sure what you have? On Windows 11, open Settings > System > About and read System type. On a Mac, open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac.
Cisco’s requirements name an amd64 (x86-64) processor for every build and list no ARM build. That matters on a Mac with Apple silicon and on Windows 11 laptops with Snapdragon chips.
Download Cisco Packet Tracer from the official NetAcad Resource Hub
Cisco hosts the Packet Tracer installers on the Networking Academy Resource Hub at netacad.com. The download buttons stay hidden until you sign in, and the page shows Please login to download resources. instead.
Creating the account costs nothing. Cisco also points new users to its short Getting Started with Cisco Packet Tracer course, which is free and includes a module on downloading and using the app.
- Cisco Networking Academy Resource Hub — Windows, macOS and Ubuntu builds; sign-in required
- Getting Started with Cisco Packet Tracer course — Free, self-paced, about 2 hours; enroll to get the latest version
- Cisco Packet Tracer learning collection — Free follow-up courses on networking and IoT, plus an introductory exam
- Time to Download Cisco Packet Tracer 9.0.1 — NetAcad announcement dated 25 July 2026
Skip any site that offers a Packet Tracer direct download without a NetAcad sign-in. That file does not come from the Resource Hub, and you cannot tell what was changed inside it.
How to install Cisco Packet Tracer on Windows 11
Cisco’s own install flow has five stages: download, run the installer, launch, authenticate and start working. These steps add the sign-in that unlocks the download.
- Open the Resource Hub on netacad.com.
- Click Login and sign in, or click Sign up to create a free NetAcad account first.
- Return to the Resource Hub and scroll to the Cisco Packet Tracer section.
- Click the Windows 64bit Packet Tracer download to get the installer.
- Open your Downloads folder and double-click the Packet Tracer install program.
- Follow the setup prompts to finish the installation.
- Launch Cisco Packet Tracer by selecting its icon.
- When prompted, click the green Skills For All button to authenticate.
- Sign in, and Packet Tracer launches, ready for your first network.
On a Mac or an Ubuntu PC the route is the same. Pick the MacOS 64bit or Ubuntu 64bit download at step 4 instead, run that installer, and authenticate with Skills For All at first launch.
Is Cisco Packet Tracer free?
Cisco charges nothing for Packet Tracer. Its learning collection page says so plainly, and the Getting Started course that unlocks the download is marked Free.
The only requirement is a NetAcad account. The follow-up courses in the collection, Exploring Networking with Cisco Packet Tracer and Exploring Internet of Things with Cisco Packet Tracer, are free as well.
Yes. Get it only from netacad.com. Cisco lists Packet Tracer and every course in its collection as free. A site asking for payment, or offering the installer without a Cisco sign-in, is not Cisco’s distribution channel.
Should you install Packet Tracer 9.0.1 or an older version?
The Resource Hub lists this one version for all three operating systems and no earlier build. Cisco announced it on 25 July 2026, replacing 9.0.0 from October 2025.
Install Packet Tracer 9.0.1. It is the build Cisco currently offers for Windows, macOS and Ubuntu, and the Getting Started course is built around downloading the latest version. Older installers passed around outside NetAcad come with no way to confirm they are untouched.
Check the Cisco Packet Tracer system requirements
Check the operating system version and processor type first, because each build targets specific releases and an x86-64 CPU.
Check your Windows edition under Settings > System > About. On Ubuntu, run lsb_release -a in a terminal to see the release number.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Software | Cisco Packet Tracer |
| Developer | Cisco Systems, Inc. (Cisco Networking Academy) |
| Latest version | 9.0.1, announced 25 July 2026 |
| Licence | Free with a NetAcad account |
| Windows | Windows 11 |
| macOS | macOS 12 or newer |
| Linux | Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 LTS |
| Processor | amd64 (x86-64) CPU; all builds are 64-bit |
| Memory | 4 GB of free RAM |
| Disk space | 1.4 GB of free disk space |
| Download size | Not published by Cisco |
| Account | NetAcad sign-in to download and Skills For All authentication at first launch |
| Official source | netacad.com Resource Hub |
| Last verified | 2026-09-13 |
Fix Cisco Packet Tracer not downloading or installing
Most Packet Tracer problems happen before the installer ever runs. Find the symptom that matches yours and work through its fix.
The Resource Hub says Please login to download resources
You are not signed in, so the download buttons are hidden.
- Click Login at the top of the Resource Hub.
- Sign in with your NetAcad account, or click Sign up to create one.
- Reload the Resource Hub after sign-in completes.
- Click the Packet Tracer build for your operating system.
No Packet Tracer download link appears after you sign in
Cisco ties the latest download to its free Getting Started course.
- Open the Getting Started with Cisco Packet Tracer course.
- Click Get Started With Self-Paced to enroll.
