Install Netdata on Windows
Netdata provides a simple Windows installer for quick setup.
The Windows Agent is available for users with paid Netdata subscriptions.
Free users will have limited functionality.
Limitations for Free Users
| Agent Type | Limitation |
|---|---|
| Standalone Agent | UI is locked — No local monitoring |
| Child Agent | No monitoring data in parent dashboard when streaming to a Linux-based Netdata parent |
Download the Windows Installer (MSI)
Choose the version that suits your needs:
| Version | Download Link | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|
| Stable | Download Stable | Most users — stable, well-tested |
| Nightly | Download Nightly | Users who need the latest features and can handle potential bugs |
Silent Installation (Command Line)
Silent installation isn’t supported on Windows Server versions earlier than 2019 due to TLS compatibility issues.
Use the GUI installer instead.
Use silent mode to deploy Netdata without user interaction (ideal for automation).
Run the command prompt as Administrator.
Installation Command Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
/qn | Enables silent mode (no user interaction) |
/i | Specifies the path to the MSI installer |
TOKEN= | Claim token from your Netdata Cloud Space |
ROOMS= | Comma-separated Room IDs for your node |
PROXY= | (Optional) Proxy address if required |
INSECURE=1 | (Optional) Allow insecure connections (hostname verification disabled) |
REINSTALL=ALL | (Optional) It forces a complete reinstallation of all Netdata components. |
Example Command
Install Netdata and connect to your Cloud Space:
msiexec /qn /i netdata-x64.msi TOKEN="<YOUR_TOKEN>" ROOMS="<YOUR_ROOMS>"
Replace:
<YOUR_TOKEN>with your claim token<YOUR_ROOMS>with your Room ID(s)
Download & Install in One Command (PowerShell)
$ProgressPreference = 'SilentlyContinue'; Invoke-WebRequest https://github.com/netdata/netdata/releases/latest/download/netdata-x64.msi -OutFile "netdata-x64.msi"; msiexec /qn /i netdata-x64.msi TOKEN=<YOUR_TOKEN> ROOMS=<YOUR_ROOMS>
Graphical Installation (GUI)
- Download the
.msiinstaller. - Double-click to run it.
- Grant Administrator privileges when prompted.
- Complete the setup wizard.
Offline (Air-gapped) Installation
Use this method to install Netdata on a Windows system with no internet access.
Step 1: Download the MSI
On an internet-connected machine, download the MSI installer using one of the links from the Download the Windows Installer table above.
Step 2: Transfer to the Offline System
Copy the downloaded .msi file to the offline Windows system using a USB drive, network share, or other secure transfer method.
Step 3: Install Without Cloud Parameters
Open a command prompt as Administrator and run a silent install without TOKEN or ROOMS parameters:
msiexec /qn /i netdata-x64.msi
This offline method uses msiexec /qn to install from a locally available MSI. On Windows Server versions earlier than 2019, the automated download commands in this document may fail due to TLS compatibility issues—download the MSI on another machine (Step 1) or use the GUI installer.
In an air-gapped environment, Netdata Cloud features are unavailable. The Agent runs in standalone local mode.
Paid/enterprise users can use the local Dashboard for full monitoring without Cloud connectivity.
Free users on standalone Agents have limited functionality — the UI is locked and there is no local monitoring. See Limitations for Free Users for details.
Step 4: Access the Local Dashboard
Automatic updates require internet access and are not possible on air-gapped systems. To update, repeat the transfer process with a newer MSI.
Access Netdata Dashboard
After installation, verify the Netdata service is running:
Get-Service netdata
After installation, open your browser and go to:
http://localhost:19999
If your subscription and installation mode allow local monitoring, you should see the Netdata Dashboard — a real-time metrics overview with system CPU, memory, disk, and network charts updating every second.
License Information
By using silent installation, you agree to:
- GPL-3 License — Netdata Agent
- NCUL1 License — Netdata Web Interface
Where is Netdata?
When Netdata is installed on Windows, it automatically registers as a Windows Service and appears in Add or remove programs (also known as Programs and Features or Apps & features in newer Windows versions). The service can be monitored through the Netdata Dashboard. To start, stop, or restart the service, use the PowerShell commands described in Service Control.
Automatic Updates
For users who want to keep their Windows agents automatically updated with the latest releases, you can set up automated updates.
What You'll Learn
How to set up automatic Netdata updates on Windows nodes using PowerShell and Task Scheduler.
