# balena CLI Installation Instructions for Windows

These instructions are for the recommended installation option. Advanced users may also be
interested in [advanced installation options](./INSTALL-ADVANCED.md).

Selected operating system: **Windows**

1. Download the installer from the [latest release
   page](https://github.com/balena-io/balena-cli/releases/latest).
   Look for a file name that ends with "-installer.exe":  
   `balena-cli-vX.Y.Z-windows-x64-installer.exe`  

2. Double click the downloaded file to run the installer. After the installation completes,
   close and re-open any open [command
   terminal](https://www.balena.io/docs/reference/cli/#choosing-a-shell-command-promptterminal)
   windows (so that the changes made by the installer to the PATH environment variable can take
   effect).

3. Check that the installation was successful by running the following commands on a
   command terminal:  
   * `balena version` - should print the CLI's version
   * `balena help` - should print a list of available commands

No further steps are required to run most CLI commands. The `balena ssh`, `scan`, `build`,
`deploy` and `preload` commands may require additional software to be installed, as
described below.

## Additional Dependencies

### build and deploy

These commands require [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/install/overview/) or
[balenaEngine](https://www.balena.io/engine/) to be available on a local or remote
machine. Most users will follow [Docker's installation
instructions](https://docs.docker.com/install/overview/) to install Docker on the same
workstation as the balena CLI. The [advanced installation
options](./INSTALL-ADVANCED.md#additional-dependencies) document describes other possibilities.

### balena ssh

The `balena ssh` command requires the `ssh` command-line tool to be available. Microsoft started
distributing an SSH client with Windows 10, which is automatically installed through Windows
Update. To check whether it is installed, run `ssh` on a Windows Command Prompt or PowerShell. It
can also be [manually
installed](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/openssh/openssh_install_firstuse)
if needed. For older versions of Windows, there are several ssh/OpenSSH clients provided by 3rd
parties.

The `balena ssh` command also requires an SSH key to be added to your balena account: see [SSH
Access documentation](https://www.balena.io/docs/learn/manage/ssh-access/). The `balena key*`
command set can also be used to list and manage SSH keys: see `balena help -v`.

### balena scan

The `balena scan` command requires a multicast DNS (mDNS) service like Apple's Bonjour.
Many Windows machines will already have this service installed, as it is bundled in popular
applications such as Skype (Wikipedia lists [several others](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonjour_(software))).
Otherwise, Bonjour for Windows can be downloaded and installed from: https://support.apple.com/kb/DL999

### balena preload

Like the `build` and `deploy` commands, the `preload` command requires Docker.
Preloading balenaOS images for some older device types (like the Raspberry
Pi 3, but not the Raspberry 4) requires Docker to support the [AUFS storage
driver](https://docs.docker.com/storage/storagedriver/aufs-driver/). Unfortunately, Docker Desktop
for Windows and macOS dropped support for the AUFS filesystem in Docker CE versions greater than
18.06.1. The present workarounds are to either:

* Install the balena CLI on Linux (e.g. Ubuntu) with a virtual machine like VirtualBox.
  This works because Docker for Linux still supports AUFS. Hint: if using a virtual machine,
  copy the image file over, rather than accessing it through "file sharing", to avoid errors.
* Downgrade Docker Desktop to version 18.06.1. Link: [Docker CE for
  Windows](https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-windows/release-notes/#docker-community-edition-18061-ce-win73-2018-08-29)

We are working on replacing AUFS with overlay2 in balenaOS images of the affected device types.