How to install Nextcloud on Windows step by step

To install Nextcloud on Windows Server, Windows 11, or Windows 10, a convenient all-in-one solution is available in the form of a Docker image. To be able to install the software, you need to meet the hardware requirements and own a public domain.

Nextcloud for Windows and Windows Server

Nextcloud is a powerful, open-source cloud software for storing and synchronising data, suitable for businesses, individuals, and government agencies alike. Although the software is typically run on Linux servers, Nextcloud can also be installed on Windows systems, such as Windows Server. However, this requires simulating a Linux-based environment.

There are several options for achieving this. The Nextcloud development team recommends using either a Docker image or a virtual machine (e.g., with VirtualBox or Hyper-V) on Windows Server. The more commonly used option is installing Nextcloud via Docker, primarily due to its ease of installation. Therefore, we will focus on this method below.

What requirements must be met for Nextcloud on Windows?

To install Nextcloud on Windows 11/10 or Windows Server, your hardware must meet the minimum requirements. You will need a 64-bit processor with four CPU cores and at least eight gigabytes of RAM. Additionally, support for hardware virtualisation must be enabled in the BIOS. The system should also have sufficient storage space for data and backups.

If you want to use Nextcloud on Windows, you will also need to own a public domain and be able to open ports. Another key challenge for installing and configuring the cloud software is having an administrator account.

How to install Docker Desktop

To install via Docker, you need the appropriate software. Set it up as follows:

1. Download Docker Desktop for Windows from the Docker website.
2. Run the .exe file to install the application.
3. Tick the box that says ‘Use WSL2 instead of Hyper-V’, as WSL2 is the recommended option. Then click ‘OK’.
4. After the installation, restart your computer by clicking on the ‘Close and restart’ button.
5. Open the Docker software and accept the terms of use by clicking ‘Accept’.
6. Follow the link displayed in the pop-up window.
7. On the Windows documentation page, under step 4, click the first link to download the WSL2 Linux Kernel update package for x64 machines.
8. Install the wsl_update.msi file and restart Docker Desktop.
9. You can skip the following tutorial by clicking on ‘Skip Tutorial’.
10. Under ‘Settings’, tick the first option to ensure that the Docker software loads automatically when logging in.

How to install and set up Nextcloud on Windows

Once Docker Desktop has been successfully installed, you can download and set up Nextcloud. The following guide refers to installation without an existing web server or reverse proxies.

1. Open the command line and enter the following command:

docker run ^ 
--sig-proxy=false^ 
--name nextcloud-aio-mastercontainer ^ 
--restart always ^ 
--publish 80:80 ^ 
--publish 8080:8080 ^ 
--publish 8443:8443 ^ 
--volume nextcloud_aio_mastercontainer:/mnt/docker-aio-config ^ 
--volume //var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro ^ 
-e NEXTCLOUD_DATADIR="/run/desktop/mnt/host/c/ncdata" ^ 
nextcloud/all-in-one:latest

2. Then, open the AIO interface at https://localhost:8080. Use an IP address or local hostname (instead of a domain) to avoid possible HSTS blocking. After accepting the certificate, your password will be displayed, which you should keep safe.
3. Click the ‘Open Nextcloud AIO login’ button and enter your password.
4. You will then be redirected to the AIO dashboard, where you can enter your public domain. The dynamic DNS (DDNS) should point to your public IP address. Also, make sure to forward at least ports 443/TCP, 3478/UDP, and 3478/TCP to your Windows system.
5. Next, you will have the option to configure optional add-ons and set your timezone. After that, click ‘Start containers’ to begin the download.
6. Once all containers have been downloaded and started, Nextcloud will display an overview screen listing the running services and containers.
7. Open your new Nextcloud instance and log in with your credentials to configure Nextcloud.

Nextcloud clients for Windows

Nextcloud provides various desktop clients for Windows, macOS, and Linux. These allow you to connect to your Nextcloud and keep data synchronised. To offer flexible access, Nextcloud also provides mobile clients for iOS and Android. All Nextcloud clients for desktop and mobile devices can be installed easily, for free, and on an unlimited number of devices.