Installation Guide for MiKTeX, MacTeX, and TeX Live Across Operating Systems

This article discusses how to install various LaTeX engines used for creating documents across different operating systems. To learn LaTeX in depth, visit LaTeX Learning Guide.

1 Introduction

Want to write your thesis, scientific report, or book with the appearance of an international academic publication?
This guide will help you understand and install LaTeX on Windows, macOS, and Linux — from choosing the right distribution to solving common issues.
Perfect for both beginners and advanced users who want to work efficiently and professionally.

2 A Brief Overview of LaTeX

LaTeX is a document preparation (typesetting) system designed to produce professional-quality text layouts.
It is widely used in academia, science, and publishing because it handles complex structures such as:

• Mathematical formulas and scientific symbols
• Automatic citations and bibliographies
• Consistent and clean document layouts

To run LaTeX, you need a TeX distribution — a complete package containing all the components needed to write, compile, and format your document.
The three most commonly used distributions are MiKTeX (Windows), MacTeX (macOS), and TeX Live (cross-platform).

3 What Is a LaTeX Distribution?

A LaTeX distribution is a collection of software that provides:

• TeX engines such as pdfTeX, XeTeX, or LuaTeX
• Package manager for downloading and updating packages
• Font collections and document styles
• Compilers to convert .tex files into .pdf
• Built-in editors (optional) for writing LaTeX code

In short, a LaTeX distribution is the foundation you need to write and compile documents seamlessly.

4 Comparison of the Three Popular Distributions

5 Installing MiKTeX (Windows)

5.1 Step 1: Download the Installer

1. Go to https://miktex.org/download
2. Choose the Windows version
3. Download the installer (recommended: MiKTeX-pdfTeX Installer)
4. File size is approximately 200 MB

5.2 Step 2: Run the Installer

1. Double-click the installer file
2. Choose “Install just for me” (no admin rights needed)
3. Follow the installation wizard until completion

5.3 Step 3: Set Preferences

• Install missing packages on-the-fly → select Yes
• Paper size → choose A4
• Click Start to begin installation

5.4 Step 4: Verify Installation

Open Command Prompt and run:

pdflatex --version

If MiKTeX version information appears, installation was successful.

5.5 Step 5: Update Packages

1. Open MiKTeX Console
2. Click Updates → Check for updates → Update now

6 Installing MacTeX (macOS)

6.1 Step 1: Download the Package

• Visit https://www.tug.org/mactex/
• Download MacTeX.pkg (~4 GB)
• For a lightweight version, choose BasicTeX (~100 MB)

6.2 Step 2: Installation Process

1. Double-click MacTeX.pkg
2. Follow the on-screen instructions
3. Enter the admin password if required
4. Wait 10–20 minutes until the process finishes

6.3 Step 3: Verify Installation

pdflatex --version

The output will show the pdfTeX version from TeX Live.

6.4 Step 4: Update Packages

Use TeX Live Utility, then select Update All Packages.

6.5 Step 5: Launch TeXShop

• Installed automatically with MacTeX
• Location: Applications/TeX/TeXShop.app
• A user-friendly editor for macOS users

7 Installing TeX Live on Linux

7.1 Method 1: Using the Package Manager (Recommended)

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install texlive-full

Fedora/RHEL:

sudo dnf install texlive-scheme-full

Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S texlive-most

7.2 Method 2: Manual Installation (Advanced Users)

wget https://mirror.ctan.org/systems/texlive/tlnet/install-tl-unx.tar.gz
tar -xzf install-tl-unx.tar.gz
cd install-tl-*/
sudo perl install-tl

Then, add PATH configuration to ~/.bashrc:

export PATH=/usr/local/texlive/2024/bin/x86_64-linux:$PATH

Reload the shell:

source ~/.bashrc

8 Installing a LaTeX Editor (Optional but Recommended)

9 Testing Your Installation

Create a file named test.tex:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[english]{babel}

\title{LaTeX Test Document}
\author{Your Name}
\date{\today}

\begin{document}
\maketitle

\section{Introduction}
This is my first LaTeX document.

\section{Sample Formula}
Pythagorean theorem: $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$

\[
\int_0^\infty e^{-x^2} dx = \frac{\sqrt{\pi}}{2}
\]
\end{document}

Compile it via terminal:

pdflatex test.tex

Or compile directly from your editor (e.g., press F5 in TeXstudio).
If test.pdf is generated, your system is ready to use.

10 Common Issues and Solutions

11 Tips & Recommendations

11.1 For Beginners:

• Use MiKTeX + TeXstudio (Windows)
• Use MacTeX + TeXShop (macOS)
• Use TeX Live + TeXstudio (Linux)

11.2 For Advanced Users:

• Choose TeX Live for cross-platform consistency
• Use VS Code + LaTeX Workshop
• Store projects in Git for version control and collaboration

11.3 Maintenance:

• Update packages regularly
• Clean up temporary files (.aux, .log)
• Backup your templates and custom styles

12 Additional Learning Resources

• LaTeX Project
• CTAN (Comprehensive TeX Archive Network)
• LaTeX Wikibook
• TeX Live Documentation
• TeX Stack Exchange

13 Conclusion

Your choice of LaTeX distribution depends on your needs and operating system:

• MiKTeX → lightweight and beginner-friendly
• MacTeX → stable and well-integrated for macOS users
• TeX Live → versatile and ideal for all platforms

Once installed, you can start writing academic papers, journal articles, or professional books with precise and elegant typesetting.

Happy writing with LaTeX — a powerful, clean, and elegant document system.