This guide is only for native Windows using PowerShell / Command Prompt. It does not cover WSL or Linux.

Your current system shows:

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.26200.9278]

NVM for Windows v2.0.0 (Community Edition)

1. What Is NVM?

NVM (Node Version Manager) lets you install multiple Node.js versions on the same Windows PC and switch between them.

For example:

Node.js 18
Node.js 20
Node.js 22
Node.js 24

You can have all of them installed and switch between them:

nvm use 22

Then:

node -v

gives:

v22.x.x

Switch to Node 20:

nvm use 20

Now:

node -v

gives:

v20.x.x

2. Why Use NVM?

Without NVM:

Windows
   ↓
One Node.js installation
   ↓
One Node.js version

With NVM:

Windows
   ↓
NVM
   ├── Node 18
   ├── Node 20
   ├── Node 22
   └── Node 24

This is particularly useful when different projects require different Node versions.

3. Check Your Current NVM Installation

You already have NVM installed.

Open PowerShell or Command Prompt and run:

nvm --version

You should see:

2.0.0

You can also run:

nvm

You should see commands such as:

install
uninstall
use
pin
list
alias
default
env
cache
config
on
off
doctor
upgrade

4. Check NVM Environment

Run:

nvm env

This shows information about NVM's environment and is useful for checking whether its paths are configured correctly.

Also run:

nvm config

This shows NVM configuration information.

5. Check Whether Node.js Is Already Installed

Run:

node -v

Then:

npm -v

Also check where Windows finds them:

where.exe node

and:

where.exe npm

If everything is working

You might see:

v22.19.0
10.x.x

and paths to the active Node installation.

If Node isn't installed

You may see:

node : The term 'node' is not recognized...

That's fine. You can install Node through NVM.

6. Check Installed Node.js Versions

Run:

nvm list

or:

nvm ls

For example:

  24.0.0
* 22.19.0
  20.19.4

The

*

If the list is empty, you haven't installed any Node versions through NVM yet.

7. Install a Specific Node.js Version

This is one of the most important NVM commands.

To install Node 22:

nvm install 22

To install an exact version:

nvm install 22.19.0

For Node 20:

nvm install 20

For Node 24:

nvm install 24

8. Install Multiple Node.js Versions

You can install multiple versions without removing the previous ones.

For example:

nvm install 20

then:

nvm install 22

then:

nvm install 24

Check them:

nvm list

You might get:

  24.0.0
  22.19.0
  20.19.4

All three are installed.

9. Switch to a Node.js Version

Suppose you have:

20.19.4
22.19.0
24.0.0

To use Node 22:

nvm use 22

Then verify:

node -v

You should get something like:

v22.19.0

Check npm:

npm -v

10. Switch to Another Version

Switch to Node 20:

nvm use 20

Check:

node -v

Now you should see:

v20.19.4

Switch back:

nvm use 22

Check again:

node -v

11. Use the Exact Node Version

If you have several versions installed, you can specify the exact version:

nvm use 22.19.0

Then:

node -v

Result:

v22.19.0

12. Verify Which Version Is Active

The easiest way:

node -v

You can also use:

nvm list

The active version has:

*

For example:

  24.0.0
* 22.19.0
  20.19.4

Therefore:

Current Node = 22.19.0

13. Understanding "Default" in NVM for Windows

Your NVM version provides:

nvm default

Use it to inspect the configured default Node version.

You should distinguish between:

nvm use 22

and:

nvm default

nvm use

The

default

After making a change, always verify with:

node -v

14. Project-Specific Node Versions

NVM for Windows 2.x supports project version pinning.

Suppose your project is:

E:\portfolio

Go into it:

cd E:\portfolio

Then pin the Node version:

nvm pin 22.19.0

This creates/updates a:

.nvmrc

file.

Your project can then contain:

E:\portfolio
│
├── .nvmrc
├── package.json
├── package-lock.json
└── src

The

.nvmrc

15. Why

CodeCopy

.nvmrc

Is Useful

Imagine you have three projects:

Portfolio → Node 22
Old Project → Node 20
New Project → Node 24

Instead of trying to remember the version required by every project, each project can have its own

.nvmrc

For example:

portfolio\.nvmrc

could specify:

22.19.0

while another project could specify:

20.19.4

Before working on a project, you can check its

.nvmrc

16. Check Your Project's

CodeCopy

.nvmrc

From the project directory:

Get-Content .nvmrc

For example:

22.19.0

Then:

nvm use 22.19.0

17. Node.js and npm Are Connected

When you switch Node versions:

nvm use 20

the npm version associated with that Node installation is also changed.

Check:

node -v

and:

npm -v

Then switch:

nvm use 22

and check again:

node -v
npm -v

Different Node versions can therefore have different npm versions.

