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ComfyUI Tutorial · Updated August 2026

Where Is "Install Missing Custom Nodes" in ComfyUI Manager?

The exact button location, plus fixes for the security level error, the new "Missing Node Packs" pip install screen, and a missing Manager button after ComfyUI's 2026 UI change.

By Earngenix Team13 min read
ComfyUI red missing node error — node with red border showing the custom plugin is not installed

A red-bordered box on your ComfyUI canvas is called a node — a single block that does one job in a workflow, like loading a model or running a sampler. When a node turns red, ComfyUI is telling you it can't find the custom plugin that node needs. This guide shows you exactly where the fix button is, and what to do when the usual fix doesn't apply to your setup.

⚡ Quick Answer

The "Install Missing Custom Nodes" button lives on the main panel of ComfyUI Manager — open Manager, load the workflow with red nodes first, then click the button. It auto-detects and installs everything the workflow needs. Restart ComfyUI after it finishes.

Don't see a Manager button at all, or see a different error instead? Jump to Which ComfyUI Manager Do You Have? below — the fix depends on which version you're running.

Already know your Manager version? Jump straight to the pip install fix, security level fix, or server config / missing Manager button fix.

What Are Red Nodes in ComfyUI?

When you load a workflow, ComfyUI checks your ComfyUI/custom_nodes folder for each plugin the workflow needs. Any it can't find gets marked red, and the workflow won't run until every red node is resolved.

The four most common causes are:

  • The custom node plugin was never installed in your custom_nodes folder
  • The plugin is installed but outdated — incompatible with the current ComfyUI version
  • ComfyUI itself is outdated and doesn't support a newer node type
  • The plugin was installed in the wrong folder (not inside custom_nodes)
💡 Tip: Before installing anything, try updating ComfyUI first. Outdated ComfyUI causes many red node errors that an update alone will fix — no new installs needed.

What You Need Before You Start

Every method in this guide assumes these are already in place. Check this list first — most "it's not working" cases trace back to one of these being missing.

  • ComfyUI installed and able to launch — Portable, Desktop, or manual install all work.
  • ComfyUI Manager installed — either the classic custom_nodes-based version or the newer pip-based version. If you don't have either yet, see the ComfyUI Manager installation guide.
  • Git installed — only needed for Method 2 (manual GitHub clone) and Method 3 (Install via Git URL). Not required for the main "Install Missing Custom Nodes" button.
  • A stable internet connection — node installs and dependency downloads can be several hundred MB per node.
⚠️ Warning: Trying Method 2 or 3 without Git installed is one of the most common reasons those steps silently fail at the git clone command. Install Git first if you're not sure you have it — running git --version in a terminal will tell you.

Which ComfyUI Manager Do You Have?

ComfyUI now ships two different Manager experiences depending on when you installed it and which build you're running. Find your situation below and jump straight to the right fix — this saves you from working through steps meant for a different version.

You see a Manager button and a familiar panel with "Install Missing Custom Nodes" on it → you're on the classic Manager. Go to Where Is the Install Button? below.
You see a popup saying "Missing Node Packs" and it tells you to run a pip install command → you're on the newer, officially-integrated Manager. Go to Fix: "Missing Node Packs" below.
You don't see any Manager button at all, or it disappeared after an update → Manager isn't gone, it's just running the new interface by default. Go to Fix: Missing Manager Button below.
💡 Tip: Not sure which situation matches? Open ComfyUI and check the top toolbar first — if there's any button labeled "Manager" or a puzzle-piece icon, start with the classic Manager section. If in doubt, the classic Manager section also explains what to do if the button isn't where it says.

Where Is the "Install Missing Custom Nodes" Button?

This is the fastest method, and the one most people are looking for. ComfyUI Manager scans your loaded workflow and installs everything it's missing automatically — no command line needed.

Where Is the Install Missing Custom Nodes Button?

✅ Fastest

Load your workflow in ComfyUI.

Open the workflow with the red nodes so ComfyUI Manager knows which nodes to look for.

Click "Manager" in the ComfyUI interface.

The Manager button is in the main ComfyUI panel. Clicking it opens the Manager window.

