'nvm' is not recognized as an internal or external command Windows

Question

Installed NVM (Node version manager ) for windows from here. Actually NVM was getting installed in Administrator account. Thought to install it in C:\Node\ directory so it would be found in CMDfor user and set environment variable as mentioned here

But nothing is working for me.

OS: Windows 10 Enterprise

Yes, I can see ```%NVM_HOME%;%NVM_SYMLINK%;``` in ```PATH``` variable. — Dipak Telangre, May 13 '19 at 12:48
I added ```C:\Node\nvm``` in ```PATH``` variable and its working. — Dipak Telangre, May 14 '19 at 05:14
These paths are already set when you install. Just restart the command prompt in administrator mode . It will work fine. — Anupam Haldkar, May 13 '20 at 09:01
I had the same exact problem, but I had to restart the server itself. In a previous attempt, I did not have to restart. — NamedArray, Nov 04 '20 at 02:53

score 42 · Answer 1 · edited Aug 24 '22 at 11:30

42

After I did the previous answers with the PATH and NVM_HOME and NVM_SYMLINK it's not worked for me until I run the cmd via administrator.

in windows search click "cmd"
mouse right click "run as administrator"

Then node -v worked!

edited Aug 24 '22 at 11:30

RGriffiths

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answered Nov 03 '20 at 21:18

Israel

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Same for using the Git Bash – Arsen Khachaturyan Jan 03 '23 at 10:30

score 17 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 01 '21 at 07:49

17

Restart Windows

Not perfect solution but in my case restarting the windows worked.

answered Dec 01 '21 at 07:49

Ajeet Eppakayala

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Not sure why this got downvoted, this is the correct answer for me also. – Luxalpa Jan 12 '22 at 21:40
Also worked for me – Slingy Mar 27 '22 at 09:05
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Yep. Windows needs to be restarted to apply the newly created environment variables (NVM_HOME and NVM_SYMLINK), so restart solves the issue (BTW: when you just change the variables, instead of adding new - restart is not required). – MarcinWolny Jun 07 '22 at 08:38
saved me from changing the sys path as the other suggested to put them in programData while it has another default path – Ali Sep 04 '22 at 11:14
Seems to have worked for me, doesn't make any sense but seems to be true https://serverfault.com/a/557669 – Ruan Mendes Oct 06 '22 at 23:25
Yes, did it for me. – Noud Feb 13 '23 at 14:31

score 9 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 05 '20 at 00:23

NVM_HOME & NVM_SYMLINK must be in System variables

NVM_HOME = C:\ProgramData\nvm
NVM_SYMLINK = C:\Program Files\nodejs

%NVM_HOME% , %NVM_SYMLINK% in the PATH variable under System variables .

For Powershell or command prompt

Close all ps terminal or cmd
Re-open in administrator mode
Run nvm --version , you should see the version .
for cmd , you can check the path using echo %NVM_HOME% , that should return the same value as in system variable

score 7 · Answer 4 · edited Jun 01 '21 at 17:30

7

https://github.com/coreybutler/nvm-windows/releases
Click on nvm-setup.zip
Extract and install it
Type the below command to verify if your nvm installation was successful. $ nvm --version

edited Jun 01 '21 at 17:30

Dharman

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answered Jun 01 '21 at 17:25

Shilpe Saxena

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score 6 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 09 '21 at 01:08

So there are multiple answers here, and between them all, the information required to get NVM working is present, however; it's very frustrating, that people only include single steps in an answer, and are not explicit about it only being a single step, therefore, I have taken much time to rewrite the correct way to solve this issue (or answer this question).

ADMINISTRATOR PRIVILEGES ARE REQUIRED!

I did what the other answers had suggested, but it didn't work, and here's why...

The other answers tell you that you need to add the Env Variables...

NVM_SYMLINK
NVM_HOME

...to your Windows PATH, which is what the other answers have submitted that you do.

Here is what the other answers fail to mention:

You add the PATH Variables using commands with Administrator privileges, which means opening the console with administrative privileges.

