Portable Edition

The portable edition allows you to run MiKTeX from a portable storage device:

• you carry MiKTeX on a portable storage device for use on any Windows computer
• configuration settings are stored on the portable storage device and not in the Windows Registry of the host computer
• by using MiKTeX Portable, you leave no traces on the host computer
• you do not need administrator privileges on the host computer

How to install

MiKTeX Portable is distributed as a 7-Zip self-extracting archive:

You install MiKTeX Portable by extracting the archive file to a new folder on the portable storage device:

1. Create a new folder on the portable storage device. This folder becomes the installation directory.
2. Start the self-extractor.
3. Click the ellipse button (the one with the three dots) and browse to the installation directory.
4. Click the Extract button.

If you prefer, you can use the 7-Zip file manager to extract the files from the self-extracting archive.

How to use the portable edition

1. Connect the portable storage device to a Windows (XP/Vista/7) computer.
2. Start Windows Explorer (Windows Key+E) and browse to the MiKTeX installation directory on the portable storage device.
3. Double click the Windows command script file named miktex-portable.
4. The MiKTeX icon is added to the notification area of the Windows Taskbar. By right-clicking the icon, you open a context menu:
   
5. It is recommended, that you update MiKTeX regularly in order to get the latest bug fixes and package updates.
6. Before disconnecting the portable storage device, you should click the Exit command.