- Work through Module 1: Download and Use Cisco Packet Tracer in the course.
- Return to the Resource Hub and click the build for your system.
Packet Tracer asks you to log in when it starts
The app authenticates through Skills For All before it launches.
- Click the green Skills For All button on the prompt.
- Sign in with your NetAcad account details.
- Keep an internet connection available while you authenticate.
- Restart Packet Tracer if it does not launch after sign-in.
Setup fails on Windows 10 or an older macOS
The current release lists Windows 11, macOS 12 or newer, and Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 LTS.
- Open Settings > System > About on Windows, or About This Mac on a Mac, and read the version.
- Upgrade to Windows 11 or macOS 12 or newer if your hardware supports it.
- Download the installer again from the Resource Hub and rerun it.
The installer will not run on an ARM-based computer
Cisco’s requirements name an amd64 (x86-64) processor and list no ARM build.
- On a Mac, open About This Mac and read the Chip or Processor line.
- On Windows 11, check System type under Settings > System > About.
- Install Packet Tracer on a computer with an Intel or AMD processor instead.
Packet Tracer runs slowly or setup stops for lack of space
Cisco asks for 4 GB of free RAM and 1.4 GB of free disk space.
- Close browsers and other large apps before you launch Packet Tracer.
- Free at least 1.4 GB on the drive you install to.
- Run the installer again.
How to uninstall Cisco Packet Tracer
Remove Packet Tracer the same way as any other desktop app. Save any .pkt network files you want to keep before you start.
- On Windows 11, click Start and open Settings.
- Go to Apps > Installed apps.
- Find Cisco Packet Tracer in the list and click the … menu beside it.
- Click Uninstall, then click Uninstall again to confirm.
- Follow the uninstaller prompts until it finishes.
- On a Mac, open Finder > Applications, drag Cisco Packet Tracer to the Trash, and empty the Trash.
To reinstall later, download a fresh copy from the Resource Hub rather than reusing an old installer file.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cisco Packet Tracer free?
Yes. Cisco Packet Tracer is free from Cisco Networking Academy. You need a free NetAcad account to download it, and the Getting Started with Cisco Packet Tracer course that leads to the latest version is free too.
What is the official Cisco Packet Tracer download page?
The official download page is the Cisco Networking Academy Resource Hub at netacad.com/resources/lab-downloads. Sign in to a NetAcad account and the Windows, macOS and Ubuntu builds of Packet Tracer become available.
Does Cisco Packet Tracer work on Windows 11?
Yes. The current Packet Tracer release lists Windows 11 as a supported system, along with an amd64 (x86-64) processor, 4 GB of free RAM and 1.4 GB of free disk space. Download the Windows 64bit build from the Resource Hub.
Can I install Cisco Packet Tracer on Windows 10?
Cisco’s system requirements for the current Packet Tracer release name Windows 11, not Windows 10. The Resource Hub offers no separate Windows 10 build, so upgrade to Windows 11 for a supported setup.
How big is the Cisco Packet Tracer download?
Cisco does not publish a download size for Packet Tracer, and the installer is only available after you sign in. The app needs 1.4 GB of free disk space and 4 GB of free RAM.
Is there a Cisco Packet Tracer offline installer?
The Resource Hub provides a separate installer file for Windows, macOS and Ubuntu. Packet Tracer asks you to authenticate with Skills For All when you launch it, so keep an internet connection for sign-in.
Is Cisco Packet Tracer available for Mac?
Yes. Cisco offers a MacOS 64bit Packet Tracer build on the Resource Hub for macOS 12 or newer. The requirements name an amd64 (x86-64) processor, and Cisco lists no separate build for Apple silicon.
Is Cisco Packet Tracer 64-bit, and is there an ARM version?
Current Packet Tracer builds are 64-bit only. Cisco labels the Windows, macOS and Ubuntu builds 64bit, requires an amd64 (x86-64) CPU, and lists no 32-bit or ARM build on the Resource Hub.
What is the latest version of Cisco Packet Tracer?
The latest version is Cisco Packet Tracer 9.0.1, announced by Cisco Networking Academy on 25 July 2026. It is available for Windows 11, macOS 12 or newer, and Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 LTS.
Is Cisco Packet Tracer safe to download?
Yes, when you download it from the Resource Hub on netacad.com after signing in. Avoid sites that offer a Packet Tracer direct download without a Cisco account, because those files do not come from Cisco.
Why can’t I download Cisco Packet Tracer?
The download links only appear after you log in to NetAcad. Sign in on the Resource Hub, and if the links still do not show, enroll in the free Getting Started with Cisco Packet Tracer course.
Why won’t Cisco Packet Tracer install?
Check your system first. Packet Tracer needs Windows 11, macOS 12 or newer, or Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 LTS, plus an amd64 processor, 4 GB of free RAM and 1.4 GB of free disk space.
