How to download Star Citizen (RSI Launcher 2.18.1)
Last checked , against RSI’s support articles. If a screen doesn’t match this page, go with what RSI shows.
Star Citizen downloads through the free RSI Launcher, and the one safe place to get it is RSI’s own download page. Install the launcher, sign in, choose the LIVE channel and install the game on an SSD with 150+ GB free.
- RSI Launcher
- 2.18.1 · auto-checked
- OS
- Windows 10/11 64-bit
- Storage (RSI)
- 150+ GB SSD
SafetyDownload only from robertsspaceindustries.com. RSI may ask you to sign in first.
Where to download Star Citizen safely
There is one place to download Star Citizen: RSI’s download page, robertsspaceindustries.com/download. RSI’s own install guide sends you there, and the first option on the page is the RSI Launcher, which then downloads and installs the game. The address may change to robertsspaceindustries.com/en/download as it loads; that’s the same page.
- Look-alike pages aren’t RSI. Searches for “Star Citizen download” or “RSI Launcher download” turn up spam pages and download portals that have nothing to do with RSI. Skip them, however polished they look.
- Portals list old builds. In October 2026 some download portals and package lists still offered launcher 2.13.3 or 2.15.2, several versions behind RSI’s own.
- Check the address bar. RSI’s download button and every download button on this page go to robertsspaceindustries.com. If you land on any other domain, close the tab.
- We never host the installer. This site doesn’t host, mirror or link the installer file. Our buttons open RSI’s page, so you always get the current launcher straight from RSI.
How to download Star Citizen on PC
These steps follow RSI’s support article Install the RSI Star Citizen Launcher (updated July 27, 2026). The launcher itself is a quick download; the game is the big one.
Sign in to RSI, or create a free RSI account (opens RSI in a new tab). It’s the account you’ll play on, and the handle you pick is your name in the game. Turn on two-step authentication in its security settings.
Click the light-blue DOWNLOAD button at the top right of RSI’s site, just to the left of your account icon. It opens RSI’s download page.
Download and run the installer. The first option on the page is the RSI Launcher. Run the file it gives you, named RSI Launcher-Setup-2.18.1.exe, and follow its prompts.
Sign in to the launcher with your RSI email address (or Login ID) and password. If you’ve set up two-step authentication, enter your code and choose how long the launcher stays signed in.
Pick Star Citizen on the LIVE channel and click Install. LIVE is the normal game. Skip PTU, EPTU and Tech Preview (see LIVE or PTU).
Choose a folder on your SSD. RSI’s default install location is under C:\Program Files\Roberts Space Industries\StarCitizen. If that drive isn’t an SSD with 150+ GB free, pick a folder on one that is, then leave the download running.
After the install
When the download finishes, start the game from the launcher. Our beginner’s guide covers what to do after your first launch, from choosing a home city to your first landing. If a Free Fly is on, the home page has the steps for playing free during a Free Fly.
What’s the latest RSI Launcher version?
The current RSI Launcher is 2.18.1. This site checks RSI’s launcher update feed automatically every 6 hours and changes this number when RSI releases a new version.
Recent launcher versions have arrived every three to four weeks. Once installed, the launcher updates itself, so you won’t need to download a new installer for each version.
| Version | Release notes | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2.18.1 | RSI Launcher 2.18 release notes | Notes posted |
| 2.17.0 | RSI Launcher 2.17 release notes | Notes posted |
| 2.16.0 | RSI Launcher 2.16 release notes | Notes posted |
How many GB is Star Citizen?
RSI doesn’t publish a download size. What its system requirements do say, as of October 2026, is “150+ GB SSD required”, so plan for at least 150 GB of free space on an SSD.
- Free space (RSI)
- 150+ GB SSD
- Download (fan est.)
- ~80–120 GB
- Installed (fan est.)
- ~100–130+ GB
The only figures for the game itself come from a fan site, StarCitizenHelp (updated September 27, 2026): about 80–120 GB to download and 100–130+ GB on disk once installed. Treat them as a rough guide: they aren’t RSI’s numbers, and we haven’t measured a fresh install ourselves.
How long does Star Citizen take to download?
At full line speed, the fan-estimated 80–120 GB download takes 11–16 minutes on a 1 Gbps connection and about 3½ to 5½ hours at 50 Mbps. Real downloads are slower, so on a slow line, leave it running overnight.
