Posted on January 19, 2023 (Updated on July 10, 2025)

Choosing to use QGIS LTR or another version/release type

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Which version of QGIS should I use?

The 64bit version is recommended for almost all users, unless you are attempting to install the software on a extremely old computer that has a 32 bit processor. It is also recommended that you install the latest release rather than the long term release so that you have access to the latest QGIS features.

What is the LTR version of QGIS?

Technically, QGIS has three branches that a user can download/install. These are the Long Term Release (LTR) branch, Latest Release (LR) branch, and the Development (Nightly) branch. As a user, the branches that are usually important to us are the LTR and LR branches as these hold the release versions of QGIS.
 

How to install QGIS LTR?

Install QGIS on Windows
Visit the QGIS.org Download page. Click the OSGeo4W Network Installer link to download the installer. The OSGeo4W Network Installer is the preferred way to install QGIS because it ensures you get all the required dependencies for the software.

Can I install two versions of QGIS?

You can have multiple versions of QGIS installed through OSGeo4W. One is called qgis, the other qgis-dev (in advanced installation).
 

What QGIS should I download?

The recommended download is the QGIS Standalone Installer Version 2.18 (32 bit or 64 bit depending on your computer) b. To check this go to “Computer” – “System Properties” to see if the system type is 32 or 64.

Why does QGIS run so slow?

Quote from video:

What is the most stable version of QGIS?

The current version is QGIS 3.28.2 ‘Firenze’ and was released on 16.12.2022. The long-term repositories currently offer QGIS 3.22.14 ‘Białowieża’. QGIS is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.

How much RAM do I need for QGIS?

8GB of

RAM – 8GB of RAM or higher is recommended for using QGIS and avoiding system crashes. 2. CPU Speed – Higher than 1.9 GHz is recommended, although not required. QGIS might run slow at lower levels.

What is the difference between QGIS and QGIS with GRASS?

Whereas GRASS GIS focuses more on data processing and analysis, QGIS focuses more on cartography and map making. They compliment each other well and you can even use the QGIS GRASS Toolbox to load in GRASS data directly, and run GRASS processing commands from the QGIS menus.