Inno Setup is a free, open-source, and script-driven installation system designed for Windows programs. It allows developers to create a single, compact .exe setup file for easy online distribution. Since its introduction in 1997, it has become a trusted tool for reliably deploying software, rivaling many commercial installers in feature set and stability. The latest version, Inno Setup 6.7.0, continues to enhance customization and security for modern Windows environments.
In This Article
Quick Start & Pro Tips
Implementing Custom Wizard Backgrounds and RedirectionGuard
- Open your Inno Setup Script (
.issfile) in the Compiler IDE. - Navigate to the
[Setup]section. - Add the
WizardBackImageFiledirective to specify a background image file path. - Add the
WizardBackColordirective to define a custom background color, which supports blending with the image. - For dark mode compatibility, use the
WizardBackImageFileDynamicDarkandWizardBackColorDynamicDarkdirectives. - To enhance security, ensure the installer is compiled with the latest version to enable Windows
RedirectionGuardmitigation by default.
Why: This recipe leverages the new v6.7.0 features for a professional, branded installer UI and implements a critical security mitigation against path redirection vulnerabilities, which is essential for modern Windows deployment.
Optimizing Installer Size with LZMA/LZMA2 Compression
- In the
[Setup]section of your.issscript, set theCompressiondirective tolzmaorlzma2for maximum file compression. - In the
[Files]section, use theregserverorregtypelibflags to automatically register.DLLor.OCXfiles during installation. - Utilize the
externalanddownloadflags in the[Files]section to fetch large components from a URL at runtime, reducing the initial installer size.
Why: Using LZMA/LZMA2 compression significantly reduces the final .exe file size for online distribution. The regserver flag automates the registration of shared components, while the download flag allows for dynamic fetching of large files, improving the user’s initial download experience.
Technical Specs
| Software Name | Inno Setup |
|---|---|
| Version | 6.7.0 |
| License | Free (Open Source) |
| OS Support | Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, Windows Server (x86, x64, Arm64) |
| Language | Multi-language support for installers |
| Developer | Jordan Russell’s Software |
| Homepage | jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php |
| Last Updated | 2026-01-06 |
Main Capabilities
- Script-Driven Installation and Pascal Scripting: The core functionality is driven by a proprietary Inno Setup Script (
.iss) file format, which can be extended with an integrated Pascal scripting engine for advanced run-time customization of the install and uninstall process. - Advanced File Compression and Handling: Includes integrated support for
deflate,bzip2, and 7-ZipLZMA/LZMA2file compression to reduce the final installer size. It also supports comparing file version information, replacing in-use files, and shared file counting. - Broad Windows Architecture Support: Provides extensive support for creating installers for 64-bit applications on 64-bit editions of Windows, including the
x64andArm64architectures. - Security and Configuration Management: Supports password-protected and encrypted installs, digitally signed installs and uninstalls, and the creation of registry and
.INIentries. - Customizable Wizard Interface: Features a standard Windows wizard interface with support for dark mode, custom styles, and customizable setup types like Full, Minimal, and Custom.
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