How to Install Forge for Minecraft 1.8.9

Note: This procedure is for the Minecraft Launcher. If you use a different launcher or client, please consult their instructions for installing Forge. If you prefer a video or have trouble with these instructions, please see this tutorial video.

1. Go to Minecraft Forge's download site.
2. Click on "1.8" on the left side of the page and click "1.8.9".
3. The site will show two different forge versions: "Latest" and "Recommended". Under "Download Latest", please choose the appropriate installer for your OS. For Windows, choose the Windows Installer; for macOS and Linux, choose the Installer (it's the box to the bottom right of the Windows Installer).
4. A new page will open with an ad and a countdown. After the countdown finishes, a "Skip" button will appear. Click it to skip the ad and begin your download.
5. After the download finishes, run the installer.
6. Click "Ok" to start the installation. Don't change any of the options.
7. After the installation finishes, open the Minecraft Launcher.
8. You should now see a profile named "Forge" in the profile selector (it's to the right of the settings button). If you see this profile, proceed to step 10. If it's not there, go to step 9.
9. Create the Forge profile manually
   1. Go to the Installations tab of the launcher.
   2. Click "New".
   3. Enter a name for the new profile (e.g. Forge, Forge 1.8.9).
   4. For the version, choose the one starting with "release 1.8.9-forge" from the list.
   5. For the game directory, you can leave it on the default setting or choose a different folder to keep your Forge profile's data separate from your other profiles.
   6. Click "Create". There is no need to change any of the other options.
10. Do you have vanilla Minecraft 1.8.9 installed? If not, the Forge profile will not work.
    1. To install Minecraft 1.8.9, make a new profile and choose "release 1.8.9" as the version.
    2. After the profile is created, select it in the profile chooser and click "Play".
    3. Wait for the game to open. Once it does, quit the game. This ensures that Minecraft 1.8.9 was installed correctly.
11. Select the Forge profile in the profile selector and click "Play" to launch Forge.