Install curl on Windows

Requirements

• Windows 7 or later.
• Administrator rights to install.

Method 1: Check the built-in curl

Windows 10 (version 1803 and later) and Windows 11 include curl.exe.

1. Open the Start menu, type cmd and open Command Prompt.
2. Type:

curl --version

1. If curl is there, you see the version number and you are done.

Method 2: Manual installation

1. Go to the official curl website and download the Windows build (a zip file).

   

2. Extract the zip to a folder, for example C:\curl. The curl.exe file is in the bin folder.

Add curl to the PATH

1. Search for System Properties (or environment variables) in the Start menu.
2. Click Environment Variables.
3. Under System variables, select Path and click Edit.

   

4. Click New and add the path to the bin folder, for example C:\curl\bin.

   

5. Click OK in all windows.
6. Open a new Command Prompt and check:

curl --version

Method 3: Chocolatey

If you have the Chocolatey package manager, open PowerShell as administrator and run:

choco install curl

Use curl

Get a web page:

curl example.com

More examples:

curl -I https://example.com
curl -O https://example.com/file.zip
curl -X POST -d "name=test" https://example.com/form

• -I shows only the headers.
• -O saves the file with its remote name.
• -X POST -d sends data.

Quick recap

• Windows 10 and 11 already have curl.exe.
• Otherwise download it and add it to the PATH, or use choco install curl.
• Use curl.exe in PowerShell.