The FortiClient download for Windows 11, Windows 10 and Mac is the free FortiClient VPN client, published by Fortinet on its product downloads page. It connects your computer to a company FortiGate over SSL VPN or IPsec VPN.
Fortinet sells a bigger FortiClient too. Zero trust access, endpoint protection and central control through FortiClient EMS all need a licence, and your IT team deploys that version.
This guide covers the right installer for your machine, installing on Windows and Mac, setting up a VPN connection, and fixes for FortiClient not installing.
Which FortiClient download do you need?
Match your device to the file. Every link below is Fortinet’s own redirect to its file store.
| Your device | Download | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 or 10 PC with an Intel or AMD processor | FortiClientVPNInstaller.exe | 5.1 MB |
| Windows 11 laptop with a Snapdragon (ARM64) processor | FortiClientVPNInstaller_arm64.exe | 7.1 MB |
| Mac on macOS 13 Ventura or later | FortiClient VPN online installer (.dmg) | 6.9 MB |
| Linux, iPhone or Android | Fortinet product downloads page | Varies |
| Company PC your IT team manages with EMS | Ask IT for the EMS installer | Licensed |
A managed laptop usually has FortiClient already. Installing the free client over an EMS deployment replaces the settings your IT team pushed.
Download FortiClient VPN from the official Fortinet page
Fortinet publishes the free installers under the heading FortiClient VPN-only on its product downloads page.
- Fortinet product downloads page — every FortiClient edition and platform
- FortiClient VPN for Windows x64 — FortiClientVPNInstaller.exe, 5,062,328 bytes
- FortiClient VPN for Windows ARM64 — FortiClientVPNInstaller_arm64.exe, 7,058,104 bytes
- FortiClient VPN for macOS — online installer disk image, 6,886,999 bytes
- FortiClient VPN for Android — Google Play
- FortiClient Standalone Edition for Windows — paid tier, 177 MB zip
The Windows and Mac files are online installers. Keep the computer connected until setup finishes, because it pulls the client from Fortinet during installation.
How to install FortiClient on Windows 11 and 10
Sign in with an account in the Administrators group first. FortiClient always installs into Program Files.
- Download FortiClientVPNInstaller.exe from the Fortinet product downloads page.
- Double-click the file and select Yes at the User Account Control prompt.
- Wait while the online installer fetches the client from Fortinet.
- Tick Yes, I have read and accept the license.
- Click Next, then Next again on the Destination Folder screen.
- Click Install, then Finish when setup completes.
- Open FortiClient VPN from the Start menu and accept the disclaimer.
- Click Configure VPN, choose SSL-VPN or IPsec VPN, enter the Remote Gateway your IT team gave you, then click Save.
A fresh install needs no restart. An upgrade over an older version with driver changes can ask for one.
How to check the FortiClient installer is current and genuine
Fortinet rebuilt the free Windows installer on 15 April 2026 to fix a security flaw. A copy saved before then is out of date.
- Right-click FortiClientVPNInstaller.exe and select Properties.
- Open the Details tab.
- Confirm the file version reads 7.4.3.4799.
- Delete the file and download it again from fortinet.com if the version is older.
- After installing, open FortiClient, click the About icon and confirm the client version.
- Check that the download came from links.fortinet.com or filestore.fortinet.com, and from no other host.
The April rebuild closes CVE-2025-57716. A March 2026 re-release of the installed client fixed several other CVEs.
Which FortiClient download do you need for your Mac?
One disk image covers Intel and Apple silicon Macs. Your macOS version decides whether it installs.
| Your Mac | Download | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apple M1 or M2 on macOS 13 or later | FortiClient VPN .dmg | 6.9 MB online installer |
| Intel Mac on macOS 13 or later | FortiClient VPN .dmg | The same file |
| macOS 15 Sequoia | FortiClient VPN .dmg | Allow three network extensions after install |
| macOS 12 Monterey or older | Fortinet product downloads page | Current client lists macOS 13 as the minimum |
Open the disk image, run the installer and approve the prompts. The VPN connects only after you allow FortiTray, FortiClientProxy and FortiClientPacketFilter under Network Extensions in System Settings.
