Error "'git' is not recognized as an internal or external command"

Question

I have an installation of Git for Windows, but when I try to use the git command in Command Prompt, I get the following error:

'git' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file. 

How do I fix this problem?

Dextrad

The content added by garbage collection in the edit on changing the path should be part of Abizem's answer, a new answer, or at least in the comments to Abizem's answer. It should not be part of the question. – Glosseme

I installed Git and tried using Command prompt under actions in Team explorer/Changes. – Graben

I had the same problem when I am trying to change the proxy settings to install some packages from github in R. Later only I have realized that I didnot install git itself. I was having github desktop. It didnt stike me. Anyway, anyone comes here, please check whether you have installed git or not first – Phototopography

Related post - Why was git installed in AppData instead of Program Files? - This can also be an issue even after successful installation of Git. Please ensure that you run git setup with a user account having administrative privileges. – Hydraulics

CMD was opened during the installation of GIT – If you recently installed Git for Windows while a Command Prompt window was opened, the issue might be resolved as soon as you re-open Command Prompt. – Poultryman

add C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\TeamFoundation\Team Explorer\Git\cmd to PATH if you are installed vs 2019. – Ticktack

Here's a git not recognized error tutorial that helped me. – Cuckoopint

Answer 1

You may not have set your PATH correctly to point at your Git installation.

You need to add the following paths to PATH:

• C:\Program Files\Git\bin\
• C:\Program Files\Git\cmd\

And check that these paths are correct. You may have Git installed on a different drive, or under Program Files (x86). Correct the paths if necessary.

---

Modifying PATH on Windows 10:

1. In the Start Menu or taskbar search, search for "environment variable".
2. Select "Edit the system environment variables".
3. Click the "Environment Variables" button at the bottom.
4. Double-click the "Path" entry under "System variables".
5. With the "New" button in the PATH editor, add C:\Program Files\Git\bin\ and C:\Program Files\Git\cmd\ to the end of the list.
6. Close and re-open your console.

Modifying PATH on Windows 7:

1. Right-click "Computer" on the Desktop or Start Menu.
2. Select "Properties".
3. On the very far left, click the "Advanced system settings" link.
4. Click the "Environment Variables" button at the bottom.
5. Double-click the "Path" entry under "System variables".
6. At the end of "Variable value", insert a ; if there is not already one, and then C:\Program Files\Git\bin\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd\. Do not put a space between ; and the entry.
7. Close and re-open your console.

If these instructions weren't helpful, feel free to look at some others:

• How to set the path and environment variables in Windows (Computer Hope)
• How to edit your system PATH for easy command line access in Windows (How-To Geek)
• How to set Path environment variables in Windows 10 (Addictive Tips)
• What are PATH and other environment variables, and how can I set or use them? (Super User)

Bemean

If you dont know where is Git floder. In windows 7 the path could be: ;C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\cmd – Lilienthal

Or use GitShell, press Start and type "GitShell" to locate it. You do not have to worry about the Path stuff anymore. – Korea

put in bold the "Do not add a space between ; and last entry" part. Ate one hour of my time X( – Meticulous

we know how to use Env. Variables we need to know which is the variable needed for that !!! I used Gitshell and got the same error. – Sprayberry

You add the path of your git installation to your Path variable. – Bemean

Which path should I add on PATH; <git_installation>\bin , <git_installation>\libexec\git-core or <git_installation>\cmd? Each of them contains git.exe. – Geomancy

To find out where git is in your windows environment (or most apps for that matter), open powershell and do: {{{ where.exe git }}} – Headwaiter

Is there a difference between cmd and bin? – Bihar

Warn for jenkins slave users : "restarting the Jenkins service alone is not enough" via Leif Gruenwoldt & Joe Intrakamhang you will need to restart Windows to take effect. – Acroterion

@Geomancy bin is the version to use according to this link. groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/msysgit/h7GcZXcYfmA – Gorget

Do not add a space between ; and last entry - This helped me – Collywobbles

In my case i found path on C:\Users\pallav.bohara\AppData\Local\Programs\Git\bin – Emotion

If you wanna know the git path folder, open a command prompt in windows OS and type: where git – Glossitis

@Abizern: when calling git.exe using subprocess in Python (on windows 10), should we use the one from bin/ or the one from cmd/? (also see comment by @thomas) – Treacherous

@Dennis As I'm not an active Windows user I don't know. It might be worth asking a separate question about this. – Bemean

In case if you are still getting error after setting the PATH variables, just restart your machine and it will work. – Easily

for me the insallation was in the C:\Users\<myuser>\AppData\Local\Programs\Git\bin...You can search your directory by doing "Open file location" for any of the git shortcuts. Basically you locate the git.exe and add that to your path – Emersed

worked for me only after restarting windows (even though restart is not supposed to be required) – Duston

Even to this very day with Visual Studio 2019's latest update(yesterday - 13/10/2021) they like removing Git from the Environment variables' path. This is my go to comment for fixing this, so big props to you helping to fix Microsoft's regressions! – Testes

Answer 2

If you opened the cmd prompt before installation of Git, close and reopen it.

