With two versions of Arduino software available for Windows, choosing one that installs everything you need for use in the Arduino software IDE will be the best.
Once you have the Zip package on your computer, you will have to manually install all the drivers. When installing a portable installation, a Zip file will be essential.
Once you are through with downloading your file, you will go ahead and start the installation process. Always remember to start installing the driver once you receive a warning from your operating system. In this article, we shall be discussing how to install Arduino and drivers on Windows 10.
Installing Arduino Software And Drives On Windows 10
You need to note that Arduino software is designed to program Arduino boards, and they have to be downloaded from the official website of Arduino before being installed in your computer. This software is referred to as IDE or Integrated Development Environment. For one to program Arduino from the Arduino IDE, you will have to install drivers.
When it comes to installing Arduino software and drives in Windows, you will have to visit the Arduino software website and download it. There are two downloads that are available for Windows; the Window ZIP and the Window Installer. Just go ahead and choose one of the two options. However, as previously stated, the Windows ZIP file is considered the best since it helps in keeping the Window system.
On the other hand, the Windows Installer tends to come with an installer that helps in installing the Arduino software in your Windows system. With the Window ZIP file, you will be able to unzip IDE for the Arduino to a location that will best suit your needs. Removing it is even easier; you achieve this by deleting the unzipped folder.
Once you have downloaded the Windows ZIP file version of the Arduino IDE, you will go ahead and double click it. Afterward, you will copy your folder while inside the zip file and paste it on your desired location. You might consider pasting it on your desktop to help you avoid confusion. It would be best if you remembered that the downloaded file is not a folder; rather, it is a file that is referred to as a compressed zipped folder.
Double-click on Arduino.exe once you open the zipped file. When you do so in your folder, you will be able to start Arduino IDE software. However, when the file extension is not visible, you can turn it on in your file manager. To do this, you will have to click view and head to file name extensions.
When creating a shortcut for your Arduino IDE, you will first start by dragging your Arduino.exe file to a desktop and then press down ctrl+shift before you drop it on your desktop. Once that is done, you will have created your Arduino IDE shortcut rather than having to move the file to your desktop. While doing so, ensure that the Arduino.exe file has not been moved.
Installing Your Drivers In Windows
When plugging the Arduino board in a computer with Windows 10, you will automatically install the driver for this. Usually, the driver will virtually configure Arduino as a COM port that is seen in your Device Manager. Right, click your Windows 10 start button in order to open your Device Manager.
Once you have accessed the Device Manager, you will have to expand the Ports, which are COM and LPT. You will then see the COM port that will be the Arduino. When you see another COM port on your PC, you will have to unplug your Arduino and look for a COM port that will disappear from your Device Manager. You will then plug it back and see the COM port that will reappear. You will use that since it is the Arduino port.
Drivers that are equipped in Arduino software can as well be installed and used rather than the Windows 10 driver. To install the Arduino software, you will go to the Device Manager and then right-click the COM port which you had identified as Arduino. You will then click on Select Driver Software from your menu that will pop up.
Once that is done, a dialog box will open; you will then click Browse my computer for driver software. You will then click browse on the dialog box and navigate through the Arduino subfolder and select the drivers folder and click OK.
You will then Update Driver Software in the dialog box and then click NEXT in order for you to start installing the drivers. The install will pop-up and then click on it to install the drivers. Once the process is done and successful, a dialog box will appear, indicating that the process was a success, and your Arduino COM port will be displayed on your Windows.
In the Device Manager, the Arduino COM port will be identified as Arduino, and the Arduino driver will be installed from the folder of your Arduino IDE.
Final Thoughts
Installing Arduino Software and Drivers on Windows is relatively easy. All that is required of you is to follow the tips discussed in this article. The tips discussed in this article are ideal for installing Arduino software along with drives on all versions of the Windows operating system apart from Windows 8. This is because Windows 8 requires some additional tricks when installing Arduino drivers.
There is no doubt that Arduino can be both easy and challenging to learn, depending on your goals. Being a set of C/C++ functions, Arduino is often used in coding and can be used to make automatic changes in a circuit board.
Therefore, when installed in your computer, the software will aid in repairing common computer errors, protecting against file loss as well as malware. As we come into conclusion, we hope that you have found this article helpful when it comes to understanding how to install Arduino software and drivers in windows.