How to set up
This setup will automatically download and install the latest Netdata build (stable or nightly) daily at your preferred time.
1. Create the directory and updater script
Run one of these PowerShell commands as Administrator (choose stable or nightly):
Administrator Rights Required
Creating directories in ProgramData and running Task Scheduler with the highest privileges requires administrator access.
Right-click on PowerShell and select "Run as administrator" before running these commands.
-
Stable version
New-Item -Path "$env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata" -ItemType Directory -Force
@'
Invoke-WebRequest https://github.com/netdata/netdata/releases/latest/download/netdata-x64.msi -OutFile $env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata\netdata-x64.msi
msiexec /qn /i $env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata\netdata-x64.msi TOKEN="<CLAIM_TOKEN>" ROOMS="<ROOM_ID>"
'@ | Out-File -FilePath "$env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata\netdata-updater.ps1" -Encoding UTF8 -
Nightly version
New-Item -Path "$env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata" -ItemType Directory -Force
@'
Invoke-WebRequest https://github.com/netdata/netdata-nightlies/releases/latest/download/netdata-x64.msi -OutFile $env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata\netdata-x64.msi
msiexec /qn /i $env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata\netdata-x64.msi TOKEN="<CLAIM_TOKEN>" ROOMS="<ROOM_ID>"
'@ | Out-File -FilePath "$env:PROGRAMDATA\Netdata\netdata-updater.ps1" -Encoding UTF8
Configuration Required
Replace <CLAIM_TOKEN> with your Netdata Cloud claim token and <ROOM_ID> with your room identifier.
2. Create an entry in Task Scheduler
| Tab | Setting | Value |
|---|---|---|
| General | Run whether user is logged in or not | ✓ Checked |
| Run with highest privileges | ✓ Checked | |
| Configure for | Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 | |
| Triggers | Schedule | Daily |
| Time | Your preferred time (e.g., 7AM UTC) | |
| Actions | Program/Script | powershell |
| Arguments | -noprofile -executionpolicy bypass -file %PROGRAMDATA%\Netdata\netdata-updater.ps1 |
Alternative Scheduling Options
Instead of daily updates, you might prefer:
- Weekly updates (select "Weekly" in Triggers tab)
- Multiple times per day for critical systems
- Only on specific days of the week
Working with Netdata on Windows
Netdata on Windows includes a bundled MSYS2 environment for working with Netdata configuration files and other internals.
Open the MSYS2 environment
Launch the bundled MSYS2 shell using one of these methods (the paths below assume Netdata is installed in the default location):
- Windows Run dialog: Press
Win + R, enter"C:\Program Files\Netdata\msys2.exe", and pressEnter. - PowerShell:
& "C:\Program Files\Netdata\msys2.exe" - Command Prompt:
"C:\Program Files\Netdata\msys2.exe"
When msys2.exe starts, it opens a shell environment for working with the Netdata files installed on your system.
Writing Windows paths in MSYS format
Netdata configuration files consumed from the MSYS side require MSYS-style paths instead of native Windows drive-letter format.
Conversion pattern:
- Replace the drive letter with its lowercase equivalent preceded by
/(e.g.,C:→/c,D:→/d) - Replace backslashes
\with forward slashes/ - Keep spaces in the path, but quote or escape the full path when using it in shell commands
Examples:
| Windows path | MSYS-style path |
|---|---|
C:\Program Files\Netdata\etc\netdata | /c/Program Files/Netdata/etc/netdata/ |
C:\Program Files\Netdata\usr\bin\netdata.exe | /c/Program Files/Netdata/usr/bin/netdata.exe |
Editing configuration files
Inside the MSYS2 environment, use the edit-config helper to edit Netdata configuration files:
cd /etc/netdata
./edit-config netdata.conf
For the complete edit-config workflow and configuration directory layout, see Netdata Agent Configuration.
On Windows, edit-config opens files with the nano editor.
Basic nano commands
| Action | Keybinding |
|---|---|
| Edit text | Type normally, use arrow keys to navigate |
| Search | Ctrl + W, type search text, Enter |
| Save | Ctrl + O, Enter to confirm filename |
| Exit | Ctrl + X |
| Exit with save prompt | Ctrl + X, then Y to save or N to discard |
Related Windows documentation
- Service Control — Start, stop, restart, and check status of the Netdata Agent
- Switching Install Types and Release Channels on Windows
Do you have any feedback for this page? If so, you can open a new issue on our netdata/learn repository.