How to Install Oracle Database 23ai on Windows Step by Step

Oracle Database 23ai is the latest release that brings advanced features for developers and database administrators. This tutorial walks you through downloading, installing, and configuring Oracle Database 23ai on a Windows system. You will also learn how to connect with SQL*Plus, verify containers, and create your first user.

Step 1: Download Oracle Database 23ai for Windows

Go to the official Oracle website:

Download Oracle Database 23ai Free

Choose the Windows version. The installer will download as a file named:

WINDOWS.X64_239000_free.zip

Save it to your local system.

Step 2: Run the Installer

1. Extract the downloaded .zip file into a folder.
2. Open the folder and double-click setup.exe.
3. The installation wizard will open. Click Next to continue.
4. The default installation path appears as:

C:\app\pc\product\23ai

If you prefer another drive, such as D:, change the path accordingly:

D:\app\pc\product\23ai

You do not need to create this folder manually; the installer will create all required directories.

Step 3: Install Oracle Database 23ai

Click Next to begin installation. The installer will set up the database and display the final confirmation screen once complete. This screen also shows details of the default pluggable database:

• Database Name: FREE
• Default PDB: FREEPDB1
• Port: 1521

Click Finish to close the installer. Oracle Database 23ai is now installed.

Step 4: Start SQL*Plus

To connect to the database:

1. Open the Windows Start menu.
2. Locate and launch SQL*Plus.

The console will prompt you for a username and password.

Step 5: Connect to Oracle Database 23ai

To connect to the pluggable database (PDB) FREEPDB1, use:

sys@localhost:1521/FREEPDB1 as sysdba

To connect to the container database (CDB) FREE, use:

sys@localhost:1521/FREE as sysdba

Once connected, run:

SHOW CON_NAME;

This command displays the current container. If it shows CDB$ROOT, you are in the container database. To work with users, switch to the PDB.

Below is the image for your reference:

Step 6: Switch to the Pluggable Database

Run the following command to switch:

ALTER SESSION SET CONTAINER = FREEPDB1;

Verify with:

SHOW CON_NAME;

Now it should display FREEPDB1.

Step 7: Create Your First User

Inside the PDB, create a new user with proper privileges:

CREATE USER test_user IDENTIFIED BY StrongPass123;
GRANT CREATE SESSION TO test_user;
GRANT CONNECT, RESOURCE TO test_user;

Step 8: Connect with the New User

1. Disconnect the current session:

disc

2. Reconnect with the new credentials:

conn test_user/StrongPass123@localhost:1521/freepdb1

You are now connected as test_user.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed Oracle Database 23ai on Windows, connected with SQL*Plus, and created your first user inside the pluggable database. This environment is ready for experimenting with SQL, PL/SQL, and advanced 23ai features.

In upcoming tutorials, you will explore administration tasks, performance tuning, and new features like JSON data handling, vector search, and zone maps.

See also: Installing Oracle SQL Developer Version 24 on Windows