How to Install nvm-windows on Windows 10 and 11

Note: The screenshots in this article were captured in a Japanese-language Windows environment. Menu and setting names may differ slightly in an English-language installation.

The most important thing to be aware of when introducing nvm-windows is PATH conflict with existing Node.js. First check the existing environment and then install NVM for Windows 1.2.2 distributed on official GitHub. On each screen, we distinguish between items that need to be changed and items that can be left at their default values.

Verification items	Content
Target OS	Windows 10／11
Version used	nvm-windows 1.2.2

What is nvm-windows (why you need it)

nvm-windows is a version control tool that allows you to install multiple versions of Node.js on Windows and switch between them with a single command. It is an open source project published by coreybutler on GitHub, and the official repository is as follows.

– https://github.com/coreybutler/nvm-windows

On macOS/Linux, nvm-sh/nvm is widely used, but it is also not an official Node.js tool. nvm-windows is a Windows-only project provided by another developer, and while its command system is similar to nvm-sh/nvm, the internal mechanism and some specifications are different.

There are three typical reasons why nvm-windows is required:

• Different projects have different Node.js version requirements:If the required Node.js version differs depending on the application being run, if the OS can only accommodate one Node.js, you will need to reinstall it each time the version requirements change.
• You can switch between multiple versions with one command: You can quickly migrate to the version you need with just two commands: download with nvm install and switch with nvm use.
• Easy to check operation with older versions: Before updating to the new Node.js, you can install it in parallel with the old version and compare the operational differences.

nvm-windows operating requirements

If you have administrator privileges in a Windows 10/11 environment, you can install nvm-windows without preparing an additional runtime.

Item	Guideline
Compatible OS	Windows 10／11（32bit／64bit）
Required disk space	18.3 MB or more (for nvm-windows itself. Approximately several dozen to 100 MB for each version of Node.js to be installed)
authority	Administrator privileges (to create the installation folder and change the PATH environment variable)
Prerequisite software	Unnecessary (no additional installation of .NET Framework etc. required)

To create and modify the symbolic links used by nvm install and nvm use, you would normally run PowerShell or a command prompt "as administrator".

Check existing Node.js before installation

If you have already installed Node.js directly, its PATH conflicts with the Node.js managed by nvm-windows, and the version may not change even if you run nvm use. According to the nvm-windows official README, the recommended method is to uninstall the existing Node.js before deployment.

Execute the following in PowerShell to check the existing environment.

node -v
where.exe node

If you find an existing Node.js, back up the necessary .npmrc and global package information, and then uninstall Node.js from "Settings" → "Apps". If C:\Program Files\nodejs remains as a real folder, you may not be able to create a symbolic link for nvm-windows. If you're having trouble deciding whether to delete a folder, check its contents and the impact on existing apps before deleting the folder.

How to download nvm-windows

nvm-windows downloads the installer from the official release page on GitHub.

1. In your web browser, click the official repository release page (https://github.com/coreybutler/nvm-windows/releases).
2. From "Assets", download nvm-setup.exe or nvm-setup.zip for the version you want (1.2.2 in the steps of this article). It's usually easiest to run nvm-setup.exe directly.
3. If you choose the zip version, unzip it and run the nvm-setup.exe it contains.

When you start the setup executable file, the installer will start with "Setup – NVM for Windows 1.2.2" displayed in the title bar.

nvm-windows installation instructions

You can install it without changing any special options by following the installer's instructions and proceeding in the following order: "Agree license → Specify installation destination → Specify symbolic link destination → Notification settings → Execute installation → Finish." The explanation below is based on the actual screen.

First, let's review the decisions required on each screen.

screen	Importance of judgment	Selection guideline
License Agreement	Required	If you do not agree, you cannot proceed further.
Destination Location	Usually no change required	Use default installation location
Active Version Location	important	Do not duplicate existing Node.js folders
Desktop Notifications	Any	Select only the notifications you need
Email Signup	Any	Blank if unnecessary
Ready to Install	confirmation	Confirm selected path and run

1. Accept the license terms

The “License Agreement” screen will be displayed. The license is the MIT License (Copyright (c) 2025 Author Software Inc. / Copyright (c) 2022 Ecor Ventures LLC.).

