Download MongoDB for PC, Windows 11 & Mac (Free)

The MongoDB download is free from mongodb.com: Community Server installs on Windows 11 with an MSI package and on Mac through Homebrew or a tarball. The Windows installer can add MongoDB Compass, the free graphical client, in the same run.

This guide covers the right package for your machine, the MSI, winget, zip and Homebrew routes, the 8.0 and 8.3 release choice, updates, fixes for common setup errors and a clean uninstall.

Which MongoDB download do you need?

MongoDB ships the database server, the Compass GUI and the mongosh shell as separate downloads. Match what you want to do to a row, then pick the package on that page.

Most people on Windows want two things: the Community Server MSI, with the Install MongoDB Compass box left ticked, and mongosh for the command line.

Download MongoDB Community Server and Compass from the official links

Every link below points to mongodb.com. The download pages build their buttons in the browser, so pick the version, platform and package from the dropdowns and click Download.

1. MongoDB Community Server download page — Windows x64 msi or zip, macOS x64 and ARM 64 tgz, Linux packages
2. MongoDB Compass download page — Windows exe, msi or zip; macOS dmg for Apple silicon and Intel
3. MongoDB Shell (mongosh) download page — separate download on Windows
4. Install MongoDB Community on Windows — MSI, msiexec and zip instructions
5. MongoDB 8.3 release notes — patch releases and security fixes

The MSI and zip are full offline packages: copy them to a machine without internet access and they install as normal. Avoid repackaged copies on download portals, which lag behind the security patches MongoDB ships.

How to install MongoDB on Windows 11

The MSI wizard installs the server, sets it up as a Windows service and can add Compass. Sign in with an administrator account first.

1. Open the Community Server download page, select Windows x64 and the msi package, then click Download.
2. Open your Downloads folder and double-click the .msi file.
3. Accept the licence agreement and choose Complete as the setup type.
4. On Service Configuration, keep Install MongoD as a Service selected with Run service as Network Service user.
5. Keep the service name MongoDB , or change the Data Directory and Log Directory if you want the data on another drive.
6. Leave Install MongoDB Compass ticked to get the GUI, or clear it to skip Compass.
7. Click Install and approve the User Account Control prompt.
8. Click Finish. The MongoDB service starts on its own and listens on port 27017.
9. Install mongosh, which the MSI does not include, then open a new Command Prompt and run mongosh to connect.

The server binaries land in C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\8.3\bin , with the service configuration in mongod.cfg in the same folder. Add that folder to your system PATH to run mongod from any prompt.

Install MongoDB, Compass and mongosh with winget

MongoDB is not in the Microsoft Store, but the Windows Package Manager carries all three tools. Each command downloads the official package and runs its installer.

1. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin).
2. Run winget install MongoDB.Server to install Community Server.
3. Run winget install MongoDB.Compass.Full to add the Compass GUI.
4. Run winget install MongoDB.Shell to add mongosh.
5. Accept the source agreements when winget asks.
6. Close the terminal, open a new one and run mongosh to connect to the local server.

Run winget upgrade MongoDB.Server later to move to a newer patch of the same release.

Install the MongoDB MSI silently with msiexec

For scripted installs, run the MSI through msiexec.exe from an elevated Command Prompt. The basic command writes a log and installs to C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\8.3\bin :

msiexec.exe /l*v mdbinstall.log /qb /i mongodb-windows-x86_64-8.3-signed.msi

Replace the file name with the one you downloaded, which carries the full patch number. Add the properties below to change what gets installed.

Combine component sets in one comma-separated ADDLOCAL list. Test the command on one machine and check mdbinstall.log before you push it to a fleet.

Run MongoDB from the zip file without installing it

The zip package holds the same server binaries with no installer and no service. It suits a USB drive, a locked-down PC or a quick test.

