---
title: Install Orb on Windows
shortTitle: Windows
metaDescription: Run the Orb sensor as a background Windows service for continuous network monitoring.
section: setup-sensor
layout: guides
subtitle: 'Difficulty: Beginner 🧑‍💻'
---
# Orb Sensor on Windows

## PowerShell Install Script

### Installation

You can install the Orb sensor on Windows using PowerShell by following these steps:
1. Open PowerShell as Administrator.
2. Run the following commands to download and install the Orb sensor:
```powershell
iwr -useb https://pkgs.orb.net/install.ps1 | iex
```
3. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.
Once the installation is complete, you can verify that it succeeded by [looking at the service status](#check-service-status). You can return the previous command in the future to update the Orb sensor to the latest version.

### Management
The installation script also provides additional functions that you can use to manage the Orb sensor:
```powershell
# Install only
iex "& { $(iwr -useb https://pkgs.orb.net/install.ps1) } -InstallOnly"

# Update only
iex "& { $(iwr -useb https://pkgs.orb.net/install.ps1) } -UpdateOnly"

# Uninstall
iex "& { $(iwr -useb https://pkgs.orb.net/install.ps1) } -Uninstall"
```

### Automatic Updates

You can configure Windows Task Scheduler to automatically check for and install Orb updates on a regular schedule.

**Create a Scheduled Task using PowerShell:**

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

```powershell
$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute 'powershell.exe' -Argument '-NoProfile -WindowStyle Hidden -Command "iwr -useb https://pkgs.orb.net/install.ps1 | iex"'
$trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Daily -At 3am -RandomDelay (New-TimeSpan -Hours 1)
$principal = New-ScheduledTaskPrincipal -UserId "SYSTEM" -LogonType ServiceAccount -RunLevel Highest
$settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -AllowStartIfOnBatteries -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries -StartWhenAvailable
Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "Orb Auto-Update" -Action $action -Trigger $trigger -Principal $principal -Settings $settings -Description "Automatically updates the Orb sensor daily"
```

## Chocolatey Installation

Chocolatey is a popular command-line package manager for Windows that simplifies software installation and management.

### Installation
See the [Orb package on Chocolatey](https://community.chocolatey.org/packages/orb) for available versions and package details.
1. Ensure you have [Chocolatey installed](https://chocolatey.org/install#individual) on your Windows machine.
2. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator.
3. Run the following command to install the Orb sensor and follow the prompts:
```cmd
choco install orb
```
Once the installation is complete, you can verify that it succeeded by [looking at the service status](#check-service-status).

### Management

You can uninstall the Orb sensor with:
```cmd
choco uninstall orb
```

You can upgrade the Orb sensor with:
```cmd
choco upgrade orb -y
```
The `-y` flag automatically confirms the upgrade without prompting.


### Automatic Updates

To ensure Orb stays up to date automatically, you can set up a Windows Task Scheduler task to run regular updates.

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

```powershell
Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "Orb Auto-Update" `
  -Action (New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\bin\choco.exe" -Argument "upgrade orb -y") `
  -Trigger (New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Daily -At 3am -RandomDelay (New-TimeSpan -Hours 1)) `
  -Principal (New-ScheduledTaskPrincipal -UserId "SYSTEM" -LogonType ServiceAccount -RunLevel Highest) `
  -Settings (New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -AllowStartIfOnBatteries -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries -StartWhenAvailable) `
  -Description "Automatically updates Orb sensor via Chocolatey"
```

To verify the task was created successfully:

```powershell
Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName "Orb Auto-Update"
```

You can manually run the task to test it:

```powershell
Start-ScheduledTask -TaskName "Orb Auto-Update"
```

:::note
After Chocolatey updates Orb, the Windows service will automatically restart with the new version.
:::

## Manual Installation

### Installation

#### Download
Download the Orb CLI for Windows from our Early Access page:
[Download Orb CLI for Windows](https://orb.net/the-forge/early-access/orb-cli-for-windows)

After downloading, extract `orb.exe` to a permanent location on your system (e.g., `C:\Program Files\Orb\orb.exe`).

