# Setting Environment Variables

## Table of Contents

- [What is an environment variable?](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/computer_configuration/setting_environment_variables.html#Setting-Environment-Variables-Step1)
- [Where can environment variables be used?](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/computer_configuration/setting_environment_variables.html#Setting-Environment-Variables-Step2)
- [How to configure an environment variable?](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/computer_configuration/setting_environment_variables.html#Setting-Environment-Variables-Step3)

## What is an environment variable?

An environment variable refers to a value that is established within a software or operating system environment, and can be accessed by applications running in the same environment. Environment variables are widely used by various programs to configure themselves and communicate with other applications as they contain crucial details about the software and hardware configurations of the operating system. The significance of environment variables lies in their ability to modify the functionalities of applications and services in a specific environment, tailored to the user's requirements, making them crucial for system configuration.

## Where can environment variables be used?

The most common usage of environment variable is when you want to set up different configuration options specific to each environment. They help you configure the third party services depending on the environment they are hosted by changing the API key, endpoint and so on.

## How to configure an environment variable?

![Environment variable configuration](https://www.manageengine.com/products/desktop-central/help/images/environment-variable-user.png)

1. In Endpoint Central Console, navigate to **Configurations tab --> Add Configurations --> Configurations --> Windows**
2. Select **Environment variables** and choose **Computer**
3. Specify the name and description for the configuration
4. In the **Configure Environment variable** parameter, click to add environment variable
5. In the **Add environment variable** criteria:

   - Add the environment variable that needs to be modified or deleted
   - Enter the value that has to be stored in the environment variable
   - Define the target
   - Specify retry options if required and deploy the configuration
   - You can also enable notifications to receive emails based on the specified frequency
   - Click on the **Deploy** button to deploy the configuration in all the target machines
   - To save the configuration as draft, click **Save as**

You have successfully configured an environment variable for Windows machines.