Both editions are free and identical in features — the only real difference is how they land on your machine. Here is exactly what that means for you, and how to pick the right one in under two minutes.
Every time someone visits the mobaXterm downloads page for the first time, they hit the same small moment of friction: Installer or Portable? The names sound self-explanatory, but the implications go deeper than "install vs. don't install." The choice affects updates, portability, registry footprint, admin rights, and how your sessions are stored. This guide breaks it all down so you can make the call in sixty seconds and get on with your actual work.
Quick Answer — Choose at a Glance
If you just want the short version before reading the full breakdown:
| Your situation | Best pick |
|---|---|
| Personal machine, want auto-updates and desktop shortcuts | Installer |
| Work laptop with IT restrictions, no admin rights | Portable |
| USB stick or shared drive — move between machines | Portable |
| Multiple developers on the same workstation | Portable (self-contained per user) |
| Clean uninstall via Windows Add/Remove Programs | Installer |
| Air-gapped or highly locked-down environment | Portable |
Watch: Portable vs Installer Explained
If you'd rather see both editions in action before reading the full breakdown, this walkthrough covers the download, folder structure, and first launch for both — under five minutes.
What's the Difference Between Installer and Portable?
At the feature level, there is no difference at all. Both the mobaXterm Installer and the mobaXterm Portable edition ship from the same codebase. Every SSH feature, every X11 server capability, every SFTP panel, every protocol — identical. The distinction is entirely about how the software integrates with Windows.
The Installer drops files into Program Files,
writes registry entries, sets up file associations, and registers an
uninstaller with Windows. It behaves exactly like any other Windows
application.
The Portable edition is a single
.exe file (inside a zip). It writes nothing to the registry.
All settings, sessions, and configuration live in the same folder as the
executable. Move the folder, move everything. Delete the folder, nothing
is left behind.
The mobaXterm Installer Edition
Who it's for
The Installer is the right choice for your primary personal or development machine — a computer you own and administrate yourself, where you plan to use mobaXterm daily and want it to feel like a first-class Windows application.
Pros
- Auto-updater — the Professional Edition checks for updates weekly and installs them in the background. Home Edition users get notified when a new version is available.
- Desktop and Start Menu shortcuts — launch from anywhere without remembering where you put the file.
- File associations — double-clicking an SSH config file or a session file can open it directly in mobaXterm.
- Clean uninstall — standard Windows Add/Remove Programs removes everything the installer placed.
- Runs on startup option — you can configure it to launch minimised to tray when Windows boots.
Cons
- Requires admin rights to install — you need to be an administrator on the machine or have someone elevate for you.
- Registry footprint — settings are written to the Windows registry, which means they are tied to the user profile on that specific machine.
- Not portable — the installation doesn't move. If you need mobaXterm on another computer, you install it again from scratch.
How to download the mobaXterm Installer
- Go to the mobaXterm downloads page and click the Installer tab.
-
Download the
.zipfile. Extract it to find the.msiinstaller inside. -
Double-click the
.msi. Windows will ask for administrator permission — click Yes. - Follow the setup wizard (accept the defaults unless you have a specific reason to change them).
- Launch mobaXterm from the Start Menu or desktop shortcut. Done.
The mobaXterm Portable Edition
Who it's for
The Portable edition was built for every situation where the Installer can't or shouldn't be used: corporate laptops with IT restrictions, shared lab workstations, USB drives carried between machines, or environments where leaving zero trace on the host is a requirement.
Pros
- No admin rights needed — just unzip and run. If you can write files to a folder, you can run the Portable edition.
-
Zero registry footprint — sessions, passwords (encrypted),
and settings all live in the same folder as the
.exe. The host machine is not touched. - Truly portable — copy the folder to a USB stick, a network share, or a cloud-synced folder and all your sessions travel with it. Plug the USB into any Windows 10/11 machine and it just works.
- Easy backup — your entire mobaXterm configuration is just a folder. Zip it up and you have a complete backup of every session, every setting, and every saved credential.
- Side-by-side with the Installer — you can run both editions on the same machine simultaneously, in different folders, with separate configurations. Useful for testing a new version before committing.