Jacey

For people wondering why this can solve the issue, Environment Variables are only read when an application (in this case cmd) is launched. Relaunching it would allow it to read again the Environment Variables and see the updated PATH. – Hilda

Oops.. I wasted 20+ mins without realizing that I've to re-open my cmd prompt. Your answer worked for me!! Thanks. – Galactometer

This worked for me as well, because I was using Powershell inside VS Code. Re-opening the application did the trick. Thank you. – Ombudsman

this resolved the issue for me on Win 10 – Custombuilt

It's also worth noting that if using Windows Terminal in Windows 11, closing the tab and reopening doesn't reinitialize the environment. All tabs need to be closed and Windows Terminal needs to be completely restarted to do so. – Lothario

Answer 3

1. Go to My Computer → Local Disk(C:) → Program Files(x86) → Git → cmd
2. Right-click the git → Select Properties
3. Under the location, copy the text. For example, C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\cmd
4. Come back to the Desktop
5. Right-click My Computer
6. Select property
7. Open Advanced
8. Click Environment Variables
9. In the System variables, find the Variable call Path
10. Click the variable
11. Click the Edit button
12. Select the Variable value text box.
13. Go to the edge of the text and add semicolon(;)
14. Then right-click and press Paste
15. Press OK

Lewallen

Answer 4

An easy route to avoid messing with PATH variables: reinstall Git and select "Use Git from the Windows Command Prompt". It'll take of the PATH variables for you as mentioned. See the screenshot:

Localize

Full instructions on configuration of Git on Windows: phoenixnap.com/kb/how-to-install-git-windows – Canner

Hmm, I'm pretty sure I selected that, but possible I didn't. – Regress

Answer 5

If you are using GitHub for Windows (GitHub's old Git GUI that is no longer available for download, not the new Electron-based GitHub Desktop), you have an installation of Git under:

C:\Users\<YOUR USERNAME>\AppData\Local\GitHub\PortableGit_8810fd5c2c79c73adcc73fd0825f3b32fdb816e7\cmd

Expand this path, and add it to PATH.

Idioplasm

C:\Users\yourname\AppData\Local\GitHub\PortableGit_8810fd5c2c79c73adcc73fd0825f3b32fdb816e7/cmd is what worked for me. – Sonnnie

Answer 6

If you want to set up for a temporary purpose, just execute the below command.

1. Open a command prompt: Run → cmd

2. Run the below command.

   set PATH=C:\Program Files\Git\bin;%PATH%

3. Type git. It will work.

This is valid for current windows/cell only. If you will close command prompt, everything will get vanish.

For permanently changing the setting, set the GIT environment variable.

1. Press Window + Pause

2. Click on Advanced system settings.

3. Click on Environment variable under the Advanced tab.

4. Edit Path Variable.

5. Add the below line in end of the statement.

   ;c:\Program Files\Git\bin;

6. Press OK!!

7. Open a new command prompt <Point 1>.

8. Type git and press Enter

Pollitt

Good alternate suggestion to put it on the path temporarily. I would also suggest that one could just specify the full path to git in this scenario as well. – Delative

Thx! PS. If adding git/bin file does not work, try adding git/cmd to the path as well. – Jeaninejeanlouis

Answer 7

If you get this error, you might not have Git installed in your system.

Download it here:

Downloads

Install it.

If you have Windows, you will now see a C:\Program Files\Git folder.

Open a new Command Prompt window, and try running the Git command again.

Quicksand

the funny thing is after checknig your answser & upvoting it, I started going bakc to Visual studio to apply a git command without actually downloading and installing git on my new machine.. because I am.. sleepy!! – Stir

Answer 8

Use Start menu → All Programs → Git → Git Bash.

It takes you directly to the Git shell.

Cuddy

Presuming Git Bash is installed. Is that always the case? – Ita

Answer 9

Yo! I had lots of problems with this. It seems that GitHub brings its own console which you need to look for in your drive. I managed to finally run it by doing the following:

1. Press Start.

2. Search for "GitHub" (without quotes)

3. Right click on "GitHub" and select "Open File Location"

   This shall open:

   C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\GitHub, Inc
   

   Where username is your PC's username.