ComfyUI Manager panel — main interface showing the "Install Missing Custom Nodes" button location
The ComfyUI Manager panel. The "Install Missing Custom Nodes" button is visible on the main panel.

"Install Missing Custom Nodes" — click it.

The Manager scans the currently loaded workflow, detects every missing node, and installs them all. Wait for it to finish.

ComfyUI Manager — "Install Missing Custom Nodes" button that auto-detects and installs all nodes required by the current workflow
"Install Missing Custom Nodes" scans your loaded workflow and installs everything it needs in one go.

Restart ComfyUI.

Stop and restart the ComfyUI server. New nodes only load on restart — if you skip this, the nodes will still appear red.

⚠️ Warning: Forgetting to restart is the most common reason nodes are still red after a successful install. Always do a full server restart — not just a browser refresh.

Search and Install a Specific Node by Name

Use this when you know the name of the node you need but want to search for it manually rather than using the auto-detect option.

Open Manager → "Custom Node Manager".

From the main Manager panel, click Custom Node Manager to browse and search available nodes.

ComfyUI Custom Node Manager — browse and search available custom nodes to install
Custom Node Manager lets you search by name across all nodes in the registry.

Search for the node name.

Type the name of the missing node or plugin in the search bar.

ComfyUI Manager search — searching for a specific custom node by name
Search for the node name. Most popular nodes appear here.

Click Install → restart ComfyUI.

Click Install next to the result. After it completes, restart the ComfyUI server.

ComfyUI Manager — clicking the Install button for a custom node
Click Install next to the node, then do a full restart.

Fix: "Missing Node Packs" — pip install -U --pre comfyui-manager

Message: "This workflow uses custom nodes you haven't installed yet. To install missing nodes, first run pip install -U --pre comfyui-manager in your Python environment to install Node Manager, then restart ComfyUI with the --enable-manager flag."

This message shows up on ComfyUI's newer, officially-integrated Manager — since it was folded into Comfy.Org's own codebase, it installs as a separate pip package instead of a plugin sitting in custom_nodes. If you see this exact popup instead of individual red nodes, it means that pip package isn't installed yet.

How to fix it (Portable builds)

Open a terminal in your ComfyUI_windows_portable folder.

Click the address bar in Windows Explorer, type "cmd", and press Enter.

Run the pip install command.

Paste the command ComfyUI showed you, using the embedded Python interpreter:

.\python_embeded\python.exe -s -m pip install -U --pre comfyui-manager

Add --enable-manager to your launch file.

Right-click run_nvidia_gpu.bat → Edit, add --enable-manager to the end of the launch line, then save.

Restart ComfyUI using that .bat file.

Reload your workflow. The "Missing Node Packs" list becomes an install screen instead of a blocking error.

⚠️ Warning: The new Manager UI isn't a full feature match for the older one yet — things like restarting ComfyUI itself or downloading models still live in the legacy version for some setups. If a step later in this guide references a Manager feature you can't find, see Fix: Missing Manager Button to switch to the legacy Manager UI.

Desktop builds with auto-updates typically install this for you automatically. If that's your setup and you're still seeing the error, updating ComfyUI Desktop to the latest version usually resolves it.

Fix: "This Action Is Not Allowed With This Security Level Configuration"

Error: "This action is not allowed with this security level configuration."

This error appears when you try to use Install via Git URL in ComfyUI Manager. The Manager's default security level blocks Git URL installs. You need to temporarily change it to weak to allow the installation.

How to change the security level (step by step)

Navigate to the Manager config folder.

Go to ComfyUI_windows_portable\ComfyUI\user\__manager in Windows Explorer. Your startup log also prints the exact config path if this folder doesn't exist on your setup.

ComfyUI Manager config folder — location of the config file for changing the security level setting
Open the __manager folder. The config file is inside it.

Open the config file in Notepad.

Right-click the file named config (or config.ini on older Manager versions) and open it with Notepad.

Change the security_level line.

Find security_level = and change it to:

security_level = weak
ComfyUI Manager config file — security_level changed to weak to allow Git URL installs
Change security_level to "weak". Save the file.

Save → restart ComfyUI → complete the install.

Save the config file, restart ComfyUI, then go back to Manager and use Install via Git URL. Wait for the install to finish.

