Download Node.js for PC, Windows 11/10 & Mac (Free)

Node JS downloads free for Windows 11, Windows 10 and Mac from nodejs.org, and the Windows installer is a 31.7 MB MSI that sets up Node.js and npm in a few clicks. One install gives you the node runtime, the npm package manager and npx , ready to use from Terminal.

This guide covers the x64 and ARM64 installers, the Mac package, the zip build, winget, checksum checks, choosing between LTS and Current, updates, fixes for failed installs and clean removal.

Check the Node.js system requirements before you download

Your operating system version and processor type decide which file you need. The project publishes no RAM or disk minimum.

32-bit Windows is out of reach for current releases. The last line with an x86 build was Node.js 22.

Which Node.js download do you need?

Press Windows + I, open System > About and read the System type line. Match it to a row below.

Take the LTS MSI unless a course, framework or employer names a different version.

Download Node.js for Windows 11 and Windows 10 from the official site

The OpenJS Foundation publishes every build on nodejs.org, with a signed SHA-256 list in each release folder.

1. Node.js download page — picks the LTS build for your system
2. Windows x64 installer, MSI — 31.7 MB
3. Windows ARM64 installer, MSI — 28.3 MB
4. Windows x64 standalone zip — 35.9 MB
5. Windows ARM64 standalone zip — 32.1 MB
6. Previous releases — every major line with its LTS status

How to install Node.js on Windows 11 and 10

The Setup Wizard defaults suit almost everyone. Keep Add to PATH switched on so Terminal finds node and npm .

1. Download the MSI that matches your System type.
2. Double-click the file in your Downloads folder.
3. Select Next on the welcome page of the Node.js Setup wizard.
4. Tick I accept the terms in the License Agreement and select Next.
5. Keep the folder C:\Program Files\nodejs\ and select Next.
6. On Custom Setup, leave every feature enabled, including Add to PATH, and select Next.
7. On Tools for Native Modules, leave the box clear unless you build C++ add-ons, then select Next.
8. Select Install, then Yes at the User Account Control prompt.
9. Select Finish, open a new Terminal window and run node -v and npm -v .

An old Terminal window does not see the new PATH, so always open a fresh one.

Install Node.js with winget instead of the wizard

Windows Package Manager ships with Windows 11 and installs the same LTS MSI from nodejs.org. The package ID is OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS.

1. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin).
2. Run winget install –id OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS -e .
3. Type Y if Terminal asks you to accept the source agreement.
4. Wait for the Successfully installed line.
5. Close Terminal and open a new window so the PATH change loads.
6. Run node -v to confirm the installed version.

Install the Node.js MSI silently on many PCs

The MSI is a standard Windows Installer package for Intune, Configuration Manager or a login script. Test it on one machine first.

Run msiexec /i node-v24.21.0-x64.msi /qn /norestart from an elevated prompt for a silent install with the default features. Add /l*v node-install.log to write a log when a deployment fails.

How to verify the Node.js installer is genuine

Each release folder on nodejs.org holds a SHASUMS256.txt file listing the SHA-256 hash of every package. A match proves your file is the one the project published.

1. Open the v24.21.0 release folder and select SHASUMS256.txt.
2. Find the line that ends with your file name, such as node-v24.21.0-x64.msi.
3. Open Terminal in your Downloads folder.
4. Run Get-FileHash .\node-v24.21.0-x64.msi -Algorithm SHA256 .
5. Compare the Hash value with the line in the text file, character for character.
6. On a Mac, run shasum -a 256 node-v24.21.0.pkg in Terminal and compare the same way.

The x64 MSI hash is bb0eaee134f9357f22aea915ee793343e627aefc1e66488164bac6915bce2cac. A different value means a different file, so delete it and download again from nodejs.org.

Run Node.js from a folder without installing it

The standalone zip needs no administrator rights and writes nothing to Program Files. It suits locked-down work PCs and quick tests.

1. Download node-v24.21.0-win-x64.zip, which is 35.9 MB.
2. Right-click the zip, select Extract All, and choose a folder such as C:\Tools.
3. Open Terminal and run $env:Path = “C:\Tools\node-v24.21.0-win-x64;$env:Path” .
4. Run node -v to confirm the runtime answers.
5. Run npm -v to confirm npm works from the same folder.
6. To keep it permanently, add the folder under Edit environment variables for your account > Path.

The PATH change in step 3 lasts only for that Terminal window.

Which Node.js download do you need for your Mac?

Open the Apple menu and select About This Mac to read your chip and macOS version. Current releases need macOS 13.5 or later.

Double-click the .pkg, select Continue, Agree and Install, then enter your Mac password. The installer places node and npm in /usr/local/bin, so run node -v in a new Terminal window to check.

Is Node.js free?

Node.js is free for personal and commercial use, and every file on nodejs.org is the complete runtime. Node.js is released under the MIT License. There is no trial, no licence key and no paid edition. A site that sells a Node.js installer or asks for payment before the download is reselling free software, often with unwanted extras bundled in.

Should you install Node.js LTS or Current?

