--- title: 'Kubernetes on Windows: how to set up' description: Instructions showing how to set up Kubernetes on Windows using MicroK8s. Includes how to access the Grafana dashboard. url: https://canonical.com/blog/kubernetes-on-windows-how-to-set-up?format=md --- 1. [Blog](https://canonical.com/blog) 2. Article --- [wgs1](https://canonical.com/blog/author/wgs1 "More about wgs1") 19 June 2019 # Kubernetes on Windows: how to set up [containers](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/containers) [kubernetes](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/kubernetes) [MicroK8s](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/microk8s) [Microsoft](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/microsoft) [Multipass](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/multipass) [Virtual Machines](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/virtual-machines) --- Share the article UPDATED in July 2020 with the latest instruction set. Are you looking for a Kubernetes solution to run on your Windows machine? [MicroK8s](https://microk8s.io/) is a lightweight, CNCF-certified distribution of Kubernetes for Linux, Windows and macOS. The single-package installer includes all Kubernetes services, along with a collection of carefully selected add-ons. MicroK8s has a low resource footprint and can be used as a single-node Kubernetes or a multi-node cluster. This enables teams to test microservices on a small scale, develop and train machine learning models, build CI-CD pipelines or embed upgradeable Kubernetes in IoT and edge appliances. While MicroK8s automates the typical functions of Kubernetes, such as scheduling, scaling and debugging, it also abstracts some of its complexity by pre-packaging add-ons such as DNS, the Kubernetes dashboard, and Istio. Additionally, MicroK8s follows the upstream Kubernetes release cadence, making new versions available within days of the official release. ## Kubernetes on Windows setup steps What follows here are the steps necessary to install and interact with MicroK8s on Windows, and subsequently access the Kubernetes dashboard. #### Step 1: Download the installer for Windows [Download the .exe from GitHub](https://github.com/ubuntu/microk8s/releases/download/installer-v2.0.0/microk8s-installer.exe) #### Step 2: Run the installer #### Step 3: Open a command prompt Press + R, then type ‘cmd’ and press Enter. #### Step 4: Check MicroK8s status ``` microk8s status --wait-ready ``` #### Step 5: Enable the dashboard add-on ``` microk8s enable dashboard ``` #### Step 6: Access the Kubernetes dashboard ``` microk8s dashboard-proxy ``` ## Kubernetes on Windows summary MicroK8s is easy to install and provides a nice way to do Kubernetes on Windows workstations. For larger-scale use cases, MicroK8s nodes can be clustered together. To read more about clustering and other advanced MicroK8s configuration, keep reading and exploring with the [official MicroK8s documentation](https://microk8s.io/docs). ## Useful reading * [Install a local Kubernetes with MicroK8s - tutorial](https://tutorials.ubuntu.com/tutorial/install-a-local-kubernetes-with-microk8s?_ga=2.161708799.211762691.1560682047-1699069766.1559131861#0) * [Build a RaspberryPi Kubernetes cluster with MicroK8s](https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/how-to-build-a-raspberry-pi-kubernetes-cluster-using-microk8s/14792) * [Install single node and multi-node Kubernetes](https://ubuntu.com/kubernetes/install) * [Kubernetes on Mac: how to set up](https://blog.ubuntu.com/2019/06/20/kubernetes-on-mac-how-to-set-up) * [For CTOs: the no-nonsense way to accelerate your business with containers](https://pages.ubuntu.com/container-whitepaper.html?utm_source=Insights&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=2)%20Containers%20whitepaper&) * [Multipass on Windows](https://multipass.run/docs/installing-on-windows) * [How to integrate Ubuntu with Microsoft Active Directory](https://ubuntu.com/engage/microsoft-active-directory) ## Sign up for our newsletter Get the latest Canonical news and updates in your inbox. Work email: \*I agree to receive information about Canonical's products and services. By submitting this form, I confirm that I have read and agree to [Canonical's Privacy Policy](https://canonical.com/legal/dataprivacy). Sign up ## Share on --- ## Related posts [### How to set up a micro lab: four principles for a reliable homelab](https://canonical.com/blog/how-to-set-up-a-reliable-homelab) After over a decade of running a homelab, I have learned a few difficult lessons. Although it begins as a “lab,” you inevitably end up with something you want to keep. If a... [Jake Nabasny](https://canonical.com/blog/author/slapcat) 17 March 2026 [### Canonical partners with Snyk for scanning chiseled Ubuntu containers](https://canonical.com/blog/canonical-partners-with-snyk-for-scanning-chiseled-ubuntu-containers) Canonical, the publisher of Ubuntu, is pleased to announce a new partnership with developer-focused cybersecurity company Snyk. Snyk Container, Snyk’s container security... 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