Installing QGIS

To participate in the workshop, you must install QGIS Desktop before arriving.

⚠️ IT Permissions & Installation Support

If you are using a government, university, or employer-issued laptop, you may need IT authorization to install software.

Please request any necessary permissions well in advance of the workshop to avoid delays.

If you encounter any issues installing QGIS, please contact the instructor before the workshop so we can troubleshoot in advance.

Current Version Information (February 12, 2026):

  • The current Long Term Release (LTR) for Windows is recommended.
  • The latest release is QGIS 3.44.
  • For macOS users, QGIS 3.44 is stable and has been designated as the future Long Term Release (LTR) and is therefore the recommended version.

Please install the appropriate version for your operating system using the guidance below.

Windows (PC) Installation Instructions

  1. Go to: QGIS website
  2. Click Download Now.
  3. Under Windows downloads, choose the Standalone Installer.

⚠️ Important: Do NOT download or install the OSGeo4W Network Installer.
For this workshop, you should install the Standalone version only.

  • Install the Long Term Release (LTR) version if available.
  • You may optionally install the latest version (3.44) if preferred.
  1. Run the downloaded installer.
  2. Follow the default installation prompts.

After installation, open QGIS to confirm it launches properly.

macOS Installation Instructions

    1. Go to: QGIS website
  2. Click Download Now.
  3. Download QGIS 3.44 for macOS.

For macOS users, QGIS 3.44 is stable and has been designated as the future Long Term Release (LTR). This is the recommended version.

  1. Open the downloaded .dmg file.
  2. Drag QGIS into your Applications folder.

First-Time Launch on macOS

When opening QGIS for the first time, macOS may block the application because it was downloaded from the internet.

If this happens:

  • Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security
  • Scroll to the message indicating QGIS was blocked
  • Click Allow Anyway
  • Re-open QGIS and confirm you want to proceed

Verify Installation

Before arriving at the workshop:

  • Open QGIS.
  • Confirm it launches without errors.
  • Verify the version number under Help → About.