1# Zed on Windows
2
3## Installing Zed
4
5Get the latest stable builds via [the download page](https://zed.dev/download). If you want to download our preview build, you can find it on its [releases page](https://zed.dev/releases/preview). After the first manual installation, Zed will periodically check for install updates.
6
7You can also build zed from source, see [these docs](https://zed.dev/docs/development/windows) for instructions.
8
9## Uninstall
10
11- Installed via installer: Use `Settings` → `Apps` → `Installed apps`, search for Zed, and click Uninstall.
12- Built from source: Remove the build output directory you created (e.g., your target/install folder).
13
14Your settings and extensions live in your user profile. When uninstalling, you can choose to keep or remove them.
15
16## Remote Development (SSH)
17
18Zed supports SSH remoting on Windows and will prompt for credentials when needed.
19
20If you encounter authentication issues, confirm that your SSH key agent is running (e.g., ssh-agent or your Git client’s agent) and that ssh.exe is on PATH.
21
22## WSL Support
23
24Zed supports opening folders inside of WSL natively.
25
26To open a local folder inside a WSL container use the `projects: open in wsl` action and select the folder you want to open, after which you will be presented with a list of available WSL distributions to open the folder in.
27
28To open a folder that's already located inside of a WSL container use the `projects: open wsl` action and select the WSL distribution, after which you the distro will be added to the `Remote Projects` window where you will be able to open the folder, see [Remote Development](./remote-development.md)
29
30## Troubleshooting
31
32### Zed fails to start or shows a blank window
33
34- Update your GPU drivers from your GPU vendor (Intel/AMD/NVIDIA).
35- Ensure hardware acceleration is enabled in Windows and not blocked by third‑party software.
36- Try launching Zed with no extensions or custom settings to isolate conflicts.
37
38### Terminal issues
39
40If activation scripts don’t run, update to the latest version and verify your shell profile files are not exiting early. For Git operations, confirm Git Bash or PowerShell is available and on PATH.
41
42### SSH remoting problems
43
44When prompted for credentials, use the graphical askpass dialog. If it doesn’t appear, check for credential manager conflicts and that GUI prompts aren’t blocked by your terminal.
45
46### Graphics issues
47
48#### Zed fails to open / degraded performance
49
50Zed requires a DX11 compatible GPU to run, if Zed doesn't open for you it is possible that your GPU does not meet the minimum requirements.
51
52To check if your GPU supports DX11, you can use the following command:
53
54```
55dxdiag
56```
57
58Which will open the diagnostic tool that will show the minimum DirectX version your GPU supports under `System` → `System Information` → `DirectX Version`.
59
60You might also be trying to run Zed inside a virtual machine in which case it will use the emulated adapter that your VM provides, while Zed will work the performance will be degraded.