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For a new GCC setup that builds native Windows programs, install MSYS2 and use its UCRT64 environment. It gives you a Unix-like shell alongside a Windows-targeting GCC toolchain. Install GCC and any project dependencies from that same environment; do not mix object files or static libraries built for different C runtimes.
Choose the right MSYS2 environment
MSYS2 is a package-managed Windows development platform with a Unix-like shell and several distinct environments. The MSYS environment supplies compatibility tools intended to run within MSYS2. UCRT64 and CLANG64 provide toolchains for native Windows programs. The MSYS2 project’s environment guidance says, “If you are unsure, go with UCRT64.” That is the practical default for a new GCC-based native Windows build.
| Environment | Compiler and runtime | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| UCRT64 | GCC for x86_64, using UCRT and libstdc++ | New GCC setup targeting native Windows, unless the project specifies another target. |
| MSYS | Unix-like tools running in the MSYS compatibility environment | Tools or programs specifically intended to run within that environment. |
| CLANG64 | LLVM/Clang using UCRT and libc++ | A project that requires Clang or LLVM. |
MSYS2’s environment documentation notes that MINGW64 is being deprecated in a changelog dated March 15, 2026, so it is not the recommended starting point for a new setup.
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Check Windows compatibility and install MSYS2
The MSYS2 installer requires 64-bit Windows 10 version 1809 or newer. Package support can have separate minimum requirements; check the project’s live supported Windows versions and hardware page for current details before installing.
- Download the installer from the official MSYS2 Getting Started page and run it.
- Complete the installation using the installer’s prompts. When installation completes, the current installer opens a UCRT64 terminal.
- Use that UCRT64 terminal for the commands below. If you later open a different MSYS2 terminal from the Start menu, confirm its environment before installing packages or building.
Install GCC and verify it
In the UCRT64 terminal, install the UCRT64 GCC package with Pacman, MSYS2’s package manager:
pacman -S mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-gccCheck that the compiler is available:
gcc --versionThen compile a small C file to confirm the full path from source to executable. Create hello.c in your working directory with this content:
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int main(void) {
puts("Hello, C");
return 0;
}Compile and run it from the UCRT64 terminal:
gcc hello.c -o hello.exe
./hello.exeThe expected output is Hello, C. The executable targets native Windows; the shell command used to launch it is Unix-like.
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Add only the build tools your project needs
There is no universal package list for every C project. Install build tools from the same environment as GCC, and follow the project’s build system rather than installing unrelated utilities preemptively.
- For a simple GCC build: the compiler is enough to compile files directly with
gcc. - For Make or Autotools: install Make and any other build utilities the project’s instructions require. Package availability and names can change, so confirm them in the current MSYS2 package database.
- For CMake targeting Windows: use MSYS2’s MinGW CMake package, not a CMake package intended for MSYS-runtime builds. In UCRT64, the package naming pattern is
mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-cmake; confirm the current package name in the package database. MSYS2’s CMake guide recommends Ninja.
Install CMake and Ninja in UCRT64 if your project needs them, then select the generator explicitly. From a build directory, configure and build with:
cmake -G Ninja <path-to-source> -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake --build .Replace <path-to-source> with the actual source-directory path. The first command chooses Ninja and configures a Release build; the second invokes the selected generator through CMake. The guide also documents MSYS Makefiles and MinGW Makefiles as alternatives when a project or workflow calls for them.
Handle paths between the shell and Windows tools
Within the MSYS2 shell, Unix-style paths such as /c/Users/name/project are natural. Native Windows programs may expect a Windows path instead. The receiving program matters: avoid casually inserting Windows backslashes into shell commands, and convert paths when passing them between MSYS2 utilities and native Windows tools.
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MSYS2 provides cygpath for Unix, Windows, and mixed path conversion. See the project’s filesystem paths guide for the relevant forms and examples.
Use an editor without changing environments by accident
You can edit source with an editor of your choice and build from the UCRT64 terminal. If you configure an editor to launch a terminal or run build tasks, point those tasks at the intended MSYS2 environment and keep their compiler and libraries consistent with it. MSYS2’s IDEs and text editors page lists integration examples.
When a build fails after switching terminals or changing a project’s toolchain, check which environment supplied gcc and the libraries, and whether the build directory still contains artifacts from a different target. Reconfigure in the intended environment rather than linking incompatible object files or static libraries together.
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