ComfyUI Manager: Install, Open, Update, and Troubleshoot

Learn how to install ComfyUI Manager, open the Manager button, update nodes safely, and fix the most common Manager errors.

ComfyUI Manager is the plugin most users rely on to install, update, and search custom nodes inside ComfyUI.

If you searched for comfyui manager or comfyui-manager, the short answer is:

on Desktop, open the built-in Manager button after launch
on recent portable or manual installs, enable Manager in the same ComfyUI environment
on older builds, fall back to the legacy custom_nodes plugin install
open the Manager button in the ComfyUI toolbar
use it to install missing nodes, browse packages, and update plugins more safely

What ComfyUI Manager Does

ComfyUI Manager helps with four common jobs:

Task	What Manager Helps With
Install custom nodes	Search packages and install supported nodes
Update nodes	Update installed plugins from the UI
Match missing nodes	Map red or missing workflow nodes to known packages
Track plugin state	See what is installed before changing the environment

If your workflow import shows red nodes or unknown node names, Manager is often the first tool to try before manual cloning.

Quick Start

If you just want to get Manager working:

Install ComfyUI-Manager.
Restart ComfyUI.
Look for the Manager button in the toolbar.
Open it and search for the node package you need.
Restart again after installing new packages.

How to Install ComfyUI Manager

Desktop

ComfyUI Desktop already includes Manager. You usually only need to launch the app and confirm the Manager button appears in the toolbar.

Recent Windows portable package

Recent portable builds ship Manager in core. From the portable package root, install the manager requirements and launch with the manager flag:

.\python_embeded\python.exe -m pip install -r .\ComfyUI\manager_requirements.txt
.\python_embeded\python.exe -s .\ComfyUI\main.py --windows-standalone-build --enable-manager

Recent manual or Git-based install

Activate the same venv that launches ComfyUI, then run:

python -m pip install -r manager_requirements.txt
python main.py --enable-manager

Legacy plugin install

If your build still expects the older plugin-style install, use the legacy clone method:

cd ComfyUI/custom_nodes
git clone https://github.com/ltdrdata/ComfyUI-Manager.git comfyui-manager

Install requirements in the same Python environment that launches ComfyUI, then restart.

Managed launchers

Use the app's environment or plugin tooling instead of assuming python_embeded exists.

How to Open the Manager Button

After installation and restart, Manager usually appears in the ComfyUI toolbar.

If you searched how to access manager in comfyui, check these first:

Confirm the ComfyUI-Manager folder actually exists under custom_nodes.
Restart ComfyUI fully, not just the browser tab.
Read the terminal log for IMPORT FAILED or ModuleNotFoundError.
Confirm you installed Manager into the same ComfyUI environment you are launching.

If the button is still missing, the plugin probably failed to load rather than being hidden.

What to Do With Manager

Once Manager loads, the most useful actions are:

Search nodes when you know the package name
Install Missing Custom Nodes when importing a workflow
Update All only after you understand the environment risk
review installed packages before making more changes

Manager makes plugin work easier, but it does not eliminate dependency risk.

The Biggest Mistake: Treating Manager Like a Safe App Store

Manager is convenient, but custom nodes can still:

install new Python packages
change shared dependencies
pull in native binaries
conflict with other nodes
break startup on the next restart

That is why a stable workflow is:

back up the environment or workflow first
install one node or a small batch
restart
read the first real startup error before installing more

For the full safer workflow, use How to Install ComfyUI Custom Nodes Without Breaking Your Environment.

Common ComfyUI Manager Problems

Problem	Likely Cause	Best Next Step
Manager button missing	Plugin failed to load	Read startup log and confirm install path
Failed to get custom node list	Network, GitHub, or cache problem	ComfyUI Manager Failed to Get Custom Node List Fix
Red nodes after import	Missing packages or unmapped nodes	Try Install Missing Custom Nodes, then manual lookup
ComfyUI broke after node install	Dependency drift or import failure	Installed Custom Nodes and Broke ComfyUI? Recover Without Reinstalling
Manager works, but updates break things	Too many package changes at once	ComfyUI Dependency Conflicts

When Manual Install Is Better Than Manager

Use manual install when:

the package is not registered in Manager
the workflow author links directly to a GitHub repo
Manager search cannot identify the right package
you need exact control over requirements and environment

Manager is a convenience layer, not the source of truth for every plugin in the ComfyUI ecosystem.

Where This Fits in the ComfyUI Journey

If you are still installing ComfyUI itself, start with How to Install ComfyUI.

If ComfyUI is already installed and you now need plugins, Manager is usually the first next step.

If Manager is the thing that broke, stop installing more packages and start with diagnosis instead.