MIT License v3.6.7 ✓ Checksum Published

Download GitHub Desktop for Windows PC v3.6.7 for Windows PC

Name: GitHub Desktop for Windows PC
Author: GitHub

GitHub Desktop is the official GitHub GUI client for Windows and macOS — free, open source under the MIT license, and built in the open as desktop/desktop.

⬇ Direct Download (226.33 MB)

Technical Specifications & System Requirements

Developer GitHub

Platform & OS Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)

Package Size 226.33 MB

Architecture x64 (64-bit)

Package Format EXE Installer

Security Verification SHA-256 checksum published

SHA-256 Cryptographic Checksum Computed from the file we serve

              2e38db8d986884474a1e45afddf554a7187f42124bd38a3d7ea165be7f77f90d
            

              $ Get-FileHash .\github-desktop-pc.exe -Algorithm SHA256
            

Software notes

The Bottom Line: Git’s command line is powerful and famously unforgiving, and GitHub Desktop exists so that nobody has to face it on day one. The diff view makes commits legible, branch switching is a dropdown instead of a memorized incantation, and opening a pull request happens in the same window where you wrote the code. For newcomers it removes the fear; for experienced developers it removes the tedium of routine operations. It is deliberately not a full Git replacement — exotic operations like interactive rebases and reflog surgery still belong in the terminal — but it never pretended otherwise. What it covers, it covers well: the daily clone-branch-commit-push-PR loop that constitutes ninety percent of real Git usage. As an MIT-licensed official client, it is also trustworthy in a way third-party Git GUIs have to earn. If git still feels like arcana, start here; the command line will make much more sense afterward. Where it quietly excels is collaboration hygiene: the commit composer encourages good messages, the branch view makes diverged histories visible before they become painful, and publishing a branch to open a pull request is a two-click affair. Teams onboarding non-developers — technical writers, designers, data folks — find it transforms version control from a gatekept ritual into shared infrastructure. It will not teach you Git internals, and it does not try to; it teaches you the workflow, which is the part that actually ships software.

Features

Free and open source under the MIT license — the official GitHub client, not a third-party gamble.
Makes Git visual: diff views, branch dropdowns, and conflict resolution without memorizing flags. The side-by-side diff with per-line staging makes crafting clean, reviewable commits almost effortless.
Clone, commit, push, pull, and pull requests in one calm interface — the daily loop, simplified.
Bundles its own Git and signs straight into GitHub.com and GitHub Enterprise.
The best on-ramp to version control for students, designers, and terminal-shy collaborators.

Considerations

Power operations (interactive rebase, reflog, submodules finesse) still require the command line.
It is GitHub-centric — workable with other remotes, but clearly designed for GitHub workflows.
Heavy repository operations can feel slower than the CLI on very large codebases.

About & Overview: GitHub Desktop for Windows PC

GitHub Desktop is the official GitHub GUI client for Windows and macOS — free, open source under the MIT license, and built in the open as desktop/desktop. It wraps everyday Git in a visual interface: clone repositories, create branches, commit with a diff view, push and pull, open pull requests, and resolve merge conflicts, all without memorizing command-line flags. It bundles its own Git, signs in with your GitHub account, and works with GitHub Enterprise. For students, designers, writers, and developers who find the terminal intimidating, it is the gentlest credible on-ramp to version control — and a legitimate daily driver for plenty of professionals too.

How to Install & Verify GitHub Desktop for Windows PC

STEP 1

Download the installer

Download GitHub Desktop from the official vendor link on this page.

STEP 2

Run the setup

Open the downloaded installer file and follow the on-screen installation steps.

STEP 3

Launch the app

Start GitHub Desktop from the Start menu or desktop shortcut.

Related Windows PC Software & Alternatives

Cmder for Windows PC 1.3.25 • MIT License

TortoiseGit for Windows PC 2.19.1.0 • FOSS

Starship for Windows PC 1.27.0 • FOSS

Git for Windows 2.56.0.windows.2 • Open Source

TortoiseSVN for Windows PC 1.14.9 • Open Source

Bruno API Client for Windows PC 4.2.1 • MIT License

Frequently Asked Questions & Verification Guide

Is GitHub Desktop free?

Yes. GitHub Desktop is free and open source under the MIT license. There are no paid tiers.

Do I still need to learn Git commands?

Not to start. GitHub Desktop handles the everyday workflow visually. Learning basic commands later will help with advanced operations, and the app’s habits map cleanly onto CLI concepts.

Does it work with GitHub Enterprise?

Yes. Sign in with your GitHub Enterprise account and use it the same way as with GitHub.com.

Can it replace the Git command line entirely?

For the daily workflow — clone, branch, commit, push, pull requests — yes. Exotic operations like interactive rebases are still terminal territory, and many developers use both side by side.