stremio-community-v5/docs/WINDOWS.md

Building on Windows

---

🚀 Quick Overview

This guide walks you through the process of building Stremio on Windows. Follow the steps carefully to set up the environment, build dependencies, and compile the project.

---

🛠️ Requirements

Ensure the following are installed on your system:

• Operating System: Windows 7 or newer
• Utilities: 7zip or similar
• Tools:
  • Git
  • Microsoft Visual Studio
  • CMake
  • Qt
  • OpenSSL
  • Node.js
  • FFmpeg
  • MPV

---

📂 Setup Guide

1️⃣ Install Essential Tools

• Git: Download and install.
• Visual Studio: Download Community 2022.
• Node.js: Get version v8.17.0.
• FFmpeg: Download.
  (Other versions may also work).

---

2️⃣ Build Qt (6.8.1)

1. Download Qt Online installer here. Sadly a Qt Account must be created just for the download.

2. Run the installer and login

3. Select Qt > Qt 6.8.1 and Extensions > Qt WebEngine > Qt 6.8.1

⏳ Note: You can as well only select the needed modules which are qt5-webview qt5-websockets qt5-webglplugin qt5-webengine qt5-webchannel qt5-tools qt5-declarative qt5-quickcontrols2 qt5-quickcontrols and MSVC 2020

---

3️⃣ Prepare the MPV Library

• Download the MPV library: MPV libmpv.
• Use the mpv-dev-i686 version.

⏳ Note: The submodule https://github.com/Zaarrg/libmpv already includes .lib, just make sure to unzip the actual .dll for x64 systems.

---

4️⃣ Clone and Configure the Repository

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone --recursive git@github.com:Stremio/stremio-shell.git
   cd stremio-shell
   

2. Update system Envs:

   set CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=C:/Qt/6.8.1/msvc2022_64
   set Qt6_DIR=C:/Qt/6.8.1/msvc2022_64/lib/cmake/Qt6
   set PATH=C:/Qt/6.8.1/msvc2022_64/bin;C:/Program Files/OpenSSL-Win64/bin;%PATH%
   

3. Download the server.js file:

   powershell -Command Start-BitsTransfer -Source "https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/stremio-artifacts/four/v%package_version%/server.js" -Destination server.js
   

---

5️⃣ Build the Shell

1. Make sure to run the following in the Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022

⏳ Note: Make sure to set the Envs from step 4.2

2. Generate the build files:

   cmake -G"NMake Makefiles" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ..
   

3. Compile:

   cmake --build .
   

4. Build distributable

   build_windows_vcpkg.bat {cmake-build-folder} {openssl-bin}
   
   build_windows_vcpkg.bat cmake-build-release
   

⏳ Note: This will create dist-win with all necessary files like node.exe, ffmpeg.exe. Also make sure to have node.exe, stremio-runtime.exe, server.js are in utils\windows\ folder

---

📦 Installer (Optional)

1. Download and install NSIS.
   Default path: C:\Program Files (x86)\NSIS.

2. Generate the installer:

   set package_version=5.0.0
   "C:\Program Files (x86)\NSIS\makensis.exe" utils\windows\installer\windows-installer.nsi
   

   • Result: Stremio %package_version%.exe.

---

🔧 Silent Installation

Run the installer with /S (silent mode) and configure via these options:

• /notorrentassoc: Skip .torrent association.
• /nodesktopicon: Skip desktop shortcut.

Silent uninstall:

"%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\LNV\Stremio-4\Uninstall.exe" /S /keepdata

---

✨ Happy Building!