It's not difficult:

Use the keybinding...
- WIN + R
The Windows Run box should open, once you see it, type the text next to the bullet below into the text-input box.
- cmd.exe
After you type cmd.exe into the text-input, do not default to clicking the ENTER button, or pressing the ENTER key. Rather than the using the sole ENTER key, you are going to instead use the key-binding below.
- CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER

Once inside, use the following commands.


    C:\...\...>  NVM_HOME = C:\ProgramData\nvm
    C:\...\...>  NVM_SYMLINK = C:\Program Files\nodejs

At this point, `NVM` should work. You can test it by using the command:

    C:\...\...>  node --version

  // OUTPUT: v16.13.0  ("should print somthing like this")

-OR- more simply, just...

    C:\...\...>  node -v

  // OUTPUT: v16.13.0  ("should print somthing like this")

score 4 · Answer 6 · answered Sep 30 '19 at 10:17

4

NVM_HOME and NVM_SYMLINK should be in same path. Below I have linked that system variables

answered Sep 30 '19 at 10:17

Sujatha Girijala

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score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Sep 27 '22 at 10:46

I have been facing this issue from last two days but couldn't use either nvm or node. Finally I could fix it. Follow below steps without missing any:

Install nvm from here: https://github.com/coreybutler/nvm-windows/releases

while installing

you will be asked to select the location of node, leave it as it is.

You will be also asked to select the nvm location. Leave it as it is. It is usually inside administrator: C:\Users\administrator\AppData\Roaming\nvm

Remember that nvm installed inside administrator user. So other users can't access it.

Once you install nvm. Check the system environment variables.

Make sure you have below two in your path:

NVM_HOME : C:\Users\administrator\AppData\Roaming\nvm

NVM_SYMLINK : C:\Program Files\nodejs

If they are not set then set the NVM_HOME and NVM_SYMLINK.

Now the nvm is installed. To verify it, if you open command prompt and enter the 'nvm list' command, it will not show up. Since it is installed under user administrator. This is very important.

Now open the command prompt as - Run As Administrator.

Now enter the command and verify.

nvm list

If you have any node version already installed then that node version will show up.

16.17.0

Otherwise you can see that nothing is installed. Now enter the command to install a specific node version. Make sure you mention the arch(arch is 32-bit or 64 bit).

nvm install 14.16.1 64-bit

It will install the node version mentioned. It also installs the npm.

Now you can enter the command to verify the node installations list.

nvm list

Now, nvm is installed, node is installed and npm is also installed. However if you open VSCode terminal and enter the npm it may not work because of the permission issue.

To solve it:

Select the nodejs folder inside C:/Program Files

Right click and select the logged in user.

Give full permissions.

Now restart VSCode. and try the npm or node or nvm commands. All of them work seamlessly. I hope this is useful to someone.

Let me now if you got any issues in the process.

.

gurpartap · Answer 8 · 2022-11-29T02:43:58.780

1

Install nvm-windows via chocolatey in cmd prompt admin mode:
> choco install nvm

start a new cmd prompt and run:
> nvm

edited Nov 29 '22 at 02:43

answered Apr 04 '22 at 12:18

gurpartap

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score 1 · Answer 9 · answered Mar 29 '23 at 11:00

In my case (on Windows 11) it was because my work laptop had been used by a previous domain user from our company before being handed to me, so nvm detected his user profile and installed in C:\Users\SomeOtherUser\AppData\Roaming\nvm instead of C:\Users\MyUser\AppData\Roaming\nvm.

If your problem is like mine, check if %NVM_HOME% points to a folder in a different user profile - e.g. C:\Users\SomeOtherUser\....

Also check if %NVM_SYMLINK% points to an installation within C:\Users\SomeOtherUser\....

B.Shridhar · Answer 10 · 2023-03-31T07:48:44.090

This might happen because you installed NODEJS in normal mode and NVM through the Administrator.

