How to Install OpenSSL on Windows 10 & 11

OpenSSL provides the core TLS/crypto tools used for certificates, keys, and secure communication; installing it on Windows gives you openssl for development and server tasks.

Step 1: Download the Windows OpenSSL Installer

Download the official Windows installer (commonly provided by Shining Light Productions) to get the prebuilt Win64/Win32 binaries for Windows 10 and 11.

# Download manually from the vendor page (open in browser)
Start-Process "https://slproweb.com/products/Win32OpenSSL.html"

Step 2: Run the Installer Choose Install Location

Run the downloaded MSI, accept the license, and install to a short path (example: C:\OpenSSL-Win64) to avoid path issues.

# Example: run the MSI you downloaded (adjust filename)
Start-Process -FilePath "C:\Users\YourUser\Downloads\Win64OpenSSL-3.x.x.msi"

Step 3: Add OpenSSL to the System PATH

Add the OpenSSL bin folder to your system PATH so the openssl command works in PowerShell and CMD.

setx /M PATH "%PATH%;C:\OpenSSL-Win64\bin"

Step 4: Verify the Installation

Open a new PowerShell or Command Prompt window and run the version check to confirm openssl is available.

openssl version

Step 5: Install OpenSSL via WSL

If you prefer a Linux toolchain, install WSL and then install OpenSSL inside your chosen Linux distro (works well fordevelopment).

# inside WSL (Ubuntu)
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y openssl

Step 6: Keep OpenSSL Updated and Secure

Periodically download the latest Windows build from the vendor or update OpenSSL via your package manager (WSL) to receive security fixes.

# Download newer MSI when available (repeat Step 1 with the new file)
Start-Process "https://slproweb.com/products/Win32OpenSSL.html"