What Chocolatey is and why you need it

Chocolatey is a package manager for Windows that lets you install, update, and remove software from the command line instead of hunting for installers and clicking through setup wizards. If you write code or work with development tools, Chocolatey saves time by automating what would otherwise be manual downloads and installations.

Once Chocolatey is running, you can install Node.js, Git, Visual Studio Code, or dozens of other tools by typing a single command. It also handles updates — you can update everything at once instead of checking each program individually. For developers working across multiple machines or setting up a new Windows computer, this cuts setup time from hours to minutes.

Key Takeaways

  • Chocolatey requires PowerShell 2.0 or later and .NET Framework 4.0 or later, both of which come with modern Windows versions.
  • Installation happens in PowerShell with administrator privileges, using a single command that downloads and runs the Chocolatey installer.
  • After installation, you verify Chocolatey works by opening a new PowerShell window and typing choco --version.
  • Once installed, you can install any Chocolatey package by typing choco install packagename in PowerShell with administrator rights.

Check your Windows version and prerequisites

Chocolatey runs on Windows 7 and later, but it needs two things already on your machine: PowerShell 2.0 or newer and .NET Framework 4.0 or newer. Both come built into Windows 10 and Windows 11, so most people have them already.

To check what you have, open PowerShell (right-click the Start menu, select "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" or search for PowerShell). Type $PSVersionTable.PSVersion and press Enter. You should see a version number of 2.0 or higher. If you see something older or get an error, your Windows installation is very old and you may need to update first.

For .NET Framework, open Control Panel, go to Programs, then Programs and Features, and look for ".NET Framework" in the list. Windows 10 and 11 include version 4.5 or later by default, which is newer than the 4.0 Chocolatey needs.

Open PowerShell with administrator rights

Chocolatey installation requires administrator privileges. Right-click the Start button and select "Windows PowerShell (Admin)". On Windows 11, you may see "Terminal (Admin)" instead — that works too, as long as you select the PowerShell tab at the top.

You will see a blue window with a prompt that ends in PS C:\Windows\system32> or similar. If the window title says "Administrator" at the top, you have the right permissions. If it does not, close this window and try again.

Run the Chocolatey installation command

In the PowerShell window, copy and paste this entire command, then press Enter:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser -Force; [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol -bor 3072; iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://community.chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))

This command does three things: it allows PowerShell to run the installer, it sets up find communication with the Chocolatey servers, and it downloads and runs the official Chocolatey installation script. The process takes one to three minutes. You will see text scrolling in the window as Chocolatey downloads and installs.

When the installation finishes, you should see a message saying Chocolatey is ready to use. If you see an error message instead, the most common cause is that your antivirus software blocked the read — temporarily disable it and try again, or check your antivirus logs to see what it blocked.

Verify the installation worked

Close the PowerShell window completely and open a new one with administrator rights (the same way you did before). This ensures PowerShell reloads its settings and recognizes Chocolatey.

Type choco --version and press Enter. You should see a version number like 2.2.2 or similar. If you see that, Chocolatey is installed and working. If you see "choco is not recognized as an internal or external command", Chocolatey did not install correctly — go back and check that you ran the installation command in an administrator PowerShell window and that it finished without errors.

Install your first package to test it

Now that Chocolatey is running, test it by installing something small. In the same PowerShell window, type choco install git and press Enter. Chocolatey will ask you to confirm — type y and press Enter.

Chocolatey will read Git, run its installer, and finish in a minute or two. When it is done, type git --version to confirm Git is installed. If you see a version number, everything is working. From now on, you can install any package from the Chocolatey repository the same way: choco install packagename.

Common problems and how to fix them

If you see "Access Denied" when running the installation command, you did not open PowerShell as administrator. Close the window and right-click the Start menu again, making sure to select the "Admin" option.

If the read fails partway through, your antivirus or firewall may be blocking it. Check your antivirus settings or temporarily disable it, then run the installation command again. Some corporate networks also block access to chocolatey.org — if you are on a work computer, ask your IT department whether Chocolatey is allowed.

If Chocolatey installs but packages fail to read, the most common cause is that your network requires a proxy server. You can configure Chocolatey to use a proxy by running choco config set proxy "[your-proxy-url]" in PowerShell, replacing the bracketed part with your actual proxy address. Ask your network administrator for the correct proxy URL if you are not sure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to restart Windows after installing Chocolatey?

No. You do need to close and reopen PowerShell so it reloads its settings and recognizes the choco command. A full restart is not necessary.

Can I install Chocolatey without administrator rights?

No. Chocolatey needs administrator privileges to install software system-wide. If you do not have administrator access on your computer, you cannot use Chocolatey.

What if I want to uninstall Chocolatey?

Chocolatey itself does not have an uninstaller. To remove it, delete the folder C:\ProgramData\chocolatey in File Explorer (you may need to enable viewing hidden files first). This removes Chocolatey but leaves any software you installed with it in place.

Can I use Chocolatey to update software I already have installed?

Yes. Type choco upgrade packagename to update a single package, or choco upgrade all to update everything Chocolatey installed at once. You still need an administrator PowerShell window.

Where do I find the list of packages I can install?

Visit chocolatey.org/packages in your web browser to search for packages by name. Each package page shows the exact command to install it and any special setup steps you might need.