Cons
-
No auto-updater — you must manually download and replace
the
.exewhen a new version releases. The app will notify you when one is available, but the download and swap is manual. - No Start Menu or desktop shortcut (unless you create one manually) — you navigate to the folder or pin the exe to the taskbar yourself.
- Folder discipline required — if you move or rename the folder carelessly, mobaXterm will create a fresh configuration in the new location and your sessions won't be there. Keep the folder path stable.
How to download the mobaXterm Portable build
- Go to the mobaXterm downloads page and click the Portable tab.
-
Download the
.zipfile. Extract it to a permanent location — for exampleC:\Tools\MobaXterm\or a USB drive. -
Double-click
MobaXterm_Personal_*.exeinside the extracted folder. No installation, no UAC prompt. -
Optionally right-click the
.exeand choose Pin to taskbar for quick access.
Full Feature Comparison
| Feature | Installer | Portable |
|---|---|---|
| SSH, SFTP, X11, RDP, all protocols | Yes | Yes — identical |
| Requires admin rights | Yes (to install) | No |
| Registry writes | Yes | No |
| Auto-updater | Yes | No (manual update) |
| Start Menu / desktop shortcut | Yes (auto-created) | Manual only |
| Runs from USB / network share | No | Yes |
| Configuration location | AppData + registry | Same folder as .exe |
| Easy full backup | Complex (AppData + registry export) | Yes (zip one folder) |
| Side-by-side multiple versions | No | Yes |
| Clean uninstall via Windows | Yes (Add/Remove Programs) | Yes (delete the folder) |
| Windows 10 & 11 (64-bit) | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Free (Home Edition) | Free (Home Edition) |
Can I Switch Between Them?
Yes — and it's easier than most people expect. Your sessions, macros, and settings can be exported from either edition and imported into the other.
Inside mobaXterm, go to Settings → Configuration
and use the Export button to save a
.mobaconf file. On the new machine or new edition, go to the
same menu and Import that file. All your saved sessions
reappear instantly.
If you switch from the Installer to the Portable edition on the same
machine, your sessions stored in AppData are not
automatically picked up by the Portable version (which looks in its own
folder). Export first, then import into the Portable instance.
Use the Installer on your own machine if you want a set-and-forget experience. Use the Portable edition anywhere else — USB drives, work laptops, shared computers, or whenever you want a config you can carry and back up in seconds. Either way, you get the same terminal.
Common Questions
Is the Portable edition less secure than the Installer?
No. Both editions encrypt saved passwords with the same algorithm. The
difference is where the encrypted data lives — on disk in a folder
(Portable) versus in AppData (Installer). Neither is
inherently more or less secure; the threat model is the same. The real
security consideration with the Portable edition is physical: a USB
drive containing mobaXterm and its configuration is a complete copy of
your saved sessions, so treat it like a credential store.
Does the Portable edition receive the same updates as the Installer?
Yes — both editions ship from the same release and are updated
simultaneously. The Installer version can apply updates automatically;
the Portable edition requires you to download the new
.zip, extract it, and replace the old .exe
in your folder. mobaXterm will show a banner when a newer version is
available so you know when to do this.
Can I move my saved sessions from the Installer to the Portable edition?
Yes. Export your configuration via Settings →
Configuration → Export to create a
.mobaconf file, then import it into the Portable instance
via the same menu. All sessions, bookmarks, and settings transfer
completely.
Do I need admin rights to run the Portable edition?
No. The Portable edition requires no elevated privileges at any point — not to extract it, not to run it, and not to update it. This is the primary reason it's the right choice for corporate laptops and shared workstations where IT has locked down software installation.
Can I run Installer and Portable at the same time?
Yes. They have separate configuration stores so they don't interfere with each other. Some teams use this to run a stable Installer version day-to-day and test beta releases in a Portable folder without risk.
Whichever edition you pick, the features are identical and the download takes under a minute. Head to the downloads page to grab either edition now — or read our getting started guide if you're new to mobaXterm and want a walkthrough of your first SSH connection.