How to Install Paperless-ngx on Windows 11

In this tutorial, we will guide you through the steps needed to install Paperless-ngx on Windows 11.

Step 1: Install Required Software

Before you can get started with installing Paperless-ngx, you will need to ensure that your Windows 11 machine has the following software installed:

Python 3.8.x or newer
PostgreSQL 10.0 or newer
Git Bash

Step 2: Download Paperless-ngx

Open Git Bash on your Windows 11 machine.
Navigate to the location where you want to download the Paperless-ngx repository.

Run the following command to clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/jonaswinkler/paperless-ngx.git

Step 3: Create Virtual Environment

Open Git Bash on your Windows 11 machine.
Navigate to the Paperless-ngx directory that you downloaded in step 2.
Run the following command to create a new virtual environment:
```
python -m venv env
```
Activate the virtual environment by running:
```
source env/Scripts/activate
```

Step 4: Install Dependencies

Once you have activated the virtual environment, run the following command to install the dependencies:
```
pip install -r requirements.txt
```

Step 5: Set Up Database

Open PostgreSQL and create a new database named paperless.
Navigate to the Paperless-ngx directory in Git Bash.
Run the following command to set up the database:
```
python manage.py migrate
```

Step 6: Create Superuser

Navigate to the Paperless-ngx directory in Git Bash.
Run the following command to create a superuser account:
```
python manage.py createsuperuser
```
This will prompt you to set a username, email, and password.

Step 7: Start the Server

Navigate to the Paperless-ngx directory in Git Bash.
Run the following command to start the server:
```
python manage.py runserver
```
Open your web browser and go to http://127.0.0.1:8000/. You should see the Paperless-ngx login page.
Log in with the superuser account that you created in Step 6.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Paperless-ngx on Windows 11.