Change security_level back immediately.

Open the config file again and set it back to security_level = normal. Don't leave it on weak.

⚠️ Warning: Only use security_level = weak for the duration of a single trusted install. Change it back to normal as soon as the installation is done. Running weak security long-term increases your risk from malicious custom nodes. Valid values are weak, normal-, normal, and strong — "medium" and "high" aren't real settings and will be ignored if you type them. See the Comfy-Org/ComfyUI-Manager repository for the current full list of security policy changes.
💡 Tip: If changing the security level to weak still doesn't work, try Method 2 (manual git clone) instead — it bypasses the Manager security system entirely.
💡 Tip: Can't find a config file at all? Search your ComfyUI folder for config.ini, or reinstall ComfyUI-Manager if it genuinely isn't there. On cloud/JupyterLab environments, edit it from the built-in terminal instead of Windows Explorer.

Fix: Missing Manager Button — Restore the Legacy Manager UI

ComfyUI Manager has not been removed or disabled. As of ComfyUI's newer builds, Manager is now built directly into ComfyUI core and runs a new, lighter interface by default — which doesn't look or work like the classic Manager panel this guide's screenshots show. The classic panel still exists; it's called the Legacy Manager UI and has to be switched on.

One thing that trips people up: if you check your startup log, you'll often already see --enable-manager present, which looks like Manager is fully configured. It is enabled — but that flag alone gives you the new UI, not the legacy one. The steps below are different depending on whether you're on ComfyUI Desktop or a Portable/manual install.

ComfyUI Desktop users

Launch ComfyUI Desktop.

Open your ComfyUI Desktop app as usual.

Click the gear icon → Server Settings → UI Settings.

Look for the option labeled "Use legacy manager interface."

ComfyUI Desktop — Server Settings → UI Settings showing the "Use legacy manager interface" toggle
Server Settings → UI Settings → "Use legacy manager interface" (Desktop).

Enable the toggle and restart ComfyUI.

The classic Manager panel — the one with Install Missing Custom Nodes on it — comes back after restart.

💡 Tip: Prefer editing startup arguments directly? Click ComfyUI at the top center of the window → Startup Args, and change --enable-manager to --enable-manager --enable-manager-legacy-ui, then restart. Same result as the toggle above.

Portable and manual-install users

There's no settings toggle for these builds — you add the flag directly to the command that launches ComfyUI.

Find your launch command or .bat file.

Portable builds usually launch via a file like run_nvidia_gpu.bat; manual installs run python main.py directly.

Add --enable-manager-legacy-ui after --enable-manager.

This flag requires --enable-manager to already be present — it switches which UI Manager loads, not whether Manager runs at all.

python main.py --enable-manager --enable-manager-legacy-ui

Save and restart ComfyUI.

The classic Manager panel loads instead of the new lighter interface.

⚠️ Warning: Switching to the legacy UI this way only works on pip-based installations of Manager (the built-in, core version this guide covers). If you installed Manager the older way — as a plugin sitting inside custom_nodes — that version doesn't have a "new UI" to switch away from; you already have the classic panel by default.

Full reference for every Manager command-line flag, including --disable-manager-ui, is in the official ComfyUI-Manager installation docs.

💡 Tip: If you genuinely never had ComfyUI Manager installed at all — no button, no popup, nothing, and no --enable-manager in your log — start with the ComfyUI Manager installation guide instead — this section only applies if Manager is installed but running the new interface.

Method 2 — Install a Missing Node Manually from GitHub

Use this when a node doesn't appear in the Manager registry, or when you prefer to clone it directly. You'll need Git installed on your system (see What You Need Before You Start above).

Not sure which GitHub link to use? Check the workflow description — most workflow creators include the required node links there. If not, search GitHub with the node name plus "ComfyUI".

Manual GitHub Clone

Open the node's GitHub repository page.

Navigate to the GitHub repo for the custom node you need.

Custom node GitHub repository page — example of a ComfyUI custom node repo
Go to the GitHub repo page for the node you want to install.

Click Code → copy the HTTPS URL.

Click the green Code button, then click the copy icon next to the HTTPS URL.

