You can run the server on a Windows PC too. The .msi installer bundles the server with its own Java runtime — run it and you’re set.
What you’ll need
- Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)
Step by step
1. Download
Get the .msi from the Downloads page.
[image] Downloads page with the Windows section highlighted
2. Install
Run the installer, accept the license, and click Install. Windows may ask you to confirm as administrator.
If Windows SmartScreen shows a warning, that’s normal for a new app that isn’t code-signed yet — click More info, then Run anyway.
[image] Windows installer, then the SmartScreen More info dialog
3. First launch
Launch InstantIoT Server from the Start menu. It starts in the background, adds a system tray icon, and opens your browser at http://localhost:8080.
[image] Browser opening on the admin login screen
4. First login
Sign in at the admin login screen with:
- Username:
admin - Password:
admin
You’ll set a real password straight away — the default only gets you to the password-change screen. Pick a strong one and you’re at your dashboard.
[image] Admin login screen
Locked out later? Create the file
%USERPROFILE%\.instantiot\reset-admin(runtype nul > %USERPROFILE%\.instantiot\reset-adminin Command Prompt), then quit from the tray and relaunch. The password goes back toadmin.
5. Connect from the app
Open the InstantIoT app on your phone, on the same Wi-Fi.
Your PC should appear automatically in the app’s server list — tap it and sign in. If it doesn’t show up, add it by hand: your PC’s IP (shown on the admin panel’s Overview tab), port 8080, and your new password.
And that’s it — your PC running the server, your phone running the dashboard. 🎉
[image] App connection sheet with server details filled in
Good to know
- Your data lives in
%USERPROFILE%\.instantiot\— database, backups, config. - Start it at login? Press
Win + R, typeshell:startup, and drop the InstantIoT Server shortcut in the folder that opens. - Phone won’t connect? Windows Firewall is the usual culprit — allow ports 8080 and 9001 (details in Server reference).
Need more — ports, password reset details, running from source? It’s all in Server reference.
Next
→ Admin Panel — tour of the admin panel. → Apps / Server Mode — connect from your phone. → Library / Manage Connections — connect your ESP32 from a sketch.
InstantIoT Server is free and open source under AGPLv3 — see the code.