1. On the download page, select Windows x64 and the zip package, then click Download.
2. Extract the archive to a folder such as C:\MongoDB .
3. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run mkdir c:\data\db to create the data folder.
4. Run C:\MongoDB\bin\mongod.exe –dbpath=”c:\data\db” , adjusting the path to where you extracted the files.
5. Wait for the line waiting for connections in the output.
6. If Windows Defender Firewall shows a security alert, select Private networks and click Allow access.
7. Open a second Command Prompt and run mongosh to connect.

Close the first window, or press Ctrl + C in it, to stop the server. Nothing is written to the registry.

Which MongoDB download do you need for your Mac?

Open the Apple menu and select About This Mac. A Chip line naming Apple M-series means Apple silicon; a Processor line naming Intel means an Intel Mac. MongoDB 8.x needs macOS 14 or later, and Intel Macs need a Haswell or newer CPU.

With Homebrew, run xcode-select –install once, then brew tap mongodb/brew , brew install [email protected] and brew services start [email protected] . Run mongosh in a new Terminal window to connect.

If macOS says the developer cannot be verified, open System Settings > Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway next to the message about mongod .

Is MongoDB free?

Yes. MongoDB Community Server and MongoDB Compass are free downloads, with no trial period and no account needed. Community Server is published under MongoDB’s Server Side Public License (SSPL) v1.0, and the drivers use Apache License 2.0. Downloading and running it costs nothing. If your legal team cannot accept the SSPL, MongoDB sells commercial licences through Enterprise Advanced.

MongoDB Atlas, the hosted version, has a free tier plus paid clusters. Any site charging for the Community Server download is reselling a free file.

Should you install MongoDB 8.0 or 8.3?

The download page defaults to the newest minor release. MongoDB now ships two tracks: major releases every two years with a five-year lifecycle, and minor releases in between.

Install 8.3 for development and to get new features. Install 8.0 for a production server you want to leave alone for years. Minor releases are as stable as major ones, but MongoDB stops patching each minor release once the next one ships, so you must keep upgrading, one minor release at a time. Minor releases may also lack some features, such as Atlas Live Migration and mongosync. The 8.0 major release keeps receiving patches on a predictable schedule; its latest patch is 8.0.32.

Pick the version in the Version dropdown on the download page before you click Download.

How to check your MongoDB version and update it

1. Open Command Prompt or Terminal and run mongod –version to see the server build.
2. Or connect with mongosh and run db.version() to see the version of the running server.
3. Compare it with the newest patch in the release notes.
4. On Windows, download the newer MSI of the same series and run it. The MSI upgrades in place within a series, for example 8.3.9 to a later 8.3 patch.
5. For a new series, such as 8.0 to 8.3, follow MongoDB’s upgrade procedure, which needs a new installation.
6. On a Mac with Homebrew, run brew update , then brew upgrade [email protected] .
7. In Compass, open the MongoDB Compass menu and click Check for updates, or turn on automatic updates in Settings > Privacy.

Stay on the latest patch of your series. Recent 8.3 and 8.0 patches carry CVE fixes.

Check the MongoDB system requirements before you download

These requirements cover MongoDB 8.x Community Server and Compass 1.50.

There is no 32-bit build, and MongoDB does not support running it inside Windows Subsystem for Linux. MongoDB publishes no installer file size.

Fix MongoDB not installing or not starting on Windows

You are on Windows 10

MongoDB 8.x and 7.x Community Server list Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022 as supported, not Windows 10.

1. Upgrade the PC to Windows 11 if it qualifies.
2. Or install only Compass, which still supports 64-bit Windows 10, and connect it to a free Atlas cluster.
3. Or run the server on a supported machine and connect to it from the Windows 10 PC.

‘mongo’ or ‘mongosh’ is not recognized

The MSI and zip packages do not install mongosh, the MongoDB Shell.

1. Download mongosh from the shell download page, or run winget install MongoDB.Shell .
2. Add the mongosh folder to your PATH if the installer did not.
3. Open a new Command Prompt and run mongosh .

The MongoDB service does not start

A bad setting in mongod.cfg, a missing data folder or another process on port 27017.

