How to Install Composer on Windows 10/11 (XAMPP & Laragon)

Almost every modern PHP guide says "just run composer install", but a fresh Windows PC has no Composer. This guide shows you how to install Composer on Windows 10 and 11 with the official installer, connect it to the correct PHP from XAMPP or Laragon, and fix the "composer is not recognized" error. It covers Composer 2.x and is written for beginners.

What Is Composer and Why Do You Need It?

Composer is a dependency manager for PHP, similar to what npm is for Node.js. You list the libraries a project needs, and Composer downloads them (plus everything they depend on) into a vendor folder and generates an autoloader so your code can use them.

You will meet Composer when you:

• install a framework such as Laravel or Symfony;
• add a library like PHPMailer to your own project;
• manage dependencies for modern WordPress plugins and themes;
• build and package Joomla extensions that rely on third-party libraries.

Composer is a command-line tool that runs on PHP, not a web application. Your project's dependencies are declared in a composer.json file, and the exact versions installed are recorded in composer.lock.

What Do You Need Before Installing Composer on Windows?

According to the official Composer documentation, the latest Composer release requires PHP 7.2.5 or newer. A long-term-support branch (2.2.x) still supports PHP 5.3.2+ for legacy environments, but any current XAMPP or Laragon install is far newer than that.

Requirement	Details	How to check
Windows 10 or 11	Any recent version	Press Win + R, type winver
PHP 7.2.5 or newer	From XAMPP, Laragon or a standalone install	php -v
Path to php.exe	For example C:\xampp\php\php.exe	Look in your XAMPP/Laragon folder
Internet connection	The installer downloads the latest Composer when you run it	—
Git and 7-Zip (optional)	Composer can use them when installing some packages	git --version

Need PHP first? Follow our guides to install XAMPP on Windows or install Laragon on Windows. If your PHP is old, see how to upgrade XAMPP to PHP 8.5.

How do I check whether PHP is already available?

Open Command Prompt and run:

php -v

If you see a PHP version, you are ready. If Windows answers 'php' is not recognized, don't worry — the installer can add PHP to your PATH for you, and the troubleshooting section below shows the manual method.

Step 1: Download Composer-Setup.exe

Go to the official Composer download page and download Composer-Setup.exe. The installer always fetches the latest Composer release at the moment you run it, so you don't need to pick a version.

Step 2: Run the Installer

Double-click Composer-Setup.exe. The first choice is the installation mode:

• Default mode: installs Composer system-wide and creates an uninstaller in Windows Settings. Choose this if you are unsure.
• Developer mode: lets you pick any folder, but creates no uninstaller, so you must remove it manually later.

Step 3: Point the Installer to the Right PHP

This is the step where most beginners go wrong. Composer runs on PHP, so it must know which php.exe to use. The installer searches for PHP automatically; if it finds the wrong one, or none, browse to the correct file yourself:

• XAMPP: C:\xampp\php\php.exe
• Laragon: C:\laragon\bin\php\php-x.x.x-...\php.exe — the folder name contains your PHP version, so open C:\laragon\bin\php\ and pick the folder of the version you use.

The installer then checks your php.ini and can fix missing settings. Composer needs allow_url_fopen enabled and the curl, mbstring and openssl extensions. You can also let the installer add PHP to your PATH if it isn't there yet.

Step 4: Proxy Settings (Skip Unless You Need It)

If you are on a company or school network that requires a proxy, enter its address here. Everyone else can leave this screen empty and continue.

Step 5: Finish and Restart Your Terminal

Click Install, then Finish. Now close every open Command Prompt, PowerShell and VS Code window and open a new one. A terminal only reads the PATH when it starts, so an old window will not see Composer. Skipping this is the number-one cause of "composer is not recognized" right after installation.

Step 6: Verify the Installation

In the new terminal, run:

composer -V

You should see output in this format (your version numbers and paths will differ):

Composer version 2.x.x <build date>
PHP version 8.x.x (C:\xampp\php\php.exe)

For a fuller health check, run composer diagnose. It tests connectivity, PHP settings and permissions and points out anything that may break later.

How Do I Run My First Composer Project?

A quick test proves that Composer, PHP and your local server all work together. This example uses XAMPP's htdocs folder.

1. Create a project folder and open a terminal inside it:

   cd C:\xampp\htdocs
   mkdir composer-test
   cd composer-test

2. Add a package. Composer creates composer.json automatically if none exists (you can also run composer init first to answer its setup questions):

   composer require monolog/monolog

3. Create index.php in the same folder:

   <?php
   require __DIR__ . '/vendor/autoload.php';
   
   use Monolog\Logger;
   use Monolog\Handler\StreamHandler;
   
   $log = new Logger('composer-test');
   $log->pushHandler(new StreamHandler(__DIR__ . '/app.log'));
   $log->info('Composer is working!');
   
   echo 'Done — check app.log in this folder.';

4. Make sure Apache is running in XAMPP, then open http://localhost/composer-test/ in your browser. A new app.log file should appear in the folder.

Three things were created. The vendor folder holds the downloaded libraries and the autoloader. composer.json lists what your project requires. composer.lock records the exact versions that were installed. If you want a friendlier address than localhost/composer-test, see how to set up virtual hosts in XAMPP.

What Are the Essential Composer Commands?

