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<<TableOfContents>> ## page was renamed from QuickInstall
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== FreeSurfer System Requirements ==
'''Summary of Requirements:'''<<BR>>
Operating System: Linux, Mac OS X, Windows (via !VirtualBox)<<BR>>
Processor Speed: 2GHz at least<<BR>>
RAM: 4GB at least (8GB recommended)<<BR>>
Graphics card: 3D with its own graphics memory & accelerated OpenGL drivers<<BR>>
Install's Disk space usage: 8.5GB<<BR>>
Typical subject size: 370MB<<BR>>
Tutorial dataset size: 18GB<<BR>>
Other requirements: Matlab (only needed to run FS-FAST, the fMRI analysis stream)
= FreeSurfer Download and Install =
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== Download ==
'''Important:''' It is essential to process all your subjects with the same version of !FreeSurfer, on the same OS platform and vendor, and to be completely safe, even the same version of the OS.
You can read about and compare versions 7 and 6 in the ReleaseNotes.
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== Freesurfer 5.3 stable release ==
Please refer to the ReleaseNotes page for per-release information.
=== Latest Version 7 Release is 7.3.2 (August 2021) ===
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||'''OS''' || '''Platform''' || '''Version''' || '''Release Date''' || '''Download''' || '''Size''' ||
|| Linux || CentOS 6 x86_64 (64b)|| stable v5.3.0 ||15 May 2013 || [[ftp://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/pub/dist/freesurfer/5.3.0/freesurfer-Linux-centos6_x86_64-stable-pub-v5.3.0.tar.gz|freesurfer-Linux-centos6_x86_64-stable-pub-v5.3.0.tar.gz]]||4.2G||
|| Linux || CentOS 4 x86_64 (64b)|| stable v5.3.0 ||15 May 2013 || [[ftp://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/pub/dist/freesurfer/5.3.0/freesurfer-Linux-centos4_x86_64-stable-pub-v5.3.0.tar.gz|freesurfer-Linux-centos4_x86_64-stable-pub-v5.3.0.tar.gz]]||4.0G||
|| Linux || CentOS 4 (32b)|| stable v5.3.0 ||15 May 2013|| [[ftp://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/pub/dist/freesurfer/5.3.0/freesurfer-Linux-centos4-stable-pub-v5.3.0.tar.gz|freesurfer-Linux-centos4-stable-pub-v5.3.0.tar.gz]]|| 3.8G ||
|| Mac || Lion OX X 10.7 (64b Intel) || stable v5.3.0 || 15 May 2013 || [[ftp://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/pub/dist/freesurfer/5.3.0/freesurfer-Darwin-lion-stable-pub-v5.3.0.dmg|freesurfer-Darwin-lion-stable-pub-v5.3.0.dmg]] || 3.5G ||
|| Mac || !SnowLeopard OS X 10.6 (32b Intel) || stable v5.3.0 || 15 May 2013 || [[ftp://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/pub/dist/freesurfer/5.3.0/freesurfer-Darwin-snowleopard-i686-stable-pub-v5.3.0.dmg|freesurfer-Darwin-snowleopard-i686-stable-pub-v5.3.0.dmg]] || 3.2G ||
|| Virtualbox || Xubuntu 12.04 || stable v5.3.0 || 15 Aug 2013 || [[ftp://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/pub/dist/freesurfer/5.3.0/freesurfer-Virtualbox-linux-x86-stable-pub-v5.3-full.vdi.gz|freesurfer-Virtualbox-linux-x86-stable-pub-v5.3-full.vdi.gz]] || 9.0G ||
Freesurfer v7 release downloads and installation instructions are [[rel7downloads|here]].
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== Installation ==
Please select the instructions for the type you downloaded:
 * [[LinuxInstall|Linux Installation]]
Martinos users should visit InternalFreeSurferDistributions for instructions on how to use pre-installed !FreeSurfer distributions.