Install the LTS release, version 24 (Krypton), on any machine where you build or run real projects. The Node.js project states that production applications should use only Active LTS or Maintenance LTS releases. LTS lines get critical fixes for about 30 months. Version 26 is the Current line, which carries the newest features for testing and becomes LTS later. Version 22 (Jod) is still supported for older projects, while 25 and 20 are end-of-life.

How to check your Node.js version and update it

1. Open Terminal on Windows or Mac.
2. Run node -v to read the installed runtime version.
3. Run npm -v to read the npm version.
4. Compare the result with the LTS number on the download page.
5. On Windows, run winget upgrade –id OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS , or download the newer MSI and run it over the old one.
6. On a Mac, download the newer .pkg and run it. It replaces the previous version in place.
7. Open a new Terminal window and run node -v again.

Installing a newer MSI keeps your global npm packages. Moving to a new major version can break packages with native code, so run npm rebuild inside each project afterwards.

Fix Node.js not installing or not working on Windows 11, 10 and Mac

Terminal says node is not recognized

Terminal was open during setup, or Add to PATH was switched off.

1. Close every Terminal and editor window, then open a new Terminal.
2. Run node -v again.
3. If it still fails, run the MSI again, select Change, and enable Add to PATH.
4. Restart Visual Studio Code or any other editor that reported Node.js as missing.

PowerShell says npm.ps1 cannot be loaded

The PowerShell execution policy blocks the npm script wrapper.

1. Open Terminal as your normal user.
2. Run Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser RemoteSigned .
3. Type Y to confirm.
4. Run npm -v to confirm npm now answers.

The installer refuses to run on an older PC

Current releases need 64-bit Windows 10 or later and have no 32-bit build.

1. Press Windows + R, type winver and select OK to read your Windows version.
2. Open Settings > System > About and check that System type says 64-bit.
3. Upgrade to 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11 to run the current LTS release.

The Mac installer says the software cannot be installed

The Mac runs a macOS version older than 13.5.

1. Open the Apple menu and select About This Mac to read the macOS version.
2. Open System Settings > General > Software Update and install a newer macOS if one is offered.
3. Run the .pkg again after the update finishes.

How to uninstall Node.js and npm

1. Close Terminal and every editor using Node.js.
2. Press Windows + I and open Apps > Installed apps.
3. Select the three dots beside Node.js, then Uninstall.
4. Select Yes at the User Account Control prompt and let the uninstaller finish.
5. Delete C:\Program Files\nodejs if anything is left there.
6. Press Windows + R, type %AppData%\npm and delete that folder to remove global packages.
7. Delete %LocalAppData%\npm-cache to clear the download cache.

From Terminal, winget uninstall –id OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS does the same job. On a Mac, run sudo rm -rf /usr/local/bin/node /usr/local/bin/npm /usr/local/bin/npx /usr/local/lib/node_modules /usr/local/include/node to remove the .pkg install.

Frequently asked questions

Is Node.js free to download?

Yes. Node.js is free and open source under the MIT License, for personal and commercial use. Every installer and zip on nodejs.org is the full runtime, with no trial, licence key or paid edition.

What is the official Node.js download page?

The official page is nodejs.org/en/download, run by the OpenJS Foundation. It offers the LTS and Current releases as a Windows MSI, a macOS .pkg, standalone zip and tar builds, plus a signed SHA-256 list for every release.

Does Node.js work on Windows 11?

Yes. Node.js supports Windows 11 and Windows 10 on x64 and ARM64 processors, and Windows Server 2016 or later. There is no 32-bit Windows build in current releases, so a 32-bit PC cannot run them.

How big is the Node.js download?

The Windows x64 MSI for the current LTS release is 31.7 MB and the ARM64 MSI is 28.3 MB. The x64 standalone zip is 35.9 MB, and the macOS .pkg installer is 89.4 MB.

Is there a Node.js offline installer?

Yes. The Windows MSI and the macOS .pkg are complete offline installers. Each carries the runtime and npm, so you can copy the file to a computer with no internet connection and install from there.

Can I download Node.js for Mac?

Yes. nodejs.org offers a .pkg installer for Macs on macOS 13.5 or later, plus separate tar.gz builds for Apple silicon and Intel chips. The installer places node and npm in /usr/local/bin.

Which Node.js download do I need, x64 or ARM64?

Open Settings, then System, then About, and read the System type line. An Intel or AMD PC takes the x64 MSI, and an Arm PC such as a Snapdragon laptop takes the ARM64 MSI. On a Mac, the .pkg covers both chip types.

Is the Node.js installer safe?

The file from nodejs.org is safe. Compare its SHA-256 hash with the SHASUMS256.txt file in the same release folder using Get-FileHash in Terminal. A copy from a download portal carries no such guarantee.

What is the latest version of Node.js?

The latest LTS release is Node.js 24.21.0 (Krypton), which bundles npm 11.19.0. The newest Current release is 26.8.2. The LTS line is the one the Node.js project recommends for production use.

Does installing Node.js also install npm?

Yes. The Windows MSI and the macOS .pkg both install npm and npx alongside the node runtime. Run npm -v in a new Terminal window after setup to confirm it is available.

Why won’t Node.js install on my PC?

The usual causes are a 32-bit or older version of Windows, or an unsupported macOS older than 13.5. If setup finished but node is not recognized, open a new Terminal window so the updated PATH loads.