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[GH-ISSUE #15038] Use NSIS for Windows installer to support custom installation directory and advanced setup options #9657

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opened 2026-04-12 22:32:45 -05:00 by GiteaMirror · 2 comments
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-12 22:32:45 -05:00
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Originally created by @wilcool on GitHub (Mar 24, 2026).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/ollama/ollama/issues/15038

The current Windows installer for Ollama (the .exe package) does not allow users to select an installation directory or configure other options such as environment variables during setup. The installation process silently installs to a fixed default path. This causes inconvenience for users who prefer to install on a different drive or specific location, and is particularly limiting in multi-user or enterprise environments.

I suggest switching the Windows installer to NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System). NSIS is a well-established installer tool that offers several advantages:

Allows users to choose the installation directory during setup;

Supports advanced configurations like environment variable setup and shortcut creation;

Has a rich plugin ecosystem for extended functionality;

I especially recommend the NsisMultiUser plugin, which provides better support for multi-user installation scenarios (e.g., install for current user or all users).

NSIS official website: https://nsis.sourceforge.io/

Adopting NSIS would significantly improve the Windows installation experience without adding excessive complexity, and would align with common practices for Windows applications. I hope the team will consider this improvement.

Thank you!

Originally created by @wilcool on GitHub (Mar 24, 2026). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/ollama/ollama/issues/15038 The current Windows installer for Ollama (the .exe package) does not allow users to select an installation directory or configure other options such as environment variables during setup. The installation process silently installs to a fixed default path. This causes inconvenience for users who prefer to install on a different drive or specific location, and is particularly limiting in multi-user or enterprise environments. I suggest switching the Windows installer to NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System). NSIS is a well-established installer tool that offers several advantages: Allows users to choose the installation directory during setup; Supports advanced configurations like environment variable setup and shortcut creation; Has a rich plugin ecosystem for extended functionality; I especially recommend the [NsisMultiUser](https://github.com/Drizin/NsisMultiUser) plugin, which provides better support for multi-user installation scenarios (e.g., install for current user or all users). NSIS official website: https://nsis.sourceforge.io/ Adopting NSIS would significantly improve the Windows installation experience without adding excessive complexity, and would align with common practices for Windows applications. I hope the team will consider this improvement. Thank you!
GiteaMirror added the feature request label 2026-04-12 22:32:45 -05:00
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-12 22:32:46 -05:00
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@rick-github commented on GitHub (Mar 24, 2026):

https://github.com/ollama/ollama/blob/main/docs/windows.mdx#changing-install-location

<!-- gh-comment-id:4119566699 --> @rick-github commented on GitHub (Mar 24, 2026): https://github.com/ollama/ollama/blob/main/docs/windows.mdx#changing-install-location
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-12 22:32:46 -05:00
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@wilcool commented on GitHub (Mar 24, 2026):

https://github.com/ollama/ollama/blob/main/docs/windows.mdx#changing-install-location

Thank you for the reply! I’m aware that I can use OllamaSetup.exe /DIR="d:\some\location" to specify the installation path via command line, and that’s actually how I’ve been installing it.

However, I still believe it would be much more user-friendly to have a graphical installer that allows selecting the installation directory and other configurations through a simple click-based interface. This aligns better with the typical Windows user experience and lowers the barrier for new users.

In addition to the program installation directory, the model storage location also requires setting the OLLAMA_MODELS environment variable to customize. Since the installer already supports command-line parameters, it would be great to offer these options directly in the graphical setup wizard, such as:

Choose the Ollama program installation directory;

Choose the model storage directory (automatically set the OLLAMA_MODELS environment variable);

Option to install for the current user or all users (which could be implemented using the NsisMultiUser plugin).

These improvements would allow first-time users to complete custom configurations more intuitively, without needing to manually set environment variables or search through documentation after installation. I hope the team will consider adding these graphical options to the installer to further enhance the Windows experience.

Thanks again!

<!-- gh-comment-id:4119610788 --> @wilcool commented on GitHub (Mar 24, 2026): > https://github.com/ollama/ollama/blob/main/docs/windows.mdx#changing-install-location Thank you for the reply! I’m aware that I can use OllamaSetup.exe /DIR="d:\some\location" to specify the installation path via command line, and that’s actually how I’ve been installing it. However, I still believe it would be much more user-friendly to have a graphical installer that allows selecting the installation directory and other configurations through a simple click-based interface. This aligns better with the typical Windows user experience and lowers the barrier for new users. In addition to the program installation directory, the model storage location also requires setting the OLLAMA_MODELS environment variable to customize. Since the installer already supports command-line parameters, it would be great to offer these options directly in the graphical setup wizard, such as: Choose the Ollama program installation directory; Choose the model storage directory (automatically set the OLLAMA_MODELS environment variable); Option to install for the current user or all users (which could be implemented using the NsisMultiUser plugin). These improvements would allow first-time users to complete custom configurations more intuitively, without needing to manually set environment variables or search through documentation after installation. I hope the team will consider adding these graphical options to the installer to further enhance the Windows experience. Thanks again!
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