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 * [[MacOsInstall|Mac OS X Installation]] Please note that Linux RPM/DEB and MacOS installer packages are available. We also provide a [[attachment:installFS_demo.mp4|step-by-step installation demo video]] for MacOS. Further, we provide a VM (virtual machine) with the Freesurfer release pre-installed that can run on any Windows, Linux, or Mac operating system supported by Oracle's [[https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads|VirtualBox]] application. Instructions are available to install and run Freesurfer on Linux inside the Windows Subsystem for Linux ([[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/about|WSL]]) including setup for the WSL environment.<<BR>>
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 * [[Installation/FreeSurferVirtualImage|FreeSurfer Virtual Image Installation using VirtualBox]] === Previous Version 6 Release (Jan 2017) ===
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== Set Up & Configuration ==
Set the default shell to be permanently switched to tcsh by typing the following in a terminal window and then pressing enter:
{{{
chsh -s /bin/tcsh
}}}
Freesurfer v6 release downloads and installation instructions are [[rel6downloads|here]].
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Set up your shell's configuration file ('''.tcshrc''') so that !FreeSurfer is sourced every time you open a new terminal window. You can do this by adding the two commands in the box below to any part of the .tcshrc file. Use pico or any other text editor to create a .tcshrc file or to open the .tcshrc file and make this change (i.e. type "pico .tcshrc" on the command-line). '''''Important Note:''' When processing a group of subjects for your study, it is essential to process all your subjects with the same version of !FreeSurfer, on the same OS platform and vendor, and for safety, even the same version of the OS. While we continue to work to ensure that results match across platforms, there are none-the-less system-level libraries that are OS dependent. An exception to this rule is that you may view and edit files across any platform or version, and run some post-processing tools (outside the recon-all stream) if you check with us first (for instance you may run the longitudinal processing with newer versions).''
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{{{
setenv FREESURFER_HOME <freesurfer_installation_directory>/freesurfer
source $FREESURFER_HOME/SetUpFreeSurfer.csh
}}}
=== Other Versions ===
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**Where <freesurfer_installation_directory> is replaced with the location you installed !FreeSurfer (e.g., /Applications/freesurfer). '''Development Version:''' Daily builds of the !FreeSurfer development branch can be downloaded from [[https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/pub/dist/freesurfer/dev|here]].
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To save your changes in pico, hit Ctrl+x to exit and then type 'y' and press enter to save the changes. '''Older Releases:''' Previous releases of !FreeSurfer can be downloaded from [[https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/pub/dist/freesurfer|here]].
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To check that you have done everything correctly, open a new terminal window. You should see output similar to this:
{{{
Setting up environment for FreeSurfer/FS-FAST (and FSL)
FREESURFER_HOME /usr/local/freesurfer
FSFAST_HOME /usr/local/freesurfer/fsfast
FSF_OUTPUT_FORMAT nii
SUBJECTS_DIR /usr/local/freesurfer/subjects
MNI_DIR /usr/local/freesurfer/mni
}}}

