How to make a Setup.exe for your Windows app (no code)

You have a working Windows app: a folder with an .exe and the files it needs. Sending that folder as a zip works for friends, but customers expect a Setup.exe that installs the app, adds a Start Menu entry and lets them uninstall it from Windows Settings. This guide explains what an installer does and how to make one, with or without code.

What a Setup.exe actually does

A Windows installer is a small program that carries your files inside it, compressed, and does a few things when run:

• Shows a wizard: welcome page, optional licence, a folder to install into, progress, and a finish page.
• Copies your files to C:\Program Files\Your App (for all users) or to the user's own AppData\Local\Programs folder (no admin rights needed).
• Creates shortcuts in the Start Menu and on the Desktop.
• Registers the app in Settings → Apps → Installed apps, with an uninstaller that removes exactly what was installed.
• Optionally launches the app at the end, or at every Windows start-up.

Nothing about this requires changing your app. The installer wraps the folder you already have.

Three ways to make one

1. Write an installer script. Free tools such as NSIS and Inno Setup compile a script (.nsi or .iss) into a Setup.exe. They are powerful and widely used, but you learn a small language, maintain the script with every release, and compile on Windows (or through Wine). Expect an afternoon for the first installer.

2. Use a commercial installer suite. Products such as Advanced Installer or InstallShield offer a visual editor and MSI output. They cost from a few hundred dollars a year and are built for enterprise deployment features most apps never use.

3. Build it online. ExeTup takes the folder as a .zip, asks the questions an installer needs, builds a standard NSIS installer in the cloud and gives you a Setup.exe to download. No script, nothing to install, and it works from a Mac or Linux machine too.

Make a Setup.exe with ExeTup

1. Zip your app folder. Everything the app needs at run time goes in: the .exe, DLLs, resources, data folders. Keep the folder structure as it should land on the customer's disk. A single standalone .exe can be uploaded on its own.
2. Upload it. ExeTup lists the files and finds the main program. If there are several .exe files, pick the one that starts the app.
3. Fill in the details. App name, version, publisher, optional website and licence text. These show in the wizard and in Windows Settings.
4. Pick the options. Install for all users (Program Files, asks for admin rights) or for the current user only; 64-bit or 32-bit; Start Menu and Desktop shortcuts; launch after install; launch at start-up; and the languages the installer should speak, with a language picker when you choose several.
5. Add an icon. Upload a .ico and both the installer and the shortcuts use it.
6. Preview, then build. The preview plays the exact wizard your customers will see. The build takes a couple of minutes, and the Setup.exe download appears when it's done.

Run the installer on a Windows machine before you ship it. Check that the app starts from the Start Menu shortcut, and that Uninstall in Windows Settings removes it.

Choosing the options well

• All users or current user? Pick all users for a classic desktop app that belongs in Program Files. Pick current user when customers may not have admin rights, such as on work laptops; the installer then never shows the admin prompt.
• 64-bit or 32-bit? Match your app. A 64-bit installer refuses to run on 32-bit Windows, which is the right behaviour for a 64-bit app.
• Version numbers. Use major.minor.patch such as 2.4.0. Windows shows it in Settings and uses it to tell releases apart.
• Licence text. Optional. If you add one, the wizard shows it with an "I Agree" button.

What to expect after the build

• The installer is a standard NSIS installer with solid LZMA compression, so it is usually smaller than your zip.
• Silent installs work out of the box for IT teams: Setup.exe /S. See silent installs.
• Windows SmartScreen may warn about a new, unsigned download. See why Windows says it protected your PC and what you can do about it.

FAQ

Do I need Windows to make a Setup.exe?

Not with ExeTup, because the build runs in the cloud. You do want a Windows machine or virtual machine to test the installer before sending it to customers.

Does the installer change my app?

No. Your files are installed exactly as uploaded. The installer adds the wizard, the shortcuts, the uninstaller and the entry in Windows Settings around them.

Can I make an MSI instead of an EXE?

ExeTup produces a Setup.exe. For most apps that is what customers expect. MSI matters mostly for Group Policy deployment in large organisations; for those, the /S silent switch covers scripted installs.

What does it cost?

ExeTup is pay per build, with the first builds free and no subscription. The pricing section shows the current price.