18. Understanding PATH

This is extremely important.

You normally should not manually change PATH every time you switch Node versions.

NVM for Windows handles the active Node version through its own management mechanism.

Conceptually:

Windows PATH
     ↓
NVM-managed Node location
     ↓
Currently selected Node version
     ↓
node.exe
     ↓
npm

When you run:

nvm use 22

NVM changes which Node installation is active.

19. Check Your PATH

In PowerShell:

$env:Path

For an easier-to-read version:

$env:Path -split ';'

You can also check:

where.exe nvm

where.exe node

where.exe npm

These commands tell you what executable Windows is actually finding.

20. Check NVM's Environment

Run:

nvm env

This is particularly useful if:

nvm --version

works but:

node -v

doesn't.

21. Don't Manually Add Every Node Version to PATH

Suppose NVM has:

Node 20
Node 22
Node 24

Do not manually add all of these individual directories to PATH.

For example, avoid creating a PATH containing multiple Node installations like:

...\Node\v20...
...\Node\v22...
...\Node\v24...

That can cause Windows to find the wrong

node.exe

Instead, let NVM control the active Node installation.

22. If You Previously Installed Node.js Normally

This is a very common source of problems.

Suppose you previously installed Node.js using the normal Windows installer.

You might have something like:

C:\Program Files\nodejs

Then later you install NVM.

Now you potentially have:

Normal Node.js
        +
NVM-managed Node.js

This can cause:

node -v

to return a different version than:

nvm use 22

expects.

Check:

where.exe node

If you see an old standalone Node installation before your NVM-managed location, investigate that installation.

23. Check for Multiple Node Installations

Run:

where.exe node

and:

where.exe npm

If multiple locations appear, Windows may have more than one Node installation available.

For example:

C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe
C:\Users\...\AppData\...\node.exe

This is something to fix if the wrong version is being selected.

24. NVM Doctor

NVM for Windows 2.x provides a useful diagnostic command:

nvm doctor

Run this when you have problems with:

• CodeCopy

  node

  not being recognized

• CodeCopy

  npm

  not being recognized

• PATH

• NVM configuration

• Node switching

• conflicting installations

After running it, follow the issues it reports.

Then test:

nvm list

nvm use 22

node -v

npm -v

25. Enable NVM

Your version provides:

nvm on

This enables NVM's Node management.

Then:

nvm use 22

and:

node -v

26. Disable NVM

You can disable NVM's Node management with:

nvm off

Then Node management through NVM is stopped.

To enable it again:

nvm on

If you use this while troubleshooting, verify the result with:

nvm env

and:

where.exe node

27. Uninstall a Node.js Version

First check what you have:

nvm list

Suppose you have:

* 22.19.0
  20.19.4
  18.20.8

To remove Node 18:

nvm uninstall 18.20.8

Then:

nvm list

You should now see:

* 22.19.0
  20.19.4

28. Don't Remove the Node Version You're Currently Using

Suppose:

* 22.19.0
  20.19.4

You're currently using Node 22.

Switch first:

nvm use 20.19.4

Then remove Node 22:

nvm uninstall 22.19.0

29. Remove All Node Versions

If you want to start fresh:

nvm list

Then uninstall each installed version:

nvm uninstall 18.20.8
nvm uninstall 20.19.4
nvm uninstall 22.19.0

Check:

nvm list

You should have no unwanted Node versions remaining.

30. Uninstall NVM Completely

If you want to remove NVM for Windows itself:

Step 1 — Check what is installed

nvm list

Step 2 — Remove Node versions you don't need

nvm uninstall <version>

Step 3 — Uninstall NVM

Go to:

Windows Settings
        ↓
Apps
        ↓
Installed apps
        ↓
NVM for Windows
        ↓
Uninstall

Follow the uninstall wizard.

31. Clean Up Environment Variables

After uninstalling NVM, check:

where.exe nvm

where.exe node

where.exe npm

If they still point to old installations, open:

Start
↓
Search "Environment Variables"
↓
Edit the system environment variables
↓
Environment Variables

Check both:

User variables

and:

System variables

Look for old NVM/Node-related entries.

Remove only entries belonging to installations you have actually removed.

32. Restart PowerShell After PATH Changes

This is important.

After changing environment variables:

1. Close PowerShell.

2. Close Command Prompt.

3. Open a new PowerShell window.

Then:

nvm --version

node -v

npm -v

Environment-variable changes may not appear in an already-open terminal.

33. Upgrade NVM

Your NVM version provides:

nvm upgrade

Before upgrading, you can check:

nvm --version

Then:

nvm upgrade

Afterward:

nvm --version

34. NVM Cache

NVM also provides:

nvm cache

You can use:

nvm cache --help

to see the cache-management commands supported by your installed version.