If you see the above, it means the !SetUpFreeSurfer.csh script was sourced successfully.

If any warnings appear, it's usually safe to ignore them, but make sure that they are not stating that a file or directory that should exist cannot be found. If any error messages appear, check that the installation process was successfully completed.
'''Freeview:''' For instructions on how to update Freeview, !FreeSurfer's visualization app, visit the following page: [[UpdateFreeview|Updating Freeview]].
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You must register to obtain a license key [[https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/registration.html|here]]. The license is free but your !FreeSurfer installation will not work without it. A license key must be obtained to make the !FreeSurfer tools operational. Obtaining a license is free and comes in the form of a license.txt file. Once you obtain the license.txt key file, copy it to your !FreeSurfer installation directory. This is also the location defined by the '''{{{FREESURFER_HOME}}}''' environment variable.
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Once you register, you will be emailed the license key. This license key needs to be saved in a text file in the location where you installed !FreeSurfer. To do this, open a new terminal window and type each line of command below (hit enter after each line):
{{{
cd $FREESURFER_HOME
pico .license
}}}
[[https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/registration.html|Follow this link to obtain a license key.]]
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Copy and paste the text between the "CUT HERE" lines in the license email onto the blank screen (which is the text file called .license). To save your changes in pico, hit Ctrl+x to exit and then type 'y' and press enter to save the changes. == Additional Resources ==
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'''Note: '''Registering for the license key does not enable one to post messages to the Freesurfer mailing list. To post to the list, you must subscribe to the list [[http://mail.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/freesurfer|by following this link]] [[https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki/Tutorials|Try our tutorials]]
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== Test your FreeSurfer Installation ==
Close any terminal windows you have open and then open a new one.
[[https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki/CourseDescription|Sign up for a FreeSurfer course]]
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Copy and paste this command into the terminal window:
{{{
freeview -v $SUBJECTS_DIR/bert/mri/norm.mgz \
$SUBJECTS_DIR/bert/mri/aseg.mgz:colormap=lut:opacity=0.2 \
-f $SUBJECTS_DIR/bert/surf/lh.white:edgecolor=yellow \
-f $SUBJECTS_DIR/bert/surf/rh.white:edgecolor=yellow \
-f $SUBJECTS_DIR/bert/surf/lh.pial:annot=aparc:edgecolor=red \
-f $SUBJECTS_DIR/bert/surf/rh.pial:annot=aparc:edgecolor=red
}}}
[[https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki/FreeSurferSupport|Join the FreeSurfer mailing list, ask a question, or view the archives]]

{{attachment:openneuro_badge.svg}} A free and open platform that can be used to run !FreeSurfer. For more information, [[https://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/fswiki/OpenNeuro|click here]].

FreeSurfer Download and Install

You can read about and compare versions 7 and 6 in the ReleaseNotes.

Latest Version 7 Release is 7.3.2 (August 2021)

Freesurfer v7 release downloads and installation instructions are here.

Martinos users should visit InternalFreeSurferDistributions for instructions on how to use pre-installed FreeSurfer distributions.

Please note that Linux RPM/DEB and MacOS installer packages are available. We also provide a step-by-step installation demo video for MacOS. Further, we provide a VM (virtual machine) with the Freesurfer release pre-installed that can run on any Windows, Linux, or Mac operating system supported by Oracle's VirtualBox application. Instructions are available to install and run Freesurfer on Linux inside the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) including setup for the WSL environment.

Previous Version 6 Release (Jan 2017)

Freesurfer v6 release downloads and installation instructions are here.

Important Note: When processing a group of subjects for your study, it is essential to process all your subjects with the same version of FreeSurfer, on the same OS platform and vendor, and for safety, even the same version of the OS. While we continue to work to ensure that results match across platforms, there are none-the-less system-level libraries that are OS dependent. An exception to this rule is that you may view and edit files across any platform or version, and run some post-processing tools (outside the recon-all stream) if you check with us first (for instance you may run the longitudinal processing with newer versions).

Other Versions

Development Version: Daily builds of the FreeSurfer development branch can be downloaded from here.

Older Releases: Previous releases of FreeSurfer can be downloaded from here.

Freeview: For instructions on how to update Freeview, FreeSurfer's visualization app, visit the following page: Updating Freeview.

License

A license key must be obtained to make the FreeSurfer tools operational. Obtaining a license is free and comes in the form of a license.txt file. Once you obtain the license.txt key file, copy it to your FreeSurfer installation directory. This is also the location defined by the FREESURFER_HOME environment variable.

Follow this link to obtain a license key.

Additional Resources

Try our tutorials

Sign up for a FreeSurfer course

Join the FreeSurfer mailing list, ask a question, or view the archives

openneuro_badge.svg A free and open platform that can be used to run FreeSurfer. For more information, click here.

DownloadAndInstall (last edited 2025-08-21 10:57:32 by JacksonNolan)