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How to setup IIS on windows 11

Published: July 13, 2024 (Updated: Jul 13, 2024)
#IIS #Windows 11 #Web Server

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Host Your Own Site! A Quick Guide to Installing and Enabling IIS on Windows 11

Hi guys, Darren here from Darren’s Tech Tutorials!

If you’re a developer, a student, or just someone curious about running a local web server on your Windows machine, you’ve come to the right place. Windows 11 comes with a powerful, built-in solution for this: Internet Information Services, or IIS.

IIS is Microsoft’s robust web server that allows you to host websites, test applications, and manage web services right from your desktop. In this quick and easy guide, we’ll walk through the process of installing IIS and confirming that your default website is up and running in just a few minutes!

What is IIS and Why Do You Need It?

IIS is essentially the Windows operating system’s native web server software. Unlike third-party solutions, it integrates seamlessly with Windows security and administrative tools.

Why install it?

  • Local Development: Test websites and web applications (like ASP.NET sites) securely on your machine before deploying them to a live server.
  • Web Services: Host APIs or internal applications for a small network.
  • Built-in: It’s a free, optional feature included with Windows 11, making the setup process straightforward.

Ready to get started? Let’s dive into the Control Panel!

Step-by-Step: Enabling Internet Information Services (IIS) on Windows 11

The key to enabling IIS is accessing the “Windows features” menu, which is slightly hidden but easy to find once you know where to look.

Step 1: Open the Control Panel

We need to start by finding the classic Control Panel utility.

  1. Click the Windows Start button or press the Windows key.
  2. Type “Control Panel” and click the application to open it.
  3. Tip: If the Control Panel view is set to “Category,” change the View by setting in the top right corner to Small icons—this makes finding options easier.

Step 2: Access Programs and Features

  1. In the Control Panel window, click Programs and Features.
  2. In the left-hand menu of the Programs and Features window, click Turn Windows features on or off.
  3. Wait a moment for the list of features to populate.

Step 3: Enable the Internet Information Services Feature

This is where we activate the IIS server components.

  1. Scroll down the list until you find Internet Information Services.
  2. Click the checkbox next to Internet Information Services.

Pro Tip: While enabling the main box is often enough, it’s a good practice to ensure core components are selected. If you click the + sign next to IIS, make sure Web Management Tools and World Wide Web Services are both checked. The default settings under World Wide Web Services (specifically Common HTTP Features and Application Development Features) are usually sufficient for basic testing.

  1. Once you are satisfied with your selections, click OK.

Step 4: Configure and Install

Windows will now apply the changes, configure the necessary files, and install the IIS server components. This process may take a minute or two.

  1. Wait for the progress bar to complete the configuration.
  2. Once finished, you will see the message: “Windows completed the requested changes.”
  3. Click Close. You can now close the Control Panel windows.

Verifying Your New Web Server

With IIS installed, Windows 11 automatically sets up a “Default Website.” Let’s check that it’s running correctly!

1. Launch the IIS Manager

To visually confirm your server is running, you can use the IIS Manager:

  1. Click the Windows Start button.
  2. Type “IIS” and click on Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
  3. In the manager window, you should see your local computer listed under the Connections pane. Expanding the computer name will reveal the Sites folder, which contains the Default Web Site.

2. Test Using Localhost

The simplest and most important test is viewing the default website in a browser.

  1. Open any web browser (Edge, Chrome, Firefox, etc.).
  2. In the address bar, type the following address: 
    http://localhost
  3. Press Enter.

If the installation was successful, you should immediately see the standard IIS Welcome Screen! This screen confirms that your IIS web server is up, running, and ready for you to start building and hosting content.

Start Developing Today!

Congratulations! You now have a fully functioning web server running directly on your Windows 11 machine. This setup is crucial for anyone diving into web development or server administration.

If you ran into any issues or have questions about taking the next steps—like setting up a new virtual directory or custom site—don’t hesitate to comment below!

If this tutorial helped you get IIS installed quickly, please give this post a thumbs up and make sure you’re subscribed to Darren’s Tech Tutorials for more practical and clear technology guides!

Thanks for watching, and happy hosting!