Before installing Flutter on Windows 11, make sure you have the following:

System Requirements

• Windows 11 (64-bit)
• Git for Windows (for version control)
• Windows PowerShell 5.0 or newer
• Visual Studio 2019 or newer (for Windows development)

Minimum Hardware Requirements

• RAM: 8 GB (16 GB recommended)
• Disk Space: At least 10 GB of free space
• Processor: Intel i5 or equivalent

What You'll Install

During this tutorial, you'll install:

1. Flutter SDK - The Flutter framework
2. Android Studio - IDE for Android development
3. Android SDK - Android development tools
4. VS Code (optional) - Lightweight code editor

Video Reference

This tutorial follows the installation process shown in the Flutter Installation Guide for Windows.

Time Estimate

• Total time: 15-20 minutes
• Download time: 5-10 minutes (depending on internet speed)

In this step, you'll download the Flutter SDK from the official Flutter website.

Step 1: Visit Flutter Website

1. Open your web browser and go to flutter.dev
2. Click on "Get started" in the top navigation
3. Select "Windows" from the platform options

Step 2: Download Flutter SDK

1. On the Windows installation page, you'll see a download button
2. Click "Flutter SDK" to download the latest stable version
3. The file will be named something like flutter_windows_3.x.x-stable.zip
4. The download size is approximately 1.5 GB

Alternative Download Method

If you prefer to download directly:

1. Go to Flutter releases on GitHub
2. Find the latest stable release
3. Download flutter_windows_3.x.x-stable.zip

Download Location

• Save the file to a location you can easily access
• Recommended: C:\src\ or C:\flutter\
• Important: Don't extract it yet - we'll do that in the next step

What's in the Flutter SDK?

The Flutter SDK contains:

• Flutter framework and tools
• Dart programming language
• Command-line tools
• Documentation and examples

Negative : If download is slow, try downloading during off-peak hours or use a download manager.

Now you'll extract the downloaded Flutter SDK to a permanent location on your system.

Step 1: Choose Installation Location

Recommended location: C:\src\flutter

Why this location?

• Avoids spaces in the path (which can cause issues)
• Easy to remember and access
• Follows Flutter team recommendations

Step 2: Extract the ZIP File

1. Navigate to your download folder
   • Open File Explorer
   • Go to where you downloaded the Flutter SDK
2. Extract the ZIP file
   • Right-click on flutter_windows_3.x.x-stable.zip
   • Select "Extract All..."
   • Choose destination: C:\src\
   • Click "Extract"
3. Verify the extraction
   • After extraction, you should have: C:\src\flutter\
   • The folder should contain subfolders like bin, packages, examples, etc.

Step 3: Verify Flutter Installation

1. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell
   • Press Win + R
   • Type cmd and press Enter
2. Navigate to Flutter directory

   cd C:\src\flutter

3. Test Flutter command

   flutter --version

Expected output:

Flutter 3.x.x • channel stable • https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
Framework • revision xxxxxxxx (x weeks ago) • 2024-xx-xx xx:xx:xx -xxxx
Engine • revision xxxxxxxx
Tools • Dart 3.x.x • DevTools 2.x.x

Negative : If flutter --version doesn't work, make sure you're in the correct directory and that the extraction completed successfully.

Directory Structure

After extraction, your Flutter directory should look like this:

C:\src\flutter\
├── bin\
├── packages\
├── examples\
├── dev\
├── .git\
└── ... (other files and folders)

Now you'll add Flutter to your system PATH so you can use Flutter commands from any directory.

Step 1: Open System Properties

1. Press Win + R to open Run dialog
2. Type sysdm.cpl and press Enter
3. Click "Environment Variables" button

Step 2: Edit PATH Variable

1. In the "System Variables" section, find and select "Path"
2. Click "Edit"
3. Click "New"
4. Add the Flutter bin directory: C:\src\flutter\bin
5. Click "OK" on all dialogs

Alternative Method (Using PowerShell)

If you prefer using PowerShell:

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator
2. Run this command:

   [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("Path", $env:Path + ";C:\src\flutter\bin", "User")

Step 3: Verify PATH Addition

1. Open a new Command Prompt or PowerShell
   • Important: You must open a new window for PATH changes to take effect
2. Test Flutter from anywhere:

   flutter --version

Expected output:

Flutter 3.x.x • channel stable • https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
Framework • revision xxxxxxxx (x weeks ago) • 2024-xx-xx xx:xx:xx -xxxx
Engine • revision xxxxxxxx
Tools • Dart 3.x.x • DevTools 2.x.x

Step 4: Test Flutter Doctor

Run Flutter's diagnostic tool:

flutter doctor

Expected output (you'll see some issues that we'll fix in later steps):

Doctor summary (to see all details, run flutter doctor -v):
[✓] Flutter (Channel stable, 3.x.x, on Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22621], locale en-US)
[!] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices
    ✗ Android SDK not found at C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk
[!] Chrome - develop for the web
    ✗ Chrome not found
[!] Visual Studio - develop for Windows
    ✗ Visual Studio not found
[!] Android Studio (not installed)
[!] VS Code (not installed)
[!] Connected device (no devices available)
[!] Network resources
    ✗ A network error occurred while checking "https://maven.google.com/".