The cache can contain downloaded Node.js installation files.

35. NVM Configuration

Check configuration:

nvm config

For detailed help:

nvm config --help

This is useful when you need to investigate where NVM stores/manages its files.

36. Complete Fresh Setup

If you're setting up NVM from scratch, here's the clean sequence I'd recommend.

Step 1

Install NVM for Windows.

Step 2

Open a new PowerShell.

Step 3

Check NVM:

nvm --version

Step 4

Check the environment:

nvm env

Step 5

Run diagnostics:

nvm doctor

Step 6

Install your desired Node version:

nvm install 22

Step 7

Activate it:

nvm use 22

Step 8

Verify Node:

node -v

Step 9

Verify npm:

npm -v

Step 10

Check Windows executable resolution:

where.exe node

where.exe npm

Step 11

Check installed versions:

nvm list

At this point your Node environment should be ready.

37. Recommended Setup for Your

CodeCopy

E:\portfolio

Project

For your portfolio project, you could do:

cd E:\portfolio

Check Node:

node -v

Check whether the project has an

.nvmrc

Test-Path .nvmrc

If it exists:

Get-Content .nvmrc

Then use the required version:

nvm use <version>

For example:

nvm use 22

Then:

node -v
npm -v

Finally:

npm install

and:

npm run dev

38. If

CodeCopy

npm

Is Not Recognized

If you get:

npm : The term 'npm' is not recognized...

don't immediately reinstall everything.

Run these commands in order:

nvm --version

nvm list

nvm env

nvm doctor

Then activate your Node version:

nvm use 22

Check:

node -v

Then:

npm -v

If it still fails:

where.exe node

where.exe npm

and:

$env:Path -split ';'

This will tell you whether the problem is NVM, Node installation, or PATH.

39. If

CodeCopy

nvm

Works but

CodeCopy

node

Doesn't

This situation:

nvm --version

works:

2.0.0

but:

node -v

doesn't work.

Do:

nvm list

If you have no Node version installed:

nvm install 22

Then:

nvm use 22

Then:

node -v

If Node is installed but still isn't found:

nvm env

nvm doctor

where.exe node

40. If

CodeCopy

nvm use

Works but the Wrong Node Version Appears

For example:

nvm use 22

but:

node -v

shows:

v20.x.x

Run:

where.exe node

If Windows finds a different Node installation first, you probably have a PATH conflict.

Also run:

nvm env

and:

nvm doctor

Do not randomly add more Node paths to PATH. The goal is to have NVM control which Node installation is active.

41. Complete Command Cheat Sheet

# NVM version
nvm --version

# NVM help
nvm

# Install Node
nvm install 22

# Install exact Node version
nvm install 22.19.0

# List installed Node versions
nvm list

# Switch Node version
nvm use 22

# Switch to exact version
nvm use 22.19.0

# Show default
nvm default

# Pin project Node version
nvm pin 22.19.0

# Uninstall Node version
nvm uninstall 20.19.4

# NVM environment
nvm env

# NVM configuration
nvm config

# NVM diagnostics
nvm doctor

# Enable NVM
nvm on

# Disable NVM
nvm off

# NVM cache
nvm cache

# Upgrade NVM
nvm upgrade

# Node version
node -v

# npm version
npm -v

# Find Node executable
where.exe node

# Find npm executable
where.exe npm

# Find NVM executable
where.exe nvm

# Show PATH
$env:Path

# Show PATH line by line
$env:Path -split ';'

42. The Simple Mental Model

Think of NVM like this:

                 WINDOWS
                    │
                    ▼
              NVM for Windows
                    │
       ┌────────────┼────────────┐
       ▼            ▼            ▼
    Node 20       Node 22      Node 24
       │            │            │
       └────────────┼────────────┘
                    │
              nvm use 22
                    │
                    ▼
                node.exe
                    │
                    ▼
                  npm

You install versions:

nvm install 20
nvm install 22
nvm install 24

You switch versions:

nvm use 22

You check versions:

nvm list
node -v
npm -v

You remove versions:

nvm uninstall 20

You diagnose problems:

nvm doctor

And you generally let NVM manage PATH rather than manually adding every Node version to PATH.

43. Recommended Final Configuration

For a normal Windows development machine, I'd keep it simple:

Windows
│
├── PowerShell
├── Git
├── VS Code
│
└── NVM for Windows
     │
     ├── Node 20.x  ← older projects
     ├── Node 22.x  ← primary development
     └── Node 24.x  ← newer projects

Then your normal workflow becomes:

nvm list

nvm use 22

node -v
npm -v

cd E:\portfolio
npm install
npm run dev

That's the whole point of NVM: install Node versions once, switch between them when needed, and let NVM handle the active Node environment.