In this help article I’ll be showing you how to download and install Inkscape – the free vector graphics software – for Windows. You can watch the video version below, or skip over it for the full help article. Let’s dive in!
For starters, you’ll want to visit Inkscape’s main website at Inkscape.org (pictured above). You can always find the latest version of Inkscape on this website, and will always be able to download it FOR FREE. You should never have to pay for Inkscape – that’s why it’s called Free and Open Source Software!
Tip: Inkscape is totally free, but you can always support the people who volunteer to develop it and keep it free by visiting their Support Us page.
Next, you can either click the “Download Now” button on the home page (red arrow in the above photo), or hover your mouse over the “Download” tab in the main navigation and click “Current Version” (blue arrow).
Here on the Downloads page you’ll see a series of buttons just under the main page banner (outlined in green in the above photo). These buttons display the operating systems that support downloading and installing Inkscape. Inkscape is supported on Linux, Windows, and MAC systems.
I’m using Windows, so I’ll click the “Windows” button (red arrow in the above image). This will take me to the Windows Download page.
Here you’ll see two buttons – one for 64-bit Windows and the other for 32-bit Windows (outlined in green in the above image). New-ish computers tend to use 64-bit Windows, while older computers may use 32-bit Windows. If you’re not sure which version you’re using, just Google “Am I Using 64-bit Windows?” and follow the instructions to find out what version your computer uses.
I know I’m using 64-bit Windows, so I’ll click this option (red arrow in the above photo).
On this page, I can now choose how I’d like to install the free Inkscape program. There are three methods total – each with their own button (outlined in green in the image above).
The easiest method is the “Windows Installer Package” method as this includes the standard setup wizard that walks you through the installation. Clicking this button (red arrow) will start the installation process.
You should be taken to a page that says “Download Starting” (green arrow). It may take a few seconds before the download begins. Also, depending on your settings, you may be asked to choose where you’d like to install the package on your computer (in my case, I always go with my Downloads folder).
When the MSI file is finished downloading, click on it (red arrow in the photo above) to run the installation wizard.
Running the installation wizard will open a new dialogue labeled “Inkscape Setup” with a welcome message (shown in the photo above). It may take a few seconds to a few minutes for the setup to prepare the installation. The “Next” button will be greyed out until this process is complete.
When Inkscape is ready to be installed on your computer, the “Next” button will appear active (red arrow). Click this button to move to the next step of the installation process.
Accept the license agreement by checking the box (red arrow), then click “Next” once again (green arrow). (Note: Inkscape uses a GNU General Public License, which basically just means the software is free for all to use and has no limitations or requirements. Inkscape also does not track your usage or any other data from your computer. Kinda nice, isn’t it?).
On the next screen you’ll be able to choose where to install Inkscape on your computer. If you already have Inkscape installed, I recommend ensuring you install the new version in the same location (otherwise Inkscape will display an error during installation and undo the install). If you didn’t set a custom install location last time you installed Inkscape, or if this is your first time installing Inkscape and you’re OK with the default location, just leave it as-is. Otherwise, you can click “Browse” (red arrow) to change the install location to somewhere else on your computer.
Click next (green arrow) when you’re ready to move to the next step.
Click the “Install” button to begin the installation of Inkscape to your computer.
A progress bar will appear as Inkscape installs on your computer. Again, this may take several minutes to finish installing (especially if you’re on an older/slower computer).
Once Inkscape has successfully installed on your computer, you’ll be taken to a screen in the dialogue that says “Completed the Inkscape Setup Wizard.” Click the “Finish” button (red arrow) to complete the installation and exit the setup wizard. You should now see a desktop icon for Inkscape on your computer, or can open it by typing “Inkscape” in the Windows search bar.
That’s it for this tutorial! If you liked it, you can check out my other Inkscape help articles or Inkscape video tutorials!