1. Open the log file in the log directory you chose during setup and read the last error.
2. Check C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\8.3\bin\mongod.cfg for the paths in dbPath and path .
3. Make sure both folders exist and the service account can write to them.
4. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run net start MongoDB .

mongod exits right away on an older PC

The CPU lacks AVX, which MongoDB 5.0 and later require on x86_64.

1. Check the processor under Settings > System > About.
2. Compare it with the CPU row in the requirements table above.
3. Use a newer machine or a free Atlas cluster if the CPU is older.

How to uninstall MongoDB completely

Uninstalling the app removes the binaries but leaves your databases in place. Back up anything you want to keep with mongodump first.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run net stop MongoDB .
2. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
3. Find the entry that starts with MongoDB, click the three-dot menu and select Uninstall.
4. Uninstall MongoDB Compass and mongosh the same way if you installed them.
5. If the service is still listed, run sc.exe delete MongoDB in the administrator Command Prompt.
6. Delete the data and log folders you chose during setup, and C:\Program Files\MongoDB if it remains.
7. Remove the MongoDB folder from your system PATH.
8. On a Mac with Homebrew, run brew services stop [email protected] , then brew uninstall [email protected] .

Homebrew leaves the data in /opt/homebrew/var/mongodb on Apple silicon and /usr/local/var/mongodb on Intel. Delete that folder to remove the databases.

Which MongoDB option should you pick instead of Community Server?

Community Server covers local development and most self-hosted apps. Pick another option when you do not want to run the server yourself or need enterprise features.

Compass connects to all three, so install it whichever server you choose.

Frequently asked questions

Is MongoDB free to download?

Yes. MongoDB Community Server and MongoDB Compass are free downloads from mongodb.com, with no trial and no account needed. The server uses the Server Side Public License, and MongoDB sells commercial licences separately through Enterprise Advanced.

Where is the official MongoDB download page?

The official page is mongodb.com/try/download/community for the server. Compass has its own page at mongodb.com/try/download/compass, and the mongosh shell is at mongodb.com/try/download/shell. All three are published by MongoDB, Inc.

Does MongoDB work on Windows 11?

Yes. MongoDB 8.x Community Server supports 64-bit Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022. The MSI installer sets it up as a Windows service named MongoDB that starts after installation and listens on port 27017.

Can I install MongoDB on Windows 10?

MongoDB 8.x and 7.x Community Server do not list Windows 10 as a supported platform. Compass still runs on 64-bit Windows 10, so a Windows 10 PC can use Compass with a free Atlas cluster or a server on another machine.

How big is the MongoDB download?

MongoDB does not publish an installer size on its download page. The size depends on the platform and package you pick, so check the file in your browser’s download list once it finishes.

Is there a MongoDB offline installer?

Yes. The Windows MSI and zip packages and the macOS tgz archives contain the full server, so they install without an internet connection. Only the Homebrew route on a Mac needs to be online during setup.

Is there a MongoDB download for Mac?

Yes. MongoDB Community Server runs on macOS 14 or later on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs. Install it with Homebrew using the mongodb-community formula, or download the macOS ARM 64 or x64 tgz archive.

Is there a 64-bit or ARM version of MongoDB?

MongoDB is 64-bit only. Windows gets an x86_64 build, and macOS gets separate x64 and ARM 64 builds for Intel and Apple silicon. There is no 32-bit version, and x86_64 processors need AVX support.

Is MongoDB safe to download?

Yes, when it comes from mongodb.com, winget or MongoDB’s Homebrew tap. Avoid copies on download portals, which trail the official security patches. Keep the server on the latest patch of its series, since recent patches fix CVEs.

What is the latest version of MongoDB?

The newest release is MongoDB 8.3.11, from September 11, 2026. The long-term 8.0 major release is at 8.0.32, released the same day, and MongoDB Compass is at version 1.50.0.

Why won’t MongoDB install or start on my PC?

The usual causes are an unsupported system such as Windows 10, a CPU without AVX, a bad path in mongod.cfg or a busy port 27017. Check the log file in your log directory for the exact error.