Is FortiClient free?
Yes, the VPN-only client is free. Everything beyond the VPN is paid. Fortinet lists FortiClient VPN as freeware. It supports SSL VPN, IPsec VPN and SAML sign-in, and needs no EMS registration. You get no technical support, central management or advanced features. FortiClient Standalone Edition is an entry-level commercial tier with email support. The ZTNA and EPP/APT editions and FortiClient EMS each need a licence, usually bought by your employer. A site that charges for the free VPN client is not Fortinet.
Should you install FortiClient VPN or the licensed FortiClient?
Install the free FortiClient VPN unless your IT team gives you a managed installer. The free client does one job: it connects to a FortiGate. If your company runs FortiClient EMS, it sends you its own licensed installer, which adds zero trust checks, malware protection and central policy. That managed client is on the 8.0 branch, while the free agent stays on the 7.4 branch. Mixing the two on one PC causes conflicts, so uninstall one before installing the other.
How to check your FortiClient version and update it
You update the free client by running a fresh copy of the online installer, which always installs the newest free build.
- Open FortiClient VPN.
- Click the About icon in the toolbar to read the version number.
- Compare it with the version on the Fortinet product downloads page.
- Download the installer again to update, and run it.
- Approve the User Account Control prompt and follow the setup wizard.
- Restart the PC if setup asks, then check About again.
Downgrading is not supported on the licensed 8.0 client. Uninstall it first if you must move back.
Check the FortiClient system requirements
FortiClient is light. The operating system version matters more than the hardware.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Developer | Fortinet, Inc. |
| Latest version | 7.4.3 (free VPN-only agent); 8.0.0 build 0103 (licensed) |
| Licence | Free VPN-only client; paid Standalone, ZTNA, EPP/APT and EMS |
| Windows | Windows 11 and Windows 10, 64-bit, including IoT Enterprise |
| macOS | macOS 15 Sequoia, 14 Sonoma, 13 Ventura |
| Other platforms | Linux (.rpm, .deb), iOS, Android |
| Architecture | x64 and ARM64 on Windows; Intel and Apple silicon on Mac |
| Download size | 5.1 MB Windows x64, 7.1 MB Windows ARM64, 6.9 MB macOS |
| Offline installer | No, the free downloads are online installers |
| Memory | 2 GB RAM on Windows, 1 GB on macOS |
| Disk space | 1 GB free |
| Account | Administrator rights to install |
| Last verified | 2026-09-19 |
Fix FortiClient not installing or not connecting
FortiClient will not install on Windows 11
The installer needs administrator rights and fails while another copy is running.
- Right-click the FortiTray icon in the system tray and select Shutdown FortiClient.
- Sign in with an account in the Administrators group.
- Run the installer again and select Yes at the User Account Control prompt.
- Keep the internet connection up until setup finishes, because the installer is online-only.
An old FortiClient will not uninstall
A managed copy is locked to EMS, or its service will not stop.
- Ask IT to deregister the endpoint if EMS manages it.
- Shut down FortiClient from the tray icon.
- Uninstall it from Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Restart in Safe Mode and uninstall there if the normal route fails.
SSL VPN fails on a newer FortiGate
FortiOS 7.6.3 and later removed SSL VPN tunnel mode.
- Ask your IT team which VPN type the FortiGate offers.
- Click Configure VPN and select IPsec VPN if SSL VPN is gone.
- Enter the new gateway and credentials, then click Save.
The Mac VPN never connects
macOS blocks the VPN until you allow the network extensions FortiClient installs.
- Open System Settings.
- Find Network Extensions in the extension settings.
- Turn on FortiTray, FortiClientProxy and FortiClientPacketFilter.
- Quit and reopen FortiClient, then connect again.
IPsec is missing on Linux
The free VPN client for Linux supports SSL VPN only.