#### Setting up the Windows Service

You can install Orb as a Windows service using either PowerShell or the `sc.exe` command.

**PowerShell:**
Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

```powershell
New-Service -Name "Orb" -BinaryPathName "C:\Program Files\Orb\orb.exe windowsservice" -DisplayName "Orb Sensor Service" -StartupType Automatic
```

Replace `C:\Program Files\Orb\orb.exe` with the actual path where you placed the Orb executable.

**Command Prompt:**
Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
```cmd
sc.exe create Orb binPath= "C:\Program Files\Orb\orb.exe windowsservice" DisplayName= "Orb Sensor Service" start= auto
```

:::warning
Note the space after `binPath=`, `DisplayName=`, and `start=` in the `sc.exe` command. This is required syntax.
:::

#### Start the Service

After creating the service, start it using:

**PowerShell:**
```powershell
Start-Service -Name "Orb"
```

**Command Prompt:**
```cmd
sc.exe start Orb
```
The service will now start automatically on system boot.

### Management

**Uninstall:**
First, stop the service, then remove it:

**PowerShell:**
```powershell
Stop-Service -Name "Orb"
Remove-Service -Name "Orb"
```

**Command Prompt:**
```cmd
sc.exe stop Orb
sc.exe delete Orb
```
The Orb.exe file can then be deleted from your system if desired.

## Check Service Status

**PowerShell:**
```powershell
Get-Service -Name "Orb"
```

**Command Prompt:**
```cmd
sc.exe query Orb
```


## Configuration
You can configure the Orb sensor with any options from [Orb Configuration](/docs/deploy-and-configure/configuration) docs.

### Environment Variables
To set environment variables for the Orb sensor Windows Service, you can use the `New-ItemProperty` cmdlet in PowerShell.


Example with `ORB_FIRSTHOP_DISABLED` and `ORB_DEPLOYMENT_TOKEN` environment variables:
```powershell
New-ItemProperty `
  -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Orb" `
  -Name "Environment" `
  -PropertyType MultiString `
  -Value @("ORB_FIRSTHOP_DISABLED=1", "ORB_DEPLOYMENT_TOKEN=orb-dt1-yourdeploymenttoken678")
```

### Using Deployment Tokens

You can automatically link your Orb sensor to your Orb Cloud Space using a deployment token. This is especially useful for deploying multiple sensors or automating setup.

To use a deployment token, you can use the [Environment Variables](#environment-variables) approach above to set `ORB_DEPLOYMENT_TOKEN`, or create a file named `deployment_token.txt` in the Orb configuration directory containing your token:

```cmd
echo orb-dt1-yourdeploymenttoken678 > C:\ProgramData\Orb\deployment_token.txt
```

Replace `orb-dt1-yourdeploymenttoken678` with your actual deployment token from the [Orchestration](https://cloud.orb.net/orchestration) section of Orb Cloud.

When the Orb service starts, it will automatically read this file and link to your Space.

For more details on deployment tokens and other linking methods, see the [Deployment Tokens](/docs/deploy-and-configure/deployment-tokens) guide.

### Data Storage

When running as LocalSystem (the default), Orb saves data in:

```
C:\ProgramData\Orb
```

### Orb CLI Commands

The Orb CLI provides a set of commands to manage your Orb sensors and interact with your Orb account. To use these commands, run `orb.exe` directly (not as a service):

```cmd
orb.exe [command]
```

Available Commands:
```
  sensor      Run the Orb sensor
  listen      Connect to a running Orb service
  link        Link this Orb to an account
  version     Current version of Orb
  summary     Show the latest summary for this Orb
  help        This screen

Flags:
  -h, --help     help for example
  -r  --remote   connect to remote host
```

## Troubleshooting

If the service fails to start:

1. Verify the path to `orb.exe` is correct in the service configuration
2. Check that `orb.exe` has the necessary permissions
3. Review Windows Event Viewer for error messages (Windows Logs → Application)
4. Ensure no other application is using the required network ports

For instructions on linking your Orb sensor to your account, refer to the [Linking an Orb to Your Account](/docs/orb-app/linking-orb-to-account.md) guide.