To resolve this, please follow these steps:

Please check if the NVM_HOME and NVM_SYMLINK paths are correct or not.
Install NVM by doing: nvm install lts
Check the node and nvm versions on your machine (node -v and nvm -v).
If you need any specific node version, then do nvm install @10.24.1.
Then do, nvm use 10.24.1. (you will pointing to node version 10.24.1)

score 0 · Answer 11 · answered Jul 24 '22 at 06:16

Novices and first timers do get unpleasantly surprised with these kind of glitches. Actually there should be a message to reboot in Windows. Using nvm version 1.1.9 (Jul 2022), a reboot in Windows does the needful. And then the variables are all set properly, and nvm command works - verified this..Better to install a stable long term release version of node. After rebooting Windows, use the following command to install node (nvm is just a manager and helps switch between versions of node) and make a note of the version it installs:

nvm install lts

And then using the command prompt (Administrator Mode), use the following command to start using the intended version of node - replace version_as_above with whatever was the output version in the install command above:

nvm use <version_as_above>

Check if node works now using :

node -v

score 0 · Answer 12 · answered Aug 03 '22 at 04:32

0

Restarting windows worked for me after installing nvm package from above link. No other changes were done.

answered Aug 03 '22 at 04:32

padishala karthik

1

Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please [edit] to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers [in the help center](/help/how-to-answer). – Community Aug 05 '22 at 12:09

score 0 · Answer 13 · answered Sep 29 '22 at 17:18

0

Also Edit your User Variables "PATH" :

Add -> C:\ProgramFiles\NVM (Directory of NVM)

answered Sep 29 '22 at 17:18

AFAN BIN HASAN

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score 0 · Answer 14 · edited Apr 28 '23 at 04:44

0

Running the cmd via administrator and tying nvm use 14.15.0 worked.

edited Apr 28 '23 at 04:44

4b0

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answered Apr 24 '23 at 15:06

Abel

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Do you mean this to be an answer according to [answer]? In that case please [edit] to make that more obvious. If you want to say thanks for an existing answer or comment here, please delete this non-answer. – Yunnosch Apr 24 '23 at 15:14

score 0 · Answer 15 · answered Aug 28 '23 at 07:21

The issue occurred because when you installed nvm, it wasn't run with admin privileges, so it couldn't create the correct Node.js shortcut in the C:\Program Files folder. You can go to C:\Program Files, delete the incorrect nodejs shortcut that was created, and then run 'nvm use 14' for example. This should resolve the problem.

score -1 · Answer 16 · answered Feb 03 '23 at 15:35

-1

One MAJOR piece of information that is missing from most of the instructions and answers is that you need to "cd" change directory into the location nvm is installed in.

For instance mine is located at... C:\Users\userName\AppData\Roaming\nvm

answered Feb 03 '23 at 15:35

Funn_Bobby

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score -2 · Answer 17 · answered Mar 14 '23 at 07:18

Here is a workaround to your issue, hope get it solved.

Download and install NVM; you can download a ziped file and unzip to install here: nvm download

After installation, open a new powershell, if you had one running already, close and restart then type the command;

nvm

If you're able to see this on your screen, you're good to go.

I hope this helps!

'nvm' is not recognized as an internal or external command Windows

17 Answers17

Restart Windows

ADMINISTRATOR PRIVILEGES ARE REQUIRED!

I did what the other answers had suggested, but it didn't work, and here's why...

`NVM_SYMLINK`

`NVM_HOME`

Here is what the other answers fail to mention:

`cmd.exe`

At this point, `NVM` should work. You can test it by using the command:

-OR- more simply, just...

Linked

'nvm' is not recognized as an internal or external command Windows

17 Answers17

Restart Windows

ADMINISTRATOR PRIVILEGES ARE REQUIRED!

I did what the other answers had suggested, but it didn't work, and here's why...

NVM_SYMLINK

NVM_HOME

Here is what the other answers fail to mention:

cmd.exe

At this point, NVM should work. You can test it by using the command:

-OR- more simply, just...

Linked

`NVM_SYMLINK`

`NVM_HOME`

`cmd.exe`

At this point, `NVM` should work. You can test it by using the command: