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WinDbg

The Windows Debugger (WinDbg) can be used to debug kernel-mode and user-mode code, analyze crash dumps, and examine the CPU registers while the code executes.

To get started with Windows debugging, see Getting Started with Windows Debugging.

Small windbg preview logo. Download WinDbg Preview

WinDbg Preview is a new version of WinDbg with more modern visuals, faster windows, and a full-fledged scripting experience. It is built with the extensible object-orientated debugger data model front and center. WinDbg Preview is using the same underlying engine as WinDbg today, so all the commands, extensions, and workflows still work as they did before.

Small classic windbg preview logo. Debugging Tools for Windows 10 (WinDbg)

Get Debugging Tools for Windows (WinDbg) from the SDK: Windows 10 SDK. Use the download link on the Windows 10 SDK page, as the Debugging Tools for Windows are not available as part of Visual Studio.

If you just need the Debugging Tools for Windows, and not the Windows Driver Kit (WDK) for Windows 10, you can install the debugging tools as a standalone component from the Windows Software Development Kit (SDK).

In the SDK installation wizard, select Debugging Tools for Windows, and deselect all other components.

sdk download options showing just the debugger box checked.

Adding the Debugging Tools for Windows if the SDK is already installed

If the Windows SDK is already installed, open Settings, navigate to Apps & features, select Windows Software Development Kit, and then select Modify to change the installation to add Debugging Tools for Windows.

Looking for the debugging tools for earlier versions of Windows?

To download the debugger tools for previous versions of Windows, you need to download the Windows SDK for the version you are debugging from the Windows SDK and emulator archive. In the installation wizard of the SDK, select Debugging Tools for Windows, and deselect all other components.

Learn more about the debuggers

Learn more about WinDbg and other debuggers in Debugging Tools for Windows (WinDbg, KD, CDB, NTSD).