No issues found!

Negative : If flutter --version still doesn't work, make sure you opened a new Command Prompt/PowerShell window and verify the PATH was added correctly.

Android Studio is the official IDE for Android development and includes the Android SDK that Flutter needs.

Step 1: Download Android Studio

1. Go to developer.android.com/studio
2. Click "Download Android Studio"
3. Choose the Windows version (it should be selected by default)
4. Accept the terms and conditions
5. Click "Download"

Download size: Approximately 1 GB

Step 2: Install Android Studio

1. Run the downloaded installer (android-studio-xxx.exe)
2. Click "Next" to start the installation
3. Choose installation location (default is fine)
4. Select components:
   • ✅ Android Studio
   • ✅ Android Virtual Device
   • ✅ Performance (Intel HAXM)
5. Click "Next" and then "Install"

Step 3: First Launch Setup

1. Launch Android Studio after installation
2. Click "Next" on the welcome screen
3. Choose "Standard" installation type
4. Select UI theme (Light or Dark - your preference)
5. Click "Finish"

Step 4: Install Android SDK

Android Studio will automatically download and install:

• Android SDK Platform-Tools
• Android SDK Build-Tools
• Android SDK Platform (latest version)
• Android Emulator

This may take 10-15 minutes depending on your internet speed.

Step 5: Verify Installation

1. Open Android Studio
2. Go to Tools → SDK Manager
3. Verify these are installed:
   • Android SDK Platform-Tools
   • Android SDK Build-Tools
   • At least one Android SDK Platform (API level 30 or higher)

Step 6: Install Flutter Plugin

1. In Android Studio, go to File → Settings
2. Go to Plugins
3. Search for "Flutter"
4. Click "Install" on the Flutter plugin
5. Restart Android Studio when prompted

Negative : If download is slow, try downloading during off-peak hours or check your internet connection.

Now you'll configure the Android SDK so Flutter can build Android apps.

Step 1: Open Android Studio

1. Launch Android Studio
2. Open SDK Manager:
   • Go to Tools → SDK Manager
   • Or click File → Settings → Appearance & Behavior → System Settings → Android SDK

Step 2: Install Required SDK Components

In the SDK Platforms tab, make sure you have:

1. Android 13 (API level 33) or higher
2. Android 12 (API level 31)
3. Android 11 (API level 30)

To install:

• Check the box next to each version
• Click "Apply"
• Click "OK" to confirm

Step 3: Install SDK Tools

In the SDK Tools tab, verify these are installed:

1. Android SDK Build-Tools (latest version)
2. Android SDK Command-line Tools
3. Android SDK Platform-Tools
4. Android Emulator
5. Android SDK Tools

To install missing tools:

• Check the box next to each tool
• Click "Apply"
• Click "OK" to confirm

Step 4: Set Android SDK Path

1. Note the Android SDK location:
   • Default: C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk
   • You can find this in the Android SDK Location field
2. Set ANDROID_HOME environment variable:
   • Press Win + R
   • Type sysdm.cpl and press Enter
   • Click "Environment Variables"
   • Under "System Variables", click "New"
   • Variable name: ANDROID_HOME
   • Variable value: C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk
   • Click "OK"

Step 5: Accept Android Licenses

1. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell
2. Run this command:

   flutter doctor --android-licenses

3. Accept all licenses by typing y and pressing Enter for each prompt

Expected output:

Review licenses that have not been accepted (y/N)? y
Accept? (y/N): y
Accept? (y/N): y
...
All SDK package licenses accepted.

Step 6: Verify Configuration

Run Flutter doctor again:

flutter doctor

Expected output (Android section should now show ✓):

[✓] Flutter (Channel stable, 3.x.x, on Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22621], locale en-US)
[✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 33.0.0)
[✓] Chrome - develop for the web
[!] Visual Studio - develop for Windows
[✓] Android Studio (version 2022.3)
[!] VS Code (not installed)
[!] Connected device (no devices available)

Negative : If flutter doctor --android-licenses fails, make sure Android Studio is fully installed and try running Command Prompt as Administrator.

Now you'll run Flutter's diagnostic tool to verify that everything is properly installed and configured.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt or PowerShell

1. Press Win + R
2. Type cmd and press Enter
3. Or open PowerShell if you prefer

Step 2: Run Flutter Doctor

Execute the Flutter doctor command:

flutter doctor

Step 3: Analyze the Output

You should see output similar to this:

Doctor summary (to see all details, run flutter doctor -v):
[✓] Flutter (Channel stable, 3.x.x, on Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22621], locale en-US)
[✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 33.0.0)
[✓] Chrome - develop for the web
[!] Visual Studio - develop for Windows
    ✗ Visual Studio not found
[✓] Android Studio (version 2022.3)
[!] VS Code (not installed)
[!] Connected device (no devices available)
[!] Network resources
    ✗ A network error occurred while checking "https://maven.google.com/".

No issues found!