4. Look for a program called "Git Shell". Double-click on it.

This will open a PowerShell command prompt. Then you can run your Git commands normally on it.

Copper

Answer 10

If you're using Windows 10, do this:

1. Go to the Start menu

2. Start typing 'This PC'

3. Right-click This PC, and choose Properties

4. On the left side of the window that pops up, click on Advanced System Settings

5. Click on the Advanced tab

6. Click on the Environmental Variables button at the bottom

7. Down in the System Variables section, double-click Path

8. Click the New button in the top right corner

9. Add the path *C:\Program Files\Git\bin*, and then click the Enter key

10. Add another path: C:\Program Files\Git\cmd

11. Close and reopen the console if it's already open.

I stepped you through the long way so you gain exposure to the different Windows/menus.

Monmouthshire

Re "click the Enter key": Do you mean press the Enter key? Or click button "Enter" (or some other button, like "OK" or "Apply")? – Ita

Peter, unfortunately I don't remember anymore but I believe I was referring to whatever the confirmation button was (i.e. OK, Apply, etc. as you suggested) – Monmouthshire

Answer 11

That's because at the time of installation you have selected the default radio button to use "Git" with the "Git Bash" only. If you would have chosen "Git and command line tool" then this would not be an issue.

• Solution #1: as you have already installed a Git tool, now navigate to the desired folder. Right-click, use "Git Bash here" to run the same command, and it will run properly.

• Solution #2: try installing the Git-scm again and select the proper choice.

Hospodar

Or in other words, uninstall and reinstall with checkbox "Git and command line tool" checked/enabled. – Ita

What version? It seems to be inconsistent with this answer. Or is it another screen in the installation wizard? – Ita

All the installation wizard screens are documented here (though that may be specific for a particular version). – Ita

Answer 12

1. Search for GitHubDesktop\app-2.5.0\resources\app\git\cmd
2. Open the File
3. Copy File location.
4. Search for environment.
5. open edit system environment variable.
6. open Environment Variables.
7. on user variable double-click on Path.
8. click on new
9. past
10. OK
11. Open path on system variables.
12. New, past the add \ (backslash), then OK
13. Search for GitHubDesktop\app-2.5.0\resources\app\git\usr\bin\ 14 Copy the Address again and repeat pasting from step 4 to 12.

Weka

Re "Search for GitHubDesktop\app-2.5.0\resources\app\git\cmd": Where? On the Internet? On GitHub? In the local file system? – Ita

Answer 13

I've faced the issue, and it got solved after installing Git.

Download it from the Downloads page.

Handyman

FWIW -- There are different variations supported in the docs github.com/git-guides/install-git#install-git-on-windows ----- gitforwindows.org is another option. – Croissant

Answer 14

I have been suffering from this issues by using vscode. I just edit environment variable PATH on windows 10 as follows:

C:\Program Files\Git\bin

and reopen my terminal. It's working fine.

Montford

Answer 15

I just wanted to add to Abizern's answer.

If anyone is using a non-administrator account, you can create a "local" variable instead of a "system" variable which allows access to standard/limited accounts.

When in the "Environmental Variables" window:

1. Select the "New..." button within the "User variables for ..." section.

2. Set the "Variable name:" as "path" and "Variable value:" as "[your-git-path]" (usually found at C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\bin).

3. Then click OK.

Nankeen

Answer 16

This helps for me:

I set

C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\cmd

in path for environment variables.

Trickster

Re "I set": Don't you mean "I add"? In that case, append or prepend? – Ita

More detailed instructions. – Ita

Answer 17

Just check whether BitLocker has been enabled! I faced a similar issue where my Git in cmd was working fine. But after a quick restart, it didn't work, and I got the error as mentioned above.

So I had to unlock the BitLocker since I have installed Git in the hard disk drive volume (:E) which was encrypted by BitLocker.

Terrel

Answer 18

This is fixed by re-installing Git for me. If still does not work, you may try this -

You need to add the following paths to PATH:

• C:\Program Files\Git\bin\
• C:\Program Files\Git\cmd\

And check that these paths are correct. You may have Git installed on a different drive, or under Program Files (x86). Correct the paths if necessary.

Modifying PATH on Windows 10:

1. In the Start Menu or taskbar search, search for "environment variable".
2. Select "Edit the system environment variables".
3. Click the "Environment Variables" button at the bottom.
4. Double-click the "Path" entry under "System variables".
5. With the "New" button in the PATH editor, add C:\Program Files\Git\bin\ and C:\Program Files\Git\cmd\ to the end of the list.
6. Close and re-open your console.

Finsteraarhorn

Answer 19

There can be multiple reasons for the appearing error message.

