Authoring systems for Windows

This list shows stable interactive fiction authoring systems that are downloadable on Windows. They are listed in date order (latest release first).

Authoring system	Link	Style	System	Multimedia support	Updated
Balladeer	Download	Parser-choice hybrid	Windows, macOS, Linux	Runs as a server; all web media supported.	2024-04-16
PunyInform	Download Run online	Parser	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux, MS-DOS, Classic Mac OS, Acorn Archimedes, Atari ST, Commodore Amiga, Other		2024-04-10
Inform 6	Download Run online	Parser	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux		2024-02-10
Twine	Download Run online	Choice	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux	same as HTML5	2024-01-03
Iffinity	Download	Choice	Windows, macOS, Linux	No multimedia per se, but supports anything a regular HTML page (with JS/CSS) would support.	2023-11-19
ThinBASIC Adventure Builder	Download	Parser	Windows	Graphics: jpg, png, bmp, gif Sound: wav, ogg, mp3, aiff, mod FMVideo: wmv	2023-09-03
INSTEAD	Download Run online	Parser, Choice, Parser-choice hybrid	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Other	graphics, sound	2023-09-01
Folia	Download	Choice	Windows, Linux	Displays images in a dedicated pane, as well as background images, and supports image effects such as alpha blending. Sound is supported.	2023-08-31
IfSpace.net	Download Run online	Parser-choice hybrid	Browser, Windows	No multimedia	2023-06-22
Inform 7	Download Run online	Parser	Windows, macOS, Linux, browser		2022-08-31
PICO-8		Choice	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux, Other	Supports color effects, graphics, music, and sound effects.	2022-08-28
A-code (Dave Platt)	Download	Parser	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Other	No multimedia as such, but browser builds can support games making use of all HTML capabilities, giving latent multimedia support.	2022-01-04
Ren'Py	Download	Choice	Windows, macOS, Linux	rich multimedia	2021-12-02
Hugo	Run online	Parser	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Multimedia depends on the interpreter	2021-09-25
Dialog	Download Run online	Parser, Choice	Browser, Windows, Linux	graphics	2021-01-02
ADRIFT	Download	Parser	Windows		2020-09-12
Squiffy	Download Run online	Choice	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux	Colour, graphics, sound: possible.	2019-03-25
Tale	Download	Parser	Windows, Linux	Runs as a server, hence all web media supported.	2019-02-21
Quest (Language)	Download Run online	Parser-choice hybrid	Browser, Windows		2018-07-20
TADS 3	Download	Parser	Windows, macOS, Linux	Color, Graphics, Sound	2016-03-07
TADS 2	Download	Parser	Windows, macOS, Linux	Color, Graphics, Sound	2016-03-07
Archetype	Download	Parser	Linux, macOS, Windows		2014-01-01
AGT	Download		Windows, MS-DOS, Classic Mac OS, Atari ST, Commodore Amiga
Dendry		Choice	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux

You may also be interested in the following authoring systems, which will run within a browser window:

Authoring system	Link	Style	System	Multimedia support	Updated
PunyInform	Download Run online	Parser	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux, MS-DOS, Classic Mac OS, Acorn Archimedes, Atari ST, Commodore Amiga, Other		2024-04-10
Inform 6	Download Run online	Parser	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux		2024-02-10
Twine	Download Run online	Choice	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux	same as HTML5	2024-01-03
Moiki	Run online	Choice	Browser	Images, sounds, colors, fonts.	2023-09-14
INSTEAD	Download Run online	Parser, Choice, Parser-choice hybrid	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Other	graphics, sound	2023-09-01
Evergreen.ink		Choice	Browser, iOS, Android	graphics, sound	2023-08-14
IfSpace.net	Download Run online	Parser-choice hybrid	Browser, Windows	No multimedia	2023-06-22
Inform 7	Download Run online	Parser	Windows, macOS, Linux, browser		2022-08-31
PICO-8		Choice	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux, Other	Supports color effects, graphics, music, and sound effects.	2022-08-28
Inklewriter	Download Run online	Choice	Browser		2021-11-06
Hugo	Run online	Parser	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Multimedia depends on the interpreter	2021-09-25
Ink	Download Run online	Choice	Browser		2021-02-22
Dialog	Download Run online	Parser, Choice	Browser, Windows, Linux	graphics	2021-01-02
Squiffy	Download Run online	Choice	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux	Colour, graphics, sound: possible.	2019-03-25
Quest (Language)	Download Run online	Parser-choice hybrid	Browser, Windows		2018-07-20
Dendry		Choice	Browser, Windows, macOS, Linux

To see all Windows authoring systems, including ones that may not be stable, you can use the search form or drilldown page.

Note: To update information about an authoring system, please go to its IFWiki page and choose "Edit with form." This list of authoring systems will be updated automatically.