Step 4: Understanding the Results

✅ Green checkmarks mean everything is working:

• Flutter: The Flutter SDK is properly installed
• Android toolchain: Android SDK is configured correctly
• Chrome: Web development is ready
• Android Studio: IDE is installed and configured

⚠️ Yellow warnings are optional but recommended:

• Visual Studio: Only needed for Windows app development
• VS Code: Optional code editor
• Connected device: No physical device or emulator connected

Step 5: Run Detailed Check (Optional)

For more detailed information:

flutter doctor -v

This shows:

• Exact versions of installed components
• File paths for each tool
• Detailed error messages if any

Step 6: Test Flutter Commands

Verify Flutter is working by testing these commands:

flutter --version
flutter devices
flutter create test_app

Expected results:

• flutter --version: Shows Flutter version info
• flutter devices: Shows available devices (may be empty initially)
• flutter create test_app: Creates a new Flutter project

Positive : If you see "Visual Studio not found", this is normal if you're not developing Windows apps. You can install Visual Studio Community if you need Windows development.

Now you'll create and run your first Flutter app to verify that everything is working correctly.

Step 1: Create a New Flutter Project

1. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell
2. Navigate to a directory where you want to create your project:

   cd C:\Users\YourName\Documents

3. Create a new Flutter project:

   flutter create my_first_app

Expected output:

Creating project my_first_app...
Running "flutter pub get" in my_first_app...
Wrote 127 files.

All done!
In order to run your application, type:

  cd my_first_app
  flutter run

No issues found!

Step 2: Navigate to the Project

cd my_first_app

Step 3: Open the Project in Android Studio

1. Open Android Studio
2. Click "Open an existing project"
3. Navigate to your project folder: C:\Users\YourName\Documents\my_first_app
4. Click "OK"

Step 4: Run the App

Option A: Using Android Studio

1. In Android Studio, click the "Run" button (green play icon)
2. Select a device:
   • Android Emulator (if you have one set up)
   • Chrome (for web development)
   • Physical device (if connected via USB)

Option B: Using Command Line

1. In Command Prompt, make sure you're in the project directory
2. Run the app:

   flutter run

3. Select a device when prompted

Step 5: What You Should See

The default Flutter app shows:

• A counter app with a floating action button
• Material Design styling
• Hot reload functionality (changes appear instantly)

Step 6: Test Hot Reload

1. Open lib/main.dart in Android Studio
2. Find the line: title: Text('Flutter Demo Home Page'),
3. Change it to: title: Text('My First Flutter App'),
4. Save the file (Ctrl + S)
5. Watch the app update instantly on your device/emulator

Step 7: Stop the App

• In Android Studio: Click the "Stop" button (red square)
• In Command Prompt: Press Ctrl + C

Step 8: Explore the Project Structure

Your Flutter project contains:

my_first_app/
├── android/          # Android-specific files
├── ios/             # iOS-specific files (if on Mac)
├── lib/             # Your Dart code
│   └── main.dart    # Main app file
├── test/            # Unit tests
├── pubspec.yaml     # Dependencies
└── README.md        # Project documentation

Negative : If "flutter create" fails, make sure you're in a writable directory and that Flutter is in your PATH.

Positive : Congratulations! You've successfully: - ✅ Flutter SDK is installed and working - ✅ Android Studio is configured - ✅ Android SDK is properly set up - ✅ Your first Flutter app is running - ✅ Hot reload is working

Congratulations! You've successfully installed Flutter on Windows 11 and created your first Flutter app. Here's what you can do next to continue your Flutter journey.

🎯 Immediate Next Steps

1. Set Up an Android Emulator

In Android Studio:

1. Go to Tools → AVD Manager
2. Click "Create Virtual Device"
3. Select a device (e.g., Pixel 4)
4. Download a system image (e.g., API 33)
5. Click "Finish"

2. Install VS Code (Optional)

For a lighter development experience:

1. Download from code.visualstudio.com
2. Install the Flutter and Dart extensions
3. Open your Flutter project in VS Code

3. Learn Dart Programming

Essential Dart concepts:

• Variables and data types
• Functions and classes
• Asynchronous programming
• Null safety

Resources:

• Dart Language Tour
• Dart Tutorials

📚 Learning Resources

Official Flutter Documentation

• Flutter Documentation - Complete guide
• Flutter Cookbook - Common patterns
• Flutter Widget Catalog - All available widgets

Video Tutorials

• Flutter Installation Guide - The video this tutorial is based on
• Flutter Crash Course - Quick overview
• Flutter Tutorial for Beginners - Step-by-step learning

🛠️ Development Tools

Useful Flutter Commands

flutter doctor          # Check installation
flutter create app_name # Create new project
flutter run            # Run the app
flutter build apk      # Build Android APK
flutter build web      # Build for web
flutter test           # Run tests
flutter clean          # Clean build cache
flutter pub get        # Install dependencies

🎉 You're Ready!

You now have a complete Flutter development environment set up on Windows 11. You can:

Positive : Happy coding with Flutter! 🚀

This tutorial was based on the Flutter Installation Guide for Windows video.