Note that the radio button is initially on the "I do not accept the agreement" side of the screen.

1. Select "I accept the agreement".
2. Click the "Next" button to proceed.

2. Specify the installation folder

On the "Select Destination Location" screen, specify the installation destination folder for nvm-windows itself.

• Default: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\nvm
• Estimated free space required: 18.3 MB or more

Normally, leave the default values and click "Next". Change this only if your organization has specified an installation location.

3. Specify the destination of the Node.js symbolic link

On the "Active Version Location" screen, specify the folder where you want to create a symbolic link to the "Node.js currently in use" switched with the nvm use command.

• Default: C:\nvm4w\nodejs
• The screen clearly states that this folder will be automatically added to your system's PATH environment variable.

Keep the default values and click Next to proceed.

4. Choose desktop notification settings

On the Desktop Notifications (PREVIEW) screen, select the events for which you want to receive notifications. In the initial state, all four items below are checked.

• Node.js LTS releases (Node.js long-term support releases)
• Node.js Current releases
• NVM For Windows releases (updates for nvm-windows itself)
• Author updates and releases (update information for successor tool "Author")

Notifications are not required for nvm-windows to work. Check only the necessary information, remove unnecessary notifications, and proceed to "Next".

5. Set up email address registration (optional)

The “Author Progress Email Signup” screen will be displayed. This is an optional setting for receiving information about the nvm-windows successor tool "Author" by email.

1. Enter your email address only if you wish to receive notifications.
2. If you do not need it, leave it blank and click "Next" (there is also a message on the screen that says "Leave it blank if you do not").

6. Check and execute the installation contents

On the "Ready to Install" screen, the settings you have selected so far are listed.

• Destination location: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\nvm

If there are no problems with the contents, click the "Install" button to execute the installation.

7. Complete setup

The installation is complete when the "Completing the NVM for Windows Setup Wizard" screen appears.

1. Make sure the "Open with Powershell" checkbox is selected (it is checked by default).
2. Click the "Finish" button to finish the setup.

8. Verify installation with PowerShell

When you click "Finish", PowerShell will automatically start and the following message will be displayed.

Welcome to NVM for Windows v1.2.2
PS C:\Windows\system32>

If you can see the message "Welcome to NVM for Windows v1.2.2" and the prompt, the installation of nvm-windows has completed successfully.

Post-installation confirmation and introduction of Node.js

Immediately after installation, nvm-windows itself is installed, but Node.js itself has not been installed yet. A typical next step is to install and enable Node.js by running the following commands:

nvm list available
nvm install <version number>
nvm use <version number>
node -v

nvm use The version you switched to is the symbolic link destination specified in step 3 (by default, C:\nvm4w\nodejs) will be reflected.

If the command is not recognized, close and reopen any open Windows Terminal/PowerShell before restarting Windows entirely. If you suspect a PATH conflict, the following diagnostic commands available since nvm-windows 1.1.11 may also be helpful:

nvm debug

Reference materials

• nvm-windows official README
• nvm-windows official release
• nvm-windows Common Issues

Summary

procedure	screen name	Operation details
1	License Agreement	I accept the agreement” and click Next
2	Select Destination Location	Confirm the installation location and click Next (default: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\nvm）
3	Active Version Location	Check the symbolic link destination and click Next (default: C:\nvm4w\nodejs）
4	Desktop Notifications (PREVIEW)	Select the event you want to be notified of and click Next (cancel all if unnecessary)
5	Author Progress Email Signup	Any. If not required, leave blank Next
6	Ready to Install	Check the settings and install
7	Completing the Setup Wizard	Check "Open with Powershell" and Finish
8	PowerShell startup confirmation	Welcome to NVM for Windows v1.2.2 Check the display of

Get the nvm-windows installer from the official GitHub and install it by following the wizard. Check the PATH conflict with the existing Node.js and the symbolic link destination, and finally check the nvm version displayed using administrator PowerShell.