Download MySQL for Windows

Web installer or full installer?

Oracle ships the MySQL Installer in two forms, and the right pick depends on your connection. The web installer is a tiny .msi (around 2 MB) that downloads only the components you select during setup — the fastest option on a machine with internet access. The full installer is a single large bundle (several hundred MB) containing every component, made for offline or air-gapped machines. Both install the identical official MySQL; the only difference is whether the components come down during setup or ship inside the file.

Install MySQL on Windows in four steps

1. Download the MySQL InstallerGet the official MySQL Installer .msi from dev.mysql.com. The small web installer downloads components on demand; the full installer bundles everything for offline use.
2. Run the .msi and choose a setup typeLaunch the installer and pick a setup type. Developer Default installs Server plus Workbench and connectors; Server only installs just the database engine.
3. Configure the serverChoose the default port 3306, set authentication, and set a root password. Write the password down — you need it to connect.
4. Finish and start MySQLComplete the wizard. The installer registers MySQL as a Windows service that starts automatically, so the server is already running when setup ends.

Setup types compared

After installing: verify it works

Once the wizard finishes, MySQL is running as a Windows service. Confirm the version and open a session from Command Prompt or PowerShell:

:: check the installed version
mysql --version

:: connect as root (enter the password you set)
mysql -u root -p

If mysql isn't recognised, add its bin folder (usually C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.4\bin) to your PATH, or use MySQL Workbench, which finds the server automatically. From there, the official MySQL getting-started guide walks through creating your first database.

Create a user and a first database

The installer already ran the secure-setup step (root password, port 3306), so you can go straight to creating a dedicated, non-root user for your app. Connecting as an app user scoped to one database is safer than using root everywhere:

mysql -u root -p

-- inside the mysql> prompt:
CREATE DATABASE appdb;
CREATE USER 'appuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'a-strong-password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON appdb.* TO 'appuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Two common first-run issues

"Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost'" — you're using the wrong password. Use the root password you set in the installer's configuration step. If you've lost it, the cleanest fix is to re-run the MySQL Installer, choose Reconfigure on the Server item, and set a new root password.

The MySQL service isn't running — open Services (press Win+R, type services.msc), find MySQL84, and confirm its status is Running and startup type is Automatic. Right-click → Start if it's stopped.

Verify the download (optional but recommended)

Confirm the installer matches the SHA-256 checksum Oracle lists beside it on the download page before you run it — this proves you have the genuine, untampered file. In Command Prompt or PowerShell:

CertUtil -hashfile mysql-installer-community-*.msi SHA256
:: compare the output to the SHA256 shown on dev.mysql.com