How to Download Cisco Packet Tracer Free in 2026: The Official Way, Step by Step

Cisco Packet Tracer is free. You do not need a paid course, a license key or a credit card. The only catch: Cisco gives it out through Cisco Networking Academy (NetAcad), so you need a free NetAcad account before the download button appears.

That one fact explains most of the confusion. People search “packet tracer free download”, land on a third party site that offers the file without a login, and install something nobody can vouch for. This guide gets you the real installer from Cisco in about ten minutes.

In short

Step 1: create a free NetAcad account

Go to netacad.com (Cisco Networking Academy) and sign up. Use an email address you will keep: Packet Tracer asks you to sign in with this account when it starts, and your course certificates are tied to it.

Step 2: enroll in the free Packet Tracer course

Search the course catalog for “Getting Started with Cisco Packet Tracer”. It is free, self-paced and short (about two hours), and one of its first modules walks you through the download. You do not have to finish the course to install the program, but it is a gentle tour of the interface if you have never used it.

Step 3: download the installer for your system

Open the Resource Hub (or the download module inside the course) and pick your platform. Cisco publishes installers for:

• Windows (64-bit)
• macOS
• Ubuntu Linux

Cisco updates Packet Tracer every year or so, and the version number on the Resource Hub is the current one. Always take the newest version listed there: older .pkt lab files open in newer versions, but not the other way round.

Step 4: install and sign in

Run the installer, then start Packet Tracer and sign in with your NetAcad account when it asks. That is it. If you want something to practice on straight away, our free Packet Tracer labs are ready-made .pkt files for common CCNA topics.

No Windows, Mac or Ubuntu? Chromebook, iPad and phone

Cisco does not publish Packet Tracer for ChromeOS, iPad or Android. Your options:

• Practice in the browser instead. Our CCNA troubleshooting labs run simulated Cisco IOS in a browser tab, so they work on a Chromebook, an iPad with a keyboard, or a locked down work laptop. The interactive simulators show protocols such as OSPF, STP and NAT step by step.
• Use a borrowed or school PC for the longer Packet Tracer sessions.

We cover this in more detail in CCNA labs on a Chromebook, Mac or iPad.

The #1 mistake: “direct download” sites

Sites that offer Packet Tracer without a NetAcad login are redistributing Cisco’s installer. At best the file is old; at worst it has been modified, and an installer runs with full rights on your computer. Cisco only supports the copy from NetAcad, and the official copy is already free, so there is nothing to gain. Download it from netacad.com.

Is Packet Tracer enough for the CCNA?

For most of the CCNA, yes: it simulates routers, switches, PCs, servers and wireless well enough for VLANs, trunking, STP, OSPF, ACLs, NAT, DHCP and more. It simulates Cisco behavior rather than running real IOS, so a few commands and features are missing. When you need real images, look at Cisco Modeling Labs. We compare the options honestly in Packet Tracer vs CML vs EVE-NG.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Is Cisco Packet Tracer really free? A: Yes. It is free from Cisco Networking Academy. You need a free NetAcad account to download it and to sign in.

Q: Do I need to finish a course to get Packet Tracer? A: No. Enrolling in the free “Getting Started with Cisco Packet Tracer” course is the easiest way to reach the download, but the installer is available as soon as you are signed in.

Q: Can I use Packet Tracer on a Chromebook or iPad? A: Not natively. Cisco publishes it for Windows, macOS and Ubuntu only. On a Chromebook or iPad, use browser-based CCNA labs instead.

Q: Which version should I download? A: The newest one on the NetAcad Resource Hub. Newer versions open older .pkt files, but older versions cannot open files saved in newer ones.

Q: Is it safe to download Packet Tracer from other websites? A: We advise against it. Only the NetAcad copy is supported by Cisco, and it costs nothing, so a third party copy only adds risk.

Where to go from here

• Ready to practice? Grab a free Packet Tracer lab or try the browser labs.
• Preparing for the CCNA with a deadline? See our 1:1 CCNA course, with a hands-on lab after every live class, or book a free first session.

Cisco®, Packet Tracer™ and Cisco Networking Academy™ are trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. PacketMentor is independent and not affiliated with Cisco.