Download Flutter SDK (Windows) — Also for Mac & Linux

Flutter is Google’s UI toolkit for building Android, iOS, Web, Windows, macOS, and Linux apps from one codebase. In this guide you’ll learn how to download Flutter SDK on Windows, install it correctly, run flutter doctor, and set up Android Studio / VS Code. Then we’ll cover macOS and Linux in the same style.

Official Flutter install hub: Install Flutter
Official Flutter SDK Archive (Stable/older versions for Windows/macOS/Linux):
Official “Install with VS Code” option:

A. How to Download Flutter SDK in Windows (Official & Safe Method)

Step 1: Open the official Flutter install page

Go to the official docs page Install Flutter and choose Windows as your platform.

Step 2: Download the Flutter SDK (Windows ZIP)

For Windows, the Flutter SDK typically comes as a .zip file you download and extract. The official docs guide you to the right download path.

Alternative (recommended for specific versions):
If you want a specific stable version (or older version), use the Flutter SDK archive, which lists SDK builds for Windows, macOS, Linux by channel/version.

Step 3: Extract Flutter SDK to a clean folder

Extract the ZIP to a folder like:

  • C:\src\flutter (recommended)
  • Avoid locations like C:\Program Files\ (permission issues can happen)

B. How to Install Flutter on Windows (Complete Setup)

Step 1: Install Git (Required on Windows)

Flutter tools use Git under the hood, so install Git for Windows first. The official manual install checklist includes this prerequisite.

Step 2: Add Flutter to Windows PATH

You must add Flutter’s bin folder to PATH so flutter works anywhere.

  1. Open Environment Variables
    • Start → search “Environment Variables” → “Edit the system environment variables”
  2. In System variables (or User variables), find PathEdit
  3. Add this new entry:
    • C:\src\flutter\bin

Test it:

  • Open PowerShell / CMD
  • Run:
    • flutter --version

Step 3: Run Flutter Doctor (your setup checklist)

Run:

  • flutter doctor

This command tells you what’s missing (Android SDK, licenses, etc.) and what’s already OK.

Step 4: Install Android Studio (for Android SDK + Emulator)

To build Android apps on Windows, you need:

  • Android SDK
  • Platform tools
  • Emulator (optional but helpful)

Install Android Studio, then in SDK Manager install:

  • Android SDK Platform
  • Android SDK Build-Tools
  • Android SDK Command-line Tools
  • Platform-Tools

Step 5: Accept Android Licenses (common missing step)

Run:

  • flutter doctor --android-licenses

Accept all prompts, then re-run:

  • flutter doctor

Step 6: Create & Run Your First Flutter App (Windows)

In terminal:

  • flutter create hello_flutter
  • cd hello_flutter
  • flutter run

If you want to target Windows desktop, enable it (Flutter doctor will guide you). For platform setup references, official docs include platform integration guides (like macOS/Linux setup pages).

C. Easiest Method (Optional): Install Flutter Using VS Code

If you want an easier guided install path, Flutter provides an official “Install with VS Code” flow that helps download and set up Flutter quickly.

D. Flutter Installation on macOS (Download + Setup)

Step 1: Download Flutter SDK (macOS)

Use the same official install hub and choose macOS.
Or use the Flutter SDK archive for exact versions.

Step 2: Extract & Move Flutter Folder

Example:

  • ~/development/flutter

Step 3: Add Flutter to PATH (zsh default)

Edit ~/.zshrc:

  • export PATH="$PATH:~/development/flutter/bin"

Then:

  • source ~/.zshrc

Step 4: Run flutter doctor

  • flutter doctor

Step 5: iOS setup (Xcode required)

If you plan to build iOS apps:

  • Install Xcode
  • Run Xcode once, accept licenses
  • Install CocoaPods (if required by your workflow)

For macOS desktop platform setup reference:

E. Flutter Installation on Linux (Download + Setup)

Step 1: Download Flutter SDK (Linux)

Use the official install hub and select Linux.
Or pick a specific version from the SDK archive.

Step 2: Extract Flutter

Example:

  • ~/development/flutter

Step 3: Add Flutter to PATH

Edit ~/.bashrc (or your shell config):

  • export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/development/flutter/bin"

Then:

  • source ~/.bashrc

Step 4: Run Flutter Doctor

  • flutter doctor

Step 5: Linux desktop requirements

Linux desktop apps may require system packages (GTK, build tools, etc.). Flutter’s official Linux platform setup page lists what you need based on distro and target.

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FAQ (Windows + macOS + Linux)

What is the official link to download Flutter SDK?

Use Flutter’s official documentation install page for your OS, or the official SDK archive for exact versions. Flutter official SDK

Can I install Flutter using VS Code automatically?

Yes—Flutter provides an official “Install with VS Code” flow to guide installation and setup.

For macOS: do I need Xcode?

If you want to build iOS apps, yes. If you only build Android/Web, you can skip Xcode (but flutter doctor will still mention it).

Do I need Android Studio if I only want to code in VS Code?

You can code in VS Code, but you still need the Android SDK to build/run Android apps. Android Studio is the easiest way to install and manage it.

What does flutter doctor do?

It checks your full development setup (Flutter SDK, Android toolchain, IDE plugins, connected devices) and tells you exactly what’s missing.

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