How To Install Apache On Windows? Explained

If you are a prospective Web Developer or System Administrator, you must learn How to Install Apache on Windows. Apache is a widely used Web Server software. It offers robust features and flexibility for hosting websites and web applications.  

By following this blog, you can set up a local Web Server environment on your Windows system, facilitating Web Development, testing, and experimentation with web technologies. Get ready to learn How to Install Apache on Windows and learn this installation procedure smoothly, which will help you discover the Web Hosting domain. 

Table of Contents 

1) What is a Web Server? 

2) Installing Apache on Windows 

   a) Step 1: Configure IIS settings 

   b) Step 2: Download the required files 

   c) Step 3: Extract the downloaded files 

   d) Step 4: Configure Apache Server 

   e) Step 5: Optional - modifying the web page root directory 

   f) Step 6: Installing Apache as a Windows service 

   g) Step 7: Testing your Web Server installation 

3) Conclusion 

What is a Web Server? 

A Web Server is a software application that is the central pillar of the World Wide Web, responsible for delivering web content to several users' browsers upon request. It receives and processes Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests from clients, typically web browsers, and then provides the requested web pages, images, files, or other resources. 

These Web Servers also play a vital role in hosting websites and web applications, ensuring their availability and accessibility to users worldwide. Popular web server software includes Apache HTTP Server, Nginx, and Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS), all of which efficiently handle the communication between clients and web resources.
 

Installing Apache on Windows 

Here are some of the steps which will help you to understand How to Install Apache on Windows:
 

Step 1: Configure IIS settings 

Before installing Apache on Windows, it's essential to configure Internet Information Services (IIS) settings to avoid conflicts. You must open the 'Control Panel' and navigate to 'Programs and Features.' Click 'Turn Windows features on or off.' Ensure that IIS is disabled by unchecking 'Internet Information Services.' This step ensures that port 80, a common port for Web Servers, is available for Apache. 

Additionally, you can use PowerShell to disable IIS: 

Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-WebServerRole 

Disabling IIS ensures a smooth Apache installation without port conflicts, allowing you to run both web servers independently when needed. 

Step 2: Download the required files 

To install Apache on Windows, download the Apache installer package from the official Apache website. These steps will help you to download the required files: 

a) Open your web browser and navigate to the Apache HTTP Server download page.  

b) Choose the version of Apache that matches your Windows system architecture (32-bit or 64-bit). Then, you must click the appropriate link to download the installer. 

c) Once the download is complete, you should locate the installer file (e.g., "httpd-2.4.48-win64-VS16.msi") in your Downloads folder or the directory where you had saved it.  

d) Then, double-click the installer to run it. You may be prompted by User Account Control (UAC); click "Yes" to proceed. 

e) The installer wizard will open, guiding you through the installation process. Follow the prompts to configure Apache for your system. 

Step 3: Extract the downloaded files 

After downloading the Apache installer in Step 2, you must extract the contents from the installer package. Follow these steps to remove the downloaded files: 

a) Locate the downloaded Apache installer file, typically as an MSI file, such as "httpd-2.4.48-win64-VS16.msi."  

b) Double-click the MSI installer file to run it. You may be prompted for administrative privileges; grant them to proceed.  

c) The installer will open. Choose the destination folder where you want to install Apache or accept the default location (e.g., "C:Apache24").  

d) During installation, the MSI installer will automatically extract the necessary files to the specified directory.  

e) Once the installation is complete, you will have a fully extracted Apache installation in the chosen destination folder. 

Here is an example of how the extraction process might look in a command prompt: 

C:UsersYourUsernameDownloads>msiexec /a httpd-2.4.48-win64-VS16.msi /qb TARGETDIR=C:Apache24 

The above command extracts the files from the MSI installer to the "C:Apache24" directory. Adjust the paths as needed based on your preferences. 

Step 4: Configure Apache Server 

After extracting Apache's files, you must configure the server according to your needs. The main configuration file is "httpd.conf," typically found in your Apache installation directory's "conf" folder. Open this file with a text editor and modify settings such as the server's port, document root, etc. For example, to change the server port to 8080, find the line: 

Listen 80 

And change it to: 

Listen 8080 

Save the file and then restart Apache by using the following command: 

httpd -k restart 

This step allows you to customise Apache's settings to match your requirements, ensuring your Web Server functions as intended. 

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Step 5: Optional - modifying the web page root directory 

You can modify the default web page root directory used by Apache. Apache's web page root directory is defaulted to "htdocs" within the installation directory. You can edit the "DocumentRoot" directive in the "httpd.conf" configuration file if you prefer a different directory to store your web content. For instance, if you want to use "C:MyWebContent" as your web root directory, you will change: 

DocumentRoot "C:/Apache24/htdocs" 

To: 

DocumentRoot "C:/MyWebContent" 

This customisation allows you to organise and serve your web content from a location that suits your project or website structure. 

Step 6: Installing Apache as a Windows service 

Once Apache is configured, you can install it as a Windows service, making it easier to manage and run your Web Server. To do this, follow these steps: 

a) Open a command prompt with administrator privileges. You can do this by searching for "Command Prompt" in the Start menu. Then right-click it and select "Run as administrator." 

b) Navigate to the "bin" folder within your Apache installation directory. Use the ‘cd’ command to change the directory. For example: 

cd C:Apache24bin 

c) To install Apache as a service, run the following command: 

httpd -k install 

This command tells Apache to install itself as a service on your Windows system. 

d) Once the installation is complete, you can start Apache as a service using: 

httpd -k start 

Your Apache Web Server is now running as a Windows service. You can use the Windows Services interface to conveniently start, stop, and configure Apache. 

Step 7: Testing your Web Server installation 

After configuring and installing Apache, verifying that your web server is working correctly is essential. To do this:  

a) Open a web browser on your local machine.  

b) In the browser's address bar, enter "http://localhost" or "http://127.0.0.1", and press Enter.  

c) If Apache functions correctly, you should see the Apache default page or any web content you placed in the web root directory (e.g., "htdocs"). This indicates that your web server is operational. 

Testing ensures that your Apache installation is successfully serving web pages. It's a crucial step before hosting websites or web applications on your Windows-based Apache server. 

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Conclusion 

We hope you have learned How to Install Apache on Windows, which is a fundamental step in creating a local Web Server environment. Following the outlined steps, you can configure, customise, and test Apache, making it ready to host websites and web applications and simplifying web development and testing on their Windows system. 

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