How to Install and Set Up Flutter on Windows (Complete Guide)

 

Introduction

Flutter is a powerful framework developed by Google that allows developers to build Android, iOS, Web, and Desktop applications using a single codebase.

In this guide, you will learn how to install Flutter on Windows step-by-step, configure the environment, and run your first Flutter app.

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1. System Requirements

Before installing Flutter, ensure your system meets the following requirements:

• Operating System: Windows 10 or later (64-bit)

• Disk Space: At least 2.5 GB free

• Git: Required for Flutter SDK

• IDE: Visual Studio Code or Android Studio

• Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt

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2. Download Flutter SDK

4

Steps

1. Go to the official Flutter website:
   https://flutter.dev

2. Click Get Started

3. Select Windows

4. Download the Flutter SDK ZIP file

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3. Extract Flutter SDK

Steps

1. Extract the downloaded ZIP file.

2. Move the extracted folder to:

C:\src\flutter

or

C:\development\flutter

Avoid installing Flutter inside Program Files.

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4. Add Flutter to System PATH

4

Steps

1. Open Start Menu

2. Search Environment Variables

3. Click Edit the system environment variables

4. Select Environment Variables

5. In System Variables, find Path

6. Click Edit

7. Add this path:

C:\development\flutter\bin

8. Click OK

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5. Install Git

Flutter requires Git to download packages.

4

Steps

1. Visit: https://git-scm.com

2. Download Git for Windows

3. Install it using default settings

4. Verify installation:

git --version

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6. Install Android Studio

4

Steps

1. Download Android Studio from
   https://developer.android.com/studio

2. Install Android Studio

3. Open SDK Manager

4. Install:

   • Android SDK

   • Android SDK Platform Tools

   • Android Emulator

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7. Install Flutter and Dart Plugins

If you are using Visual Studio Code

Steps

1. Open VS Code

2. Go to Extensions

3. Search:

   • Flutter

   • Dart

4. Install both extensions.

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8. Run Flutter Doctor

After installation, open Command Prompt and run:

flutter doctor

Example output:

[✓] Flutter
[✓] Android toolchain
[✓] Chrome
[✓] Visual Studio Code
[✓] Connected device

If any tool is missing, Flutter will show instructions to fix it.

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9. Create Your First Flutter App

Run the following command:

flutter create my_first_app

Then open the project:

cd my_first_app

Run the application:

flutter run

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10. Project Structure

Typical Flutter project structure:

my_first_app
 ├── android
 ├── ios
 ├── lib
 │    └── main.dart
 ├── pubspec.yaml
 └── test

Main app code is inside:

lib/main.dart

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Conclusion

Setting up Flutter on Windows is straightforward. Once installed, you can quickly start building cross-platform mobile applications with a single codebase.

Flutter’s powerful features like Hot Reload, rich widgets, and fast performance make it one of the best frameworks for modern app development.

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