Git belongs to a powerful version control system and is an indispensable version control tool in the daily work of developers. As Git continues to iterate, this release introduces performance optimizations, security patches, and feature enhancements. This article details the many ways to upgrade Git to the latest version on Windows systems, and addresses common issues to ensure a smooth upgrade process.
Check the current Git version. Before upgrading, check the Git version currently installed:
Open the command prompt (CMD) or PowerShell.
Enter the following command:
git version
Example output:
git version 40.windows.1
Record the current version for comparison and verification after the upgrade.
There are four ways to upgrade Git, Method 1 is to upgrade via Git built-in commands (recommended). For users who have installed Git and have a newer version (Git 14.2+).
Open a command prompt or Git Bash.
Run the upgrade command:
git updategitforwindows
If you are prompted with insufficient permissions, run the terminal as an administrator.
Command to automatically download the latest installation package, overwrite the old version, and retain the original configuration.
Method 2 Manually download the installation package to cover the installation
Suitable for all versions, especially if you cannot upgrade from the command line.
Access to Git website download page: [https://gitscm.com/download/win] (https://gitscm.com/download/win)
Download the Standalone Installer (such as Git45.064bit.exe).
3. Double-click the installer and select Overwrite installation:
The installation path remains the same as the original path (default C:\Program Files\Git).
Keep all configuration options default (unless you need to change them).
4. After the installation, restart the terminal to verify the version.
Method 3 Using a Package Manager (Chocolatey/Winget) It is suitable for users who are accustomed to using a package manager to achieve automated upgrades. Upgrade with Chocolatey:
choco upgrade git y
Upgrade with Winget (built into Windows 11) :
winget upgrade id Git.Git
Method 4 Using a Portable version of Git
Suitable for users who need multi-version coexistence or green installation.
Download the portable version ZIP package: [https://github.com/gitforwindows/git/releases] (https://github.com/gitforwindows/git/releases)
Unzip to a new directory (such as D:\gitlatest).
3. Add the new PATH to the system environment variable path to override the path of the old version.
Verify that the upgrade is successful:
To reopen the command prompt, type:
git version
Expected output:
git version 45.0.windows.1 is the same as the latest release
Check whether Git functions properly:
git config list Check whether the configuration is retained
Clone git clone https://github.com/example/repo.git test warehouse
Common problems and solutions
Fault 1: "File is occupied" is displayed during installation.
Cause: The Git process (such as gitbash.exe) is not closed.
To resolve:
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the task Manager and end all Git-related processes.
Re-run the installer.
Fault 2: The configuration is lost after the upgrade
Cause: Reset Configuration was selected during the overwrite installation.
Restore configuration:
Manually restore the C:\Users\< user name >\.gitconfig file.
Or reset the global configuration:
git config global user.name "Your Name"
git config global user.email "your@email.com"
Problem 3: Conflict caused by the residue of an earlier version
Symptom: git version displays the old version number.
To resolve:
Check the environment variable PATH to ensure that the new installation path has a higher priority than the old one.
Uninstall old Git: Go to "Control Panel" > "Programs and Features" to find the old Git and delete it.
Suggestions after the upgrade periodically check for updates:
git Update for Windows is executed quarterly
Enable automatic updates (Chocolatey/Winget users) :
choco upgrade all y Chocolatey Automatically updates all packages
Explore new features. Check out Git's official Release Notes: [https://github.com/git/git/tree/master/Documentation/RelNotes](https://github.com/git/git/tree/master/Documentation/Rel Notes)
For example, Git 45 introduces the git replay experimental command to optimize branch operations.
With the above methods, you can quickly and safely upgrade Git to the latest version on your Windows system. You are advised to use built-in commands to upgrade or overwrite the installation to ensure configuration compatibility. For the developer team, it is recommended to manage the version through the package manager to improve the efficiency of collaboration. Keep Git up to date, not only to get the latest features, but also to avoid potential security risks.
