What you are downloading

Inkscape is a desktop vector graphics editor. The Windows package installs the full editor — canvas, drawing tools, path editing, text handling, layer management and the export dialog — plus the bundled extensions written in Python that ship with it. There is no separate paid edition, no trial timer and no account to create: the program is open source software released under the GNU GPL, so the same build is available to everyone.

The official builds are published by the Inkscape project itself on inkscape.org and mirrored on the project's GitLab. Downloading from the project keeps you on the signed, unmodified installer; repackaged "download managers" found elsewhere are best avoided.

Which Windows package to pick

  • MSI installer — the usual choice. It registers Inkscape with Windows, adds Start menu entries and file associations for SVG, and can be removed again from Settings.
  • EXE installer — behaves much like the MSI and is useful when your organization's tooling prefers it.
  • 7z archive — no installer at all. Unpack it into an empty folder and run the executable from there. This is how you keep two Inkscape versions side by side, or run the editor from a USB stick.
  • Microsoft Store — the project also publishes Inkscape in the Store, which handles updates for you.

Most desktops and laptops sold in the United States for the last decade are 64-bit, so the 64-bit package is normally the right one. If you are unsure, our note on Windows requirements shows where to check in System Information.

Installing it

Run the installer, accept the default location unless you have a reason to change it, and let it finish. If an older Inkscape is already present, uninstall that first — installing on top of a previous version is the most common source of odd startup behavior. Step-by-step screens are covered in installing Inkscape on Windows.

What to expect on first launch

The first start takes a few seconds longer than later ones while Inkscape builds its font and extension caches. You will be asked to choose a keyboard shortcut set and a theme; both can be changed later in Edit → Preferences. After that you land on a blank canvas with the toolbox on the left and dialogs docked to the right.

New to vector drawing? Start with the Inkscape beginner guide, then the toolbox explained. If you bought a cutting machine, the Cricut SVG workflow and Glowforge preparation guide pick up from there.

Version and update information

Inkscape follows a versioned release cycle with occasional bugfix releases in between. The release notes for each version, including the current one, are published on the project's release pages; we link to them rather than restate version numbers that change. Inside the program, Help → About shows exactly which build you are running — worth checking before reporting a problem.

Questions people ask

Is the Inkscape download free?

Yes. Inkscape is free of charge and free to redistribute under the GNU General Public License. There is no paid tier and no feature is held back behind a purchase.

Does Inkscape work on Windows 11?

Yes. Current Inkscape releases run on Windows 11 and Windows 10; releases in the 1.3 series and newer require Windows 8.1 or later.

Do I need to uninstall an older Inkscape first?

For installer packages, yes — remove the previous version before installing a new one. If you want two versions at the same time, use the portable 7z archives in separate folders instead.