How to Install Apache on Windows 11

STEP 01

Download Visual VC++

Open Official Apache download page:
https://www.apachelounge.com/download/

Download Visual C++ Redistributable Visual Studio 2017-2026: vc_redist_x64.exe

Apache requires the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable

STEP 02

Download Apache

Download the latest Apache Win64 ZIP package

Current file name may look similar to: httpd-2.x.x-Win64-VS18.zip

STEP 03

Install Visual C++ Redistributable

Run and Install VC_redist.x64.exe

STEP 04

Extract Apache

Extract the contents of httpd-2.x.x-Win64-VS18.zip to C:\

STEP 05

Start Apache

Open the command prompt (cmd) and Start Apache with:

You may need to accept a firewall exception before the server starts to run.

cd C:\Apache24\bin
C:\Apache24\bin>httpd

Optional Fix: AH00558 Warning

AH00558: httpd: Could not reliably determine the server's
fully qualified domain name, using fe80::6e5b:bdc1:7e68:1494.
Set the 'ServerName' directive globally to suppress this message

Apache started successfully. This is only a warning.

Open apache configuration file httpd.conf:
C:\Apache24\conf\httpd.conf

#ServerName www.example.com:80

Replace with this line:

ServerName localhost:80

Lines starting with # are comments in Apache config files. Remove it to activate the setting.

Restart Apache in Command Prompt:

[Ctrl] + [C]
C:\Apache24\bin\httpd

STEP 06

Open http://localhost

Open http://localhost in a browser. “It works!” message should appear.

C:\Apache24\conf\httpd.conf is Apache’s configuration file.
C:\Apache24\htdocs is the web server’s root content folder:
It contains a single index.html file with “It works!” message.

Apache fails to start

If Apache fails to start, another application could be using port 80.

If this happens, Edit C:\Apache24\conf\httpd.conf
Change the line Listen 80 to Listen 8080 or any other free port.
Restart Apache

STEP 07

Install Apache as Windows Service

Open the command prompt and type:

cd c:\Apache24\bin
c:\Apache24\bin>httpd.exe -k install

Installing the 'Apache2.4' service

Testing httpd.conf....

Errors reported here must be corrected before the service can be started.
(OS 10048)Only one usage of each socket address (protocol/network address/port)
is normally permitted. :
AH00072: make_sock: could not bind to address [::]:80
(OS 10048)Only one usage of each socket address
(protocol/network address/port) is normally permitted. :
AH00072: make_sock: could not bind to address 0.0.0.0:80
AH00451: no listening sockets available, shutting down
AH00015: Unable to open logs

If you see a port conflict error here, it usually means Apache is already running.

Open the command prompt

Stop the Apache Service:

c:\Apache24\bin>httpd.exe -k stop

Or Task Kill Apache Service:

c:\Apache24\bin>taskkill /F /IM httpd.exe

SUCCESS: The process "httpd.exe" with PID 10032 has been terminated.
SUCCESS: The process "httpd.exe" with PID 11192 has been terminated.

STEP 08

Confirm in System Services

Press Windows Key, type Services, press Enter.

Find Apache2.4

Make sure:
Status: Running
Startup Type: Automatic

STEP 09

Confirm Apache works

Refresh browser:
http://localhost

It Works!