Installing GIMP on a Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC takes only a few minutes, but a handful of steps in the setup wizard trip people up if they don't know what to expect. This walkthrough covers the standard installer, the Microsoft Store alternative, updating and uninstalling, and fixes for the most common setup problems.
After you finish the GIMP download, double-click the installer file to begin. Windows will likely show a User Account Control prompt asking whether you want to allow the app to make changes to your device; this is normal for any program that installs software system-wide, and you can select "Yes" to continue.
The wizard then offers a choice between a standard installation and a custom one. The standard option installs GIMP with its default set of plugins and file associations, which is the right choice for most people. The custom option lets you pick an alternate install folder, choose whether GIMP should register itself as the default program for formats like PNG or XCF, and select which optional components to include. Unless you specifically need to redirect the install to another drive, the standard path is simpler and just as functional.
By default, GIMP installs to a folder under Program Files. The installer will show you an estimate of required disk space, generally under 1 GB, and will warn you if your chosen drive doesn't have enough room. If your system drive is low on space, you can redirect the install location during the custom setup step.
The very first time you open GIMP after installing, expect a longer-than-usual startup while it builds its font list and initializes plugins; this can take anywhere from a few seconds to around a minute depending on your PC. Subsequent launches are much faster. By default, GIMP opens in single-window mode, meaning the toolbox, canvas, and dockable panels all live in one window rather than several floating ones. You can toggle this from the Windows menu if you prefer the older multi-window layout. For a tour of what you'll see once it's open, check out our guide to GIMP's tools.
GIMP keeps your personal settings, custom brushes, and preferences in a folder under %APPDATA%\GIMP. Knowing this location is useful if you ever want to back up your configuration or transfer it to another PC, a topic covered in more depth in our portable GIMP guide.
If you chose the Store listing instead of the standalone installer, the process is even simpler: click Install and Windows handles the download and setup automatically, placing shortcuts on your Start menu without any wizard prompts. The Store version also updates itself in the background along with your other apps.
If you installed via the standalone installer, updates are not automatic. You'll need to download a newer installer from the same source you used originally and run it, which will upgrade your existing installation while preserving your saved preferences. Store installations update automatically through Windows Update in the background.
To remove GIMP, use the "Add or remove programs" panel in Windows Settings and select GIMP from the list, or uninstall it directly from the Microsoft Store app if that's how it was installed. The standard uninstaller removes the program files but leaves your personal settings folder in %APPDATA%\GIMP intact, so a fresh reinstall later will restore your old preferences. Delete that folder manually if you want a completely clean slate.
No restart is required. You can launch GIMP immediately after the installer finishes.
The standard installer needs administrator permission to write to Program Files, but a portable version can run without installing anything system-wide; see our guide to portable options.
No. Updating GIMP preserves your existing preferences, custom brushes, and saved settings stored under %APPDATA%\GIMP.
Yes, they install into separate folders by default and can coexist, which is useful if you rely on a plugin that hasn't been updated for the newer release yet.