Installing Git Large File Storage

In order to use Git LFS, you'll need to download and install a new program that's separate from Git.

Platform navigation

  1. Navigate to git-lfs.com and click Download. Alternatively, you can install Git LFS using a package manager:

    • To use Homebrew, run brew install git-lfs.
    • To use MacPorts, run port install git-lfs.

    If you install Git LFS with Homebrew or MacPorts, skip to step six.

  2. On your computer, locate and unzip the downloaded file.

  3. Open TerminalTerminalGit Bash.

  4. Change the current working directory into the folder you downloaded and unzipped.

    cd ~/Downloads/git-lfs-1.X.X

    Note: The file path you use after cd depends on your operating system, Git LFS version you downloaded, and where you saved the Git LFS download.

  5. To install the file, run this command:

    $ ./install.sh
> Git LFS initialized.

    Note: You may have to use sudo ./install.sh to install the file.

  6. Next, make required changes to your global Git config:

    $ git lfs install
> Git LFS initialized.

  7. If you don't see a message indicating that git lfs install was successful, please contact us through the GitHub Support portal. Be sure to include the name of your operating system.

  1. Navigate to git-lfs.com and click Download.

    Tip: For more information about alternative ways to install Git LFS for Windows, see this Getting started guide.

  2. On your computer, locate the downloaded file.

  3. Double click on the file called git-lfs-windows-1.X.X.exe, where 1.X.X is replaced with the Git LFS version you downloaded. When you open this file Windows will run a setup wizard to install Git LFS.

  4. Open TerminalTerminalGit Bash. As the setup wizard may have modified your system PATH, opening a new session will ensure Git can locate Git LFS.

  5. Verify that the installation was successful:

    $ git lfs install
> Git LFS initialized.

  6. If you don't see a message indicating that git lfs install was successful, please contact us through the GitHub Support portal. Be sure to include the name of your operating system.

  1. Navigate to git-lfs.com and click Download.

    Tip: For more information about alternative ways to install Git LFS for Linux, see this Getting started guide.

  2. On your computer, locate and unzip the downloaded file.

  3. Open TerminalTerminalGit Bash.

  4. Change the current working directory into the folder you downloaded and unzipped.

    cd ~/Downloads/git-lfs-1.X.X

    Note: The file path you use after cd depends on your operating system, Git LFS version you downloaded, and where you saved the Git LFS download.

  5. To install the file, run this command:

    $ ./install.sh
> Git LFS initialized.

    Note: You may have to use sudo ./install.sh to install the file.

  6. Next, make required changes to your global Git config:

    $ git lfs install
> Git LFS initialized.

  7. If you don't see a message indicating that git lfs install was successful, please contact us through the GitHub Support portal. Be sure to include the name of your operating system.

Further reading