GitHub Code button showing the HTTPS URL dropdown to copy for git clone
Click Code and copy the HTTPS URL.

Navigate to your custom_nodes folder.

In Windows Explorer, go to ComfyUI_windows_portable\ComfyUI\custom_nodes.

ComfyUI custom_nodes folder in Windows Explorer — the correct install location
Navigate to the ComfyUI/custom_nodes folder. This is where node repos must go.

Open a terminal in that folder.

Click the address bar in Windows Explorer, type "cmd", and press Enter.

Run the git clone command.

Paste this command, replacing the URL with the one you copied:

git clone https://github.com/lquesada/ComfyUI-Inpaint-CropAndStitch
Terminal running git clone command inside ComfyUI custom_nodes folder
Run git clone inside the custom_nodes folder. The node folder will appear there when it's done.

Restart ComfyUI.

Stop and restart the server. The cloned node will load on restart.

Install Python requirements (if the node needs them)

Some nodes need extra Python packages. Check the node's GitHub README — if it mentions a requirements.txt, run this:

Open the cloned node's folder inside custom_nodes.

Windows Explorer address bar — typing cmd to open terminal in the custom node folder
Type "cmd" in the address bar of the node folder to open a terminal there.

Type cmd in the address bar and press Enter.

Run the pip install command:

..\..\..\.\python_embeded\python.exe -m pip install -r requirements.txt
Terminal running pip install requirements.txt for a ComfyUI custom node
Run pip install inside the node's folder to install Python dependencies.
⚠️ Warning: Always clone into ComfyUI/custom_nodes — not the root ComfyUI folder or anywhere else. Wrong folder placement is one of the most common install mistakes, and the node will never load if it's in the wrong place.

Method 3 — Install via Git URL in ComfyUI Manager

ComfyUI Manager can install a node directly from a GitHub URL without using the command line. It's easier than Method 2 for most people — paste the URL and the Manager clones it for you.

Note: this method requires the security level fix above if you see the "not allowed" error. Once that's resolved, the process is straightforward.

Install via Git URL

Open ComfyUI Manager → Custom Node Manager → click "Install via Git URL".

Paste the GitHub repository URL for the node you want to install.

Click Install. Wait for completion, then restart ComfyUI.

ComfyUI Manager — "Install via Git URL" option for installing nodes from a GitHub repo URL
"Install via Git URL" does the same as manual git clone but without opening a terminal.
💡 Tip: If you see the security level error when using this option, follow the fix in the section above.

Custom Nodes Still Red After Installing and Restarting?

You installed the node, restarted ComfyUI, and the node is still red. This is frustrating — but it's almost always one of five causes, and they're all fixable.

You restarted the browser, not the server

This is the most common cause. Refreshing the ComfyUI browser tab does nothing. You need to stop the ComfyUI server process and start it again — the actual Python server, not just the browser page.

The node folder is in the wrong location

The node folder must be inside ComfyUI/custom_nodes — not in the root ComfyUI folder, not in ComfyUI_windows_portable, and not anywhere else. If you cloned it to the wrong place, move it to custom_nodes and restart again.

Python dependency errors

The node installed but its Python packages didn't. Check your ComfyUI terminal window for red error text after startup. If you see import errors for a node, navigate to that node's folder in custom_nodes, open a terminal there, and run the requirements.txt pip install command shown in Method 2.

ComfyUI or the node is outdated

A version mismatch between ComfyUI and the installed node causes red nodes even when everything is in the right place. Update ComfyUI and click "Update All" in ComfyUI Manager — the steps for this are in the next section.

Error: "A node type is missing or unavailable. The workflow may be corrupted or require a custom node."

This message comes from ComfyUI's core, not from Manager — it appears when the workflow JSON references a node class ComfyUI's registry doesn't currently recognize, even if a folder with that node's name exists in custom_nodes. It usually means the node failed to import at startup. Check your ComfyUI startup log for an IMPORT FAILED line near that node's folder name — that tells you which dependency or version mismatch is actually blocking it, rather than a plain "missing" install.

For a full list of startup errors and how to fix them, see the ComfyUI troubleshooting guide.