- Ask IT to enable SSL VPN for Linux users.
- Use a Windows or Mac device if the gateway offers IPsec only.
How to uninstall FortiClient
Shut the client down before you remove it, or the uninstaller can fail on a running service.
- Disconnect any active VPN session.
- Right-click the FortiTray icon in the system tray and select Shutdown FortiClient.
- Open Settings, then Apps > Installed apps.
- Find FortiClient VPN, select the three-dot menu, then Uninstall.
- Confirm with Uninstall and approve the User Account Control prompt.
- Restart the PC if the uninstaller asks you to.
On an EMS-managed PC, IT must deregister the endpoint and you must unlock the settings before the uninstall works.
Choose another FortiClient edition when the free VPN is not enough
Every option below comes from Fortinet. The right one depends on who pays and who manages the device.
| Edition | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| FortiClient VPN-only | Free | One person connecting to a FortiGate |
| FortiClient Standalone Edition | Paid, entry level | Small firms that want support without EMS |
| FortiClient ZTNA Edition | Licensed | Zero trust access with posture checks |
| FortiClient EPP/APT Edition | Licensed | Antivirus, anti-ransomware and VPN in one agent |
| FortiClient VPN for Android | Free | Phones and tablets |
For a single remote worker, the free VPN client is the answer. The licensed editions only make sense with a FortiGate and an IT team to run them.
Frequently asked questions
Is FortiClient free?
The VPN-only client is free and needs no licence or EMS registration. It covers SSL VPN and IPsec VPN with SAML sign-in. Fortinet gives it no technical support, and ZTNA, endpoint protection and central management need a paid licence.
What is the official FortiClient download page?
Fortinet lists every FortiClient installer at fortinet.com/support/product-downloads. The free installers are served from links.fortinet.com and filestore.fortinet.com. Any other host is a repackaged copy, so skip it.
Does FortiClient work on Windows 11?
Yes. FortiClient supports 64-bit Windows 11 and Windows 10, plus the IoT Enterprise editions of both. It does not support Server Core installations without a desktop, and it needs an administrator account to install.
How big is the FortiClient download?
The free Windows installer is 5,062,328 bytes, about 5.1 MB, and the ARM64 installer is 7.1 MB. The Mac disk image is 6.9 MB. These are online installers, so setup downloads the rest of the client.
Is there a FortiClient offline installer?
Not for the free VPN client. Its Windows and Mac downloads are online installers that need internet access during setup. Full offline packages come with licensed editions through the Fortinet Support portal, and the paid Standalone Edition ships as a 177 MB zip.
Is FortiClient available for Mac?
Yes. The free VPN-only client has a 6.9 MB macOS installer that supports macOS 15 Sequoia, 14 Sonoma and 13 Ventura on Intel and Apple silicon. You must allow its network extensions before the VPN connects.
Is there a 64-bit or ARM64 FortiClient?
Both. The standard Windows installer is 64-bit, and Fortinet publishes a separate ARM64 installer for Windows on ARM laptops. On ARM, FortiClient runs a limited feature set that still includes remote access VPN.
Is FortiClient safe to download?
Yes, from fortinet.com. Fortinet updated the free Windows installer on 15 April 2026 to fix CVE-2025-57716, so download it fresh rather than reusing an old copy. Check the file version in Properties before running it.
What is the latest FortiClient version?
The free VPN-only agent is version 7.4.3 on Windows and macOS. Fortinet ships no newer free agent in releases 7.4.4 to 7.4.8. The licensed, EMS-managed client has moved on to 8.0.0 build 0103.
Why won’t FortiClient install?
Usually permissions. FortiClient installs only for accounts in the Administrators group and always into Program Files. Shut down any running copy from the system tray first, and if an old version refuses to uninstall, remove it in Safe Mode.
Is FortiClient 7.4.4 free?
There is no free 7.4.4 VPN-only agent. Fortinet kept the free client on the 7.4.3 branch, and builds from 7.4.4 onwards belong to the licensed, EMS-managed product.