Command	What it does
composer init	Creates a composer.json through a few questions
composer require vendor/package	Adds a package and installs it
composer install	Installs the versions recorded in composer.lock
composer update	Updates packages within the constraints in composer.json
composer remove vendor/package	Removes a package
composer dump-autoload	Rebuilds the autoloader
composer self-update	Updates Composer itself
composer diagnose	Checks your setup for problems

What is the difference between composer install and composer update?

composer install reads composer.lock and installs exactly the versions saved there, so every machine ends up with identical packages. If no lock file exists yet, it resolves versions from composer.json and creates one. composer update ignores the lock file, installs the newest versions your composer.json constraints allow, and rewrites composer.lock. Use install to reproduce a project and update when you deliberately want newer packages.

How Do I Use Composer with XAMPP vs Laragon?

Situation	What to do
XAMPP	Select C:\xampp\php\php.exe in Step 3 so Composer uses XAMPP's PHP, especially if other PHP versions exist on your PC.
Laragon	Laragon's own terminal normally provides Composer already. Run composer -V there first; install a separate copy only if you want to use Composer outside Laragon.
Several PHP versions installed	Run where php to see which one wins in your PATH. To force a specific one, call it by full path, for example C:\xampp\php\php.exe composer.phar ..., or reorder your PATH entries.

Still choosing a local stack? Compare options in our roundup of the 9 best local web development environments, or see the guide to installing WampServer. Once Composer works, you can install WordPress on XAMPP or install Joomla 6 on a Windows PC and start experimenting with dependency-based tooling. A slow local site? Read how to speed up localhost on Windows.

Can I Use Composer in the VS Code Terminal?

Yes. Open the integrated terminal (Ctrl + `) and run composer commands as usual. If VS Code was open during installation, close it completely and reopen it so it picks up the new PATH.

How Do I Update or Uninstall Composer?

• Update: run composer self-update.
• Uninstall (default mode): go to Windows Settings → Apps and remove Composer.
• Uninstall (Developer mode): there is no uninstaller, so delete the folder you chose and remove it from your PATH.

Composer also stores per-user configuration and cache files under your Windows profile (AppData). Run composer config --global home to see the exact location on your PC.

Common Errors and How to Fix Them

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
'composer' is not recognized as an internal or external command	Terminal opened before installation, or PATH not updated	Close all terminals and VS Code, open a new one. Still failing? Run where composer.
'php' is not recognized	PHP folder is not in PATH	Add the PHP folder (for example C:\xampp\php) to PATH, or re-run the installer and let it add PHP. See the manual steps below this table.
Missing extension (openssl, curl, mbstring)	Extension disabled in the CLI php.ini	Run php --ini, open that file, remove the leading ; from the extension line, then open a new terminal.
allow_url_fopen disabled	Setting turned off	Set allow_url_fopen=On in the CLI php.ini.
SSL or certificate errors when downloading packages	Missing CA bundle, wrong system clock or network filtering	Check your date and time, point curl.cainfo and openssl.cafile in php.ini to a valid CA bundle, and test the network. Do not disable Composer's secure connection as a "fix".
Composer uses the wrong PHP	Several PHP versions in PATH	Run where php and php -v; move the correct folder higher in PATH or call that php.exe by full path.
Out-of-memory error during composer update	Low memory_limit for the CLI	Increase memory_limit in the CLI php.ini and retry.
Slow downloads or timeouts	Network, firewall or proxy	Retry, check your proxy configuration, and run composer diagnose.
Package is not compatible with your PHP version	Package requires newer or older PHP	Read the constraint message, then upgrade PHP or require a package version that supports your PHP.

How do I add PHP to PATH manually?

1. Open the Start menu, search for Edit the system environment variables, and open it.
2. Click Environment Variables, select Path under your user variables, and click Edit.
3. Click New, enter your PHP folder (for example C:\xampp\php), and confirm every dialog with OK.
4. Open a new terminal and run php -v.

Installation itself failing? The installer writes a log file in your temporary folder (AppData\Local\Temp) that usually names the problem. For XAMPP-specific issues, see 9 Common XAMPP Errors on Windows.

FAQ

Is Composer free?

Yes. Composer is free, open-source software released under the MIT license, so you can use it in personal and commercial projects. The packages you install with it have their own licenses, which you should check before using them in client work.

Do I need XAMPP to use Composer?

No. Composer only needs PHP available on the command line (PHP 7.2.5 or newer for current releases). XAMPP and Laragon are convenient ways to get PHP on Windows, but a standalone PHP install works too, as long as you select its php.exe in the installer.

Why does Windows say "composer is not recognized"?

The terminal cannot find Composer in your PATH. The most common cause is a terminal window that was open before installation. Close it, open a new Command Prompt, PowerShell or VS Code terminal, and run composer -V again. If it still fails, run where composer.

What is the difference between composer install and composer update?

composer install installs the exact versions saved in composer.lock. composer update ignores that lock file, installs the newest versions allowed by composer.json, and rewrites composer.lock. Use install to reproduce a setup and update when you want newer packages.

Where does Composer install packages?

Project packages go into a vendor folder inside each project. Composer's global configuration and cache live in your Windows user profile under AppData. Run composer config --global home to see the exact path on your PC.

How do I update Composer on Windows?

Run composer self-update in a terminal. It downloads the latest stable Composer and replaces the current one. If you get a permission error, try running the terminal as administrator. Re-running Composer-Setup.exe also installs the latest version.

What's Next?

You now have a working Composer: official installer, the right php.exe, a fresh terminal, and a tested first project. Next, set up virtual hosts in XAMPP to give each project its own local address, or explore the best local development tools.

✅ Last verified on Windows 11 with Composer 2.x — November 2026

Related Guides

• How to Install XAMPP on Windows
• How to Install Laragon on Windows PC
• 9 Common XAMPP Errors on Windows
• How to Upgrade XAMPP to PHP 8.5 on Windows
• 9 Best Local Web Development Environments