Update ComfyUI to Prevent Red Nodes

Many red node errors aren't missing nodes at all — they're version mismatches. If a custom node was written for a newer version of ComfyUI than you're running, it will show red even if it's installed correctly. Keeping everything updated prevents most of these.

Run the update file.

Go to ComfyUI_windows_portable\update and double-click update_comfyui.

ComfyUI update folder — showing the update_comfyui file to run
Run update_comfyui to get the latest ComfyUI version.

Start ComfyUI and switch to the latest version.

Open ComfyUI Manager and use "Switch ComfyUI" to select the latest available version.

ComfyUI Manager — Switch ComfyUI option to activate the latest version
Use "Switch ComfyUI" to make sure you are running the latest version.

Click "Update All" in Manager.

This updates every installed custom node to its latest version, resolving most compatibility-related red node errors in one go.

ComfyUI Manager — "Update All" button to update all installed custom nodes at once
"Update All" updates every custom node to its latest version — do this before trying to reinstall anything.

Restart ComfyUI.

After updating, restart the server. Then reload your workflow. If any nodes are still red, use "Install Missing Custom Nodes" to catch anything that was missed.

💡 Tip: Run "Update All" in ComfyUI Manager once a week. It takes 30 seconds and prevents most red node errors before they happen.

If you're setting up ComfyUI for the first time, start with the full ComfyUI installation guide before coming back to this page. And if you'd rather automate the "check for updates every week" habit, the ComfyUI update guide covers that in more detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

The button is on the main ComfyUI Manager panel — the first screen you see when you open the Manager. Load your workflow first so the Manager knows which nodes to look for, then click the button. It scans the loaded workflow and installs all missing nodes automatically. After it finishes, restart the ComfyUI server.

This message comes from ComfyUI's newer, officially-integrated Manager, installed as a pip package instead of a custom_nodes plugin. Run the pip install command it shows against your ComfyUI Python environment, add --enable-manager to your launch command or .bat file, and restart. If you already have a Manager button in your toolbar, you're on the older Manager and don't need this step.

This error blocks Git URL installs. To fix it: navigate to ComfyUI_windows_portable/ComfyUI/user/__manager/config, open the config file in Notepad, find the security_level line, and change it to: security_level = weak. Save the file, restart ComfyUI, complete the install, then change the security level back to normal immediately after. "Medium" and "high" are not valid values.

Manager hasn't been removed — newer ComfyUI builds run a lighter interface by default instead of the classic panel. On Desktop, go to the gear icon → Server Settings → UI Settings and enable 'Use legacy manager interface,' then restart. On Portable or manual installs, add --enable-manager-legacy-ui after --enable-manager in your launch command or .bat file, then restart. Either way, the classic Manager panel comes back.

The most common cause is that the node folder is in the wrong location — it must be inside ComfyUI/custom_nodes, not anywhere else. The second most common cause is missing Python dependencies. Check your ComfyUI terminal for import errors after startup, and run the pip install requirements.txt command for the affected node. If the location is correct and dependencies are installed, update ComfyUI and all custom nodes using Manager's Update All button.

If a node doesn't appear in Manager search results, install it manually. Go to the node's GitHub page, click Code and copy the HTTPS URL. Navigate to ComfyUI/custom_nodes, open a terminal there (type cmd in the Windows Explorer address bar), and run: git clone [paste URL]. Restart ComfyUI after cloning. Alternatively, use Manager's Install via Git URL option — it does the same thing without opening a terminal.

No — change it back immediately after your install. Open the config file and set security_level = normal. Weak security means ComfyUI Manager won't filter potentially dangerous custom nodes. Only use it temporarily for a single trusted install, then restore it.

Load the workflow, open ComfyUI Manager, and click "Install Missing Custom Nodes." This auto-detects every node the workflow needs and installs them all at once. Restart ComfyUI after installation. If any nodes are still red, they may not be in the Manager registry — use the manual GitHub clone method for those specific nodes.

What to do next

Open ComfyUI Manager right now and click "Update All" — this takes 30 seconds and clears most red node problems before they start. Then load your workflow and use "Install Missing Custom Nodes" for anything that's still red.

If you're still getting stuck with ComfyUI setup, the ComfyUI learning roadmap walks through every step in order — from installation through to running advanced workflows.

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