Theoretical best case at full line speed; real downloads are slower
| Line speed | 80 GB (fan estimate) | 120 GB (fan estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Mbps | 7 h 7 m | 10 h 40 m |
| 50 Mbps | 3 h 33 m | 5 h 20 m |
| 100 Mbps | 1 h 47 m | 2 h 40 m |
| 300 Mbps | 36 m | 53 m |
| 500 Mbps | 21 m | 32 m |
| 1 Gbps | 11 m | 16 m |
How we worked it out
Time = size × 8 ÷ line speed, with 1 GB = 109 bytes and 1 Mbps = 106 bits a second, rounded to the nearest minute. It assumes your connection holds its full rated speed for the whole download.
Downloading Star Citizen for a Free Fly
The download is the same during a Free Fly event: same page, same launcher, same steps. What changes is that anyone with a free RSI account can play until the event ends, without a Game Package. In CIG’s words for the IAE 2955 Free Fly: “Even if you don’t have a Star Citizen Game Package, you can try it for free…”
You can create your account and install the launcher at any time, so do both before an event opens. It isn’t confirmed whether a free account can download the game files before a Free Fly starts, so leave time for a large download once it opens.
Check each event before you plan around it. Not every Free Fly lets new accounts in: Ship Showdown 2956 (August 26 to September 2, 2026) was for existing backers only. Start times can slip, too. DefenseCon 2956’s Free Fly was due to open on May 14, 2026, but opened on May 18 because of performance issues. Our schedule shows when the next Free Fly is expected.
Quick answers free to download, SSD, PC, PTU, Steam and launcher errors
Is Star Citizen free to download?
The RSI Launcher and the account are free. To play outside a Free Fly you need a Game Package, a one-time purchase that includes a copy of the game and a ship. RSI’s install article puts it plainly: “In order to enjoy Star Citizen today, you’ll need a Game Package.” During a Free Fly that’s open to new players, anyone with a free account can play until the event ends. Whether a free account can download the game files outside a Free Fly isn’t confirmed.
Do I need an SSD?
Yes. RSI lists “150+ GB SSD required” in both its minimum and recommended specs, so it’s a requirement, not a suggestion. RSI’s Game and Launcher Requirements article also recommends an NTFS-formatted drive and at least 10 GB of extra SSD space for the Windows pagefile.
Will my PC run it?
- OS
- Windows 10/11 64-bit
- RAM
- 16 GB
- Storage
- 150+ GB SSD
Those are three of RSI’s minimums. The CPU, graphics card and recommended specs are on our page with the full Star Citizen system requirements. There’s no Mac or Linux version: RSI says, “We do not currently support Linux or macOS Operating Systems.”
LIVE or PTU: which should I install?
Pick LIVE. PTU is the Public Test Universe, used to test upcoming patches.
Is Star Citizen on Steam or the Epic Games Store?
No. Star Citizen installs through RSI’s own launcher, which you get from robertsspaceindustries.com/download, and RSI’s install guide doesn’t mention Steam, the Epic Games Store or any other store. CIG’s only Steam page is for Squadron 42, its separate single-player game, which that page lists as planned for Q2 2027 (as of October 2026).
Download slow, stuck or showing an error?
Start with RSI’s Troubleshoot the RSI Launcher article (updated August 19, 2026). It covers problems while installing, updating and launching, common errors, clearing the launcher’s cache, storage, login and connection issues, and links to RSI’s detailed fixes. If that doesn’t solve it, open a ticket with RSI Support. We don’t publish fixes of our own, because the right one depends on the exact error the launcher shows.
Sources
This page is written in our own words from these pages, checked on October 18, 2026 unless a note says otherwise.
RSI support articles
- Install the RSI Star Citizen Launcher (updated July 27, 2026: download button, install steps, install location, Game Package)
- Game and Launcher Requirements (updated Dec 17, 2025: 64-bit Windows, SSD, NTFS, pagefile)
- Minimum System Requirements (updated Sep 23, 2026: 16 GB RAM, 150+ GB SSD)
- Troubleshoot the RSI Launcher (updated Aug 19, 2026)
Free Fly
- Comm-Link 20861, IAE 2955 (text mirror: playing without a Game Package during a Free Fly)
- Comm-Link 21296, This Week in Star Citizen (text mirror, Aug 24, 2026, checked Oct 19, 2026: Ship Showdown 2956 for existing backers only)
- Drake DefenseCon 2956 (Star Citizen Wiki: the delayed May 2026 start)
Steam
- Squadron 42 on Steam (checked Oct 19, 2026: CIG’s single-player game, planned release date Q2 2027)
Fan estimate
- StarCitizenHelp: system requirements (updated Sep 27, 2026: the 80–120 GB download and 100–130+ GB installed estimates; not RSI figures)