In my case I tried to set the Git Path and still could not resolve this. The command prompt might need to be restarted to reflect the Git Path changes.

Here is link suggesting the similar thing. 3 ways to resolve the error - "'git' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet"

Brattishing

Answer 20

For future people, if you have this problem in VSCode (not cmd).

If your cmd and powershell recognize git, but VS Code does not, restart your pc and try it. This has worked for me multiple times.

Check if it is recognized with --git version

If not then follow the other comments. (This is first thing that pops up so I hope this comment helps other people with VSCode problems).

Brout

Answer 21

Add this path in environment variables:

;C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\cmd

Note: the path may differ, but you should add both bin and cmd.

Brahms

Re "Add this path in environment variables": That is too terse. Perhaps add a reference to instructions? There are probably hundreds on Stack Overflow. Though the canonical one would be preferred (may not be easy to find). – Ita

There are some attempts in some of the answers here. – Ita

One of the better attempts is this answer (but without any screenshots). – Ita

Answer 22

After installation, open the GitHub application and in the top right corner you'd notice a settings icon. Select Options from the dropdown and choose "Default Shell" as Cmd.

Now try typing 'git shell' in the search (Windows key and type) and choose Git Shell. It should open up in CMD and Git should now be recognized.

Cheesecloth

I think the user was using just git, not the github app. – Baskin

Answer 23

• Make sure correct the Git path is added to the Path variable in your Environment Variables. E.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\cmd. It can be different for your case, depending on where your Git gets installed.
• If it doesn’t work, try restarting the command prompt, so that it reads the updated environment variables.
• If it still doesn’t work, try restarting your machine to force the command prompt to read the updated environment variables.

Diesis

More detailed instructions. – Ita

Answer 24

I had this problem. When you install Git, you have to choose the right path. I mean, it should be the same path that you write git(code) in Git Bash

For example, if your path is C:\Users\username, you must install the Git in the same path (C:\Users\username). These two paths should not be different.

Eddo

Answer 25

Just try restarting your machine if you have just installed Git. Worked for me

Woodwind

As it’s currently written, your answer is unclear. Please edit to add additional details that will help others understand how this addresses the question asked. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center. – Chlorophyll

Answer 26

Based on my experience, if you encounter the error "'git' is not recognized as an internal or external command" or a similar issue with other commands while using the Windows Shell prompt, but these commands work correctly in the Command Prompt (cmd), even after ensuring that environment variables are appropriately configured and the Windows PowerShell is run as an administrator, you should verify the setting of the PATHEXT variable in the environment.

Ensure that the PATHEXT variable is correctly configured with the following file extensions: .COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH;.WS;.MSC. This variable plays a crucial role in recognizing and executing commands.

Obscure

Answer 27

Windows 7 32 - bit

I am using Git for my Ruby on Rails application. First time so...

I created a .bat file for loading my Ruby on Rails applications with the paths manually typed using the tutorial How to install Ruby on Rails on Windows 7 - Part 1, Initial setup. If you are new to Ruby on Rails, you might want to check it out as I followed all steps and it works flawlessly after a few trials and errors.

(The .bat file is editable using Notepad++, hence there isn't any need for the long process. Whenever you need to edit a path, you can follow these simple process after creating a .bat file, following the tutorials on the link above "file is called row.bat".)

1. Right-click on the .bat file,
2. Edit with Notepad++.
3. Find the path.
4. Insert the path below the last path you inputted.

During the tutorials I don't remember anything was said in regards to using the Git command so when starting a new project, I had this same problem after installing Git.

The main issue I had was locating the folder with the bin/git.exe executable (git.exe did not show up in search using the Start menu's "search programs and files"). Note: I now understood that the location might vary drastically—see below.

To locate the bin/git.exe file I followed these steps:

1. Left-click the Start menu and locate → All programs → *GitHub inc.
2. Right-click Git shell and select open file location
3. Click through the folders in the file location for the folder "bin"

I had four folders named:

1. IgnoreTemplates_fdbf2020839cde135ff9dbed7d503f8e03fa3ab4
2. lfs-x86_0.5.1
3. PortableGit_c2ba306e536fdf878271f7fe636a147ff37326ad ("bin/exe, found here <<-")
4. PoshGit_869d4c5159797755bc04749db47b166136e59132

Copy the full link by clicking on the Windows Explorer's URL (mine was "C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\GitHub\PortableGit_c2ba306e536fdf878271f7fe636a147ff37326ad\bin"). Open the .bat file in Notepad++ and paste using the instructions on how to add a path to your .bat file from the tutorials above. Problem is solved!

Nomenclator