MongoDB Installation Steps

The binaries are installed to C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\<version>\bin, and the service starts as soon as installation completes.

If you untick the service option, only the binaries are installed and you start the server yourself; see "Running without the service" below.

Step 3: Install mongosh

The server installer does not include a shell. The old mongo.exe shell that earlier tutorials use no longer ships with MongoDB; its replacement, mongosh, is a separate download.

1. Open the MongoDB Shell download page.
2. Choose the Windows 64-bit MSI package, download it and run the installer.
3. Open a new PowerShell or Command Prompt window, so it picks up the updated PATH, and check the version. If the command is not found, add the folder that contains mongosh.exe to your PATH.

mongosh --version

Step 4: Verify the installation

Check that the service is running:

Get-Service MongoDB

The Status column should say Running. Connect and run a round trip:

mongosh

db.runCommand({ ping: 1 })
db.version()
use installcheck
db.items.insertOne({ ok: true })
db.items.find()
db.dropDatabase()

ping returns { ok: 1 }, db.version() prints the server version, and the insert followed by find proves the server can write to its data directory. The last line removes the test database again.

Starting and stopping the service

From an Administrator PowerShell or Command Prompt:

net stop MongoDB
net start MongoDB

You can also use the Services console (services.msc). The service is set to start automatically with Windows.

The configuration file

The service reads its settings from C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\<version>\bin\mongod.cfg. It is a YAML file that the installer fills in with the directories you chose:

storage:
  dbPath: C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\<version>\data
systemLog:
  destination: file
  logAppend: true
  path: C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\<version>\log\mongod.log
net:
  port: 27017
  bindIp: 127.0.0.1

To change a setting, edit the file as Administrator, then stop and start the service. Indent with spaces only; YAML does not accept tab characters, and a tab in this file prevents the service from starting.

bindIp: 127.0.0.1 means the server accepts connections only from the same computer. That is the safe default.

Adding the server tools to PATH (optional)

You do not need mongod.exe on your PATH when MongoDB runs as a service. If you want to run it or the other server binaries by name, add the bin folder:

1. Press Win, type "environment variables" and open Edit the system environment variables.
2. Click Environment Variables, select Path under System variables and click Edit.
3. Add C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\<version>\bin and confirm.
4. Open a new terminal and run mongod --version.

Turning on access control

A fresh installation does not ask for a user name or password. That is acceptable while the server only listens on localhost on a development machine. Before you allow other machines to connect, create an administrator and enable authorization.

In mongosh:

use admin
db.createUser({
  user: "admin",
  pwd: passwordPrompt(),
  roles: [ { role: "root", db: "admin" } ]
})

Then add this to mongod.cfg and restart the service:

security:
  authorization: enabled

From now on connect with:

mongosh -u admin -p --authenticationDatabase admin

Only after that should you add the machine's network address to bindIp and open port 27017 in Windows Defender Firewall for the specific clients that need it.

Running without the service

If you installed only the binaries, or want a throwaway server, start mongod.exe yourself. Without options it looks for the data directory \data\db on the current drive and exits if the folder is missing, so create it or name another one:

mkdir C:\data\db
& "C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\<version>\bin\mongod.exe" --dbpath "C:\data\db"

Leave that window open; the server runs in the foreground and Ctrl+C stops it cleanly. Windows may show a firewall prompt the first time. A server started this way uses none of the settings in mongod.cfg unless you add --config with the path to the file.

Unattended installation

For scripted deployments, run the same .msi with msiexec from an Administrator prompt, replacing the file name with the one you downloaded:

msiexec.exe /l*v mdbinstall.log /qb /i mongodb-windows-x86_64-<version>-signed.msi ADDLOCAL="ServerService" SHOULD_INSTALL_COMPASS="0"

ADDLOCAL="ServerService" installs the server and registers the service. Compass is installed unless you pass SHOULD_INSTALL_COMPASS="0".

Docker instead of a native install

If you have Docker Desktop and only need MongoDB for development, a container avoids the installer altogether:

docker run --name mongodb -p 27017:27017 -v mongodata:/data/db -d mongodb/mongodb-community-server:latest

The named volume mongodata keeps the data when the container is removed. Connect from Windows with mongosh as before. MongoDB 5.0 and later images need a CPU with AVX support.

Troubleshooting

Upgrading and uninstalling

Running the .msi for a newer patch release of the same series (for example 8.0.x to a later 8.0.y) upgrades in place. Moving to a new release series is a new installation and must follow the upgrade procedure in the release notes for that version; MongoDB does not support skipping major versions when upgrading existing data.

To uninstall, stop the service and remove the MongoDB entry under Settings → Apps → Installed apps. Back up or delete the data and log directories yourself if you no longer need them. If a service entry is left behind, remove it from an Administrator prompt with sc.exe delete MongoDB.

Further reading

• Install MongoDB Community Edition on Windows
• Install mongosh
• Configuration File Options
• Enable Access Control

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