How to Download and Install C++ Compiler in Windows 11

If you are delved into programming in CPP, you will definitely know the importance of having a good compiler for your operating system. Having a good and smooth C++ compiler that supports full screen on Windows can help you code without any hassles. Just like any other programming language, the C Plus Plus compiler will convert your programs files into the machine language to perform the task which it is intended for.

If you are a newbie into programming, or just the C++ language and are not much aware of the compiler, then this article will help you with just that. You’ll need to install and set up a compiler along with a code editor to write and run programs in C or C++. So without further ado, let’s see how to download and install C++ compiler in Windows 11.

How to Install C++ Compiler in Windows 11

1. At first, you need to download a C/C++ compiler for your Windows 11 machine. To do so, we are going to download the MinGW compiler. Click this link to download it from Sourceforge.
2. Once downloaded, double-click on the file to commence the installation process.
3. When the installation manager opens up, click on the Install button to continue with the installation of the compiler.
4. Next, you’ll be asked to choose the installation directory. By default, it will be the C:\MinGW folder and you can change it if you wish. Click Continue to proceed with it.
5. Wait for the installation to complete, and once it completes click Continue.
6. You will be now presented with the MinGW installation manager window and in the right pane, you can see the list of packages for installation. Check all the boxes corresponding to the installation packages and then click Mark for installation.
7. Now click on the installation option in the menu. Click Apply Changes in the windows that then appear. The installation will start now and once it completes, close the installation manager.
8. Next, you need to set up the compiler. For this open File Explorer by using Windows key + E shortcut.
9. Now, navigate to the bin folder in your MinGW installation directory and copy the path from the File Explorer address bar.
10. After that, click the Search button in the taskbar and type “View advanced system settings” and click on the first result.
11. In the System Properties windows that open up, head to the Advanced tab. Click on the Environment Variables button at the bottom.
12. On the next window, under the user variables, click on Path and then click Edit.
13. Now click on New and paste the path that you’ve copied from the File Explorer. Click OK.
14. Again click OK in the System properties window to close it.
15. Click on Apply and then click OK to save the changes and close.
16. Finally, you need to check the G++ version installed. For this open Command Prompt window, type g++ –-version and hit enter.

If it returns a message similar to that in the screenshot above, you’ve done it. You’ve successfully installed the MinGW compiler on your Windows 11 computer.

The next step after setting up the compiler is choosing and installing a text editor. Here is how to do that.

Choosing and Installing a Text Editor

Windows is already equipped with a default text editor – Notepad which is a simple and basic utility for plain text editing. You can use the Notepad to create a C++ program file and run it using the compiler. But we recommend you to use a better text editor where syntax highlighting is made possible. This will help you code better and make everything clear. A syntax highlighting editor will also come in handy while debugging lengthy programs.

One of the most used and cool text editor is Notepad++. But you can also choose other text editors like Sublime Text or any others that serves the purpose as long as you save the  program output file as plain text. Here is a sample screenshot of Notepad++.

If you are going with Notepad++ as I do, you can head over to notepad-plus-plus.org and download it to use on your system.

Another option for you is to download an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for programming in C++. It comes with everything bundled and you don’t need to use a text editor separately and run programs via command prompt.

Some of the most commonly use tools are Turbo C++, Dev C++, etc.

Now Code Without Hassles!

Now that you have the MinGW C++ compiler properly installed and set up on your Windows 11 PC. So what’s next? Go code your dream project and show your skill to the world. The MinGW is the best Windows port of the GNU compiler collection, with freely distributable header files and libraries for building native Windows applications. It also includes the extensions to the MVSC runtime in order to support C99 functionality.

If you find this article helpful, share it with your friends and let them kickstart their coding journey with C++. Also, don’t forget to mention in the comments how it worked for you.

Featured image credit: www.interestingengineering.com