Redis can be run natively on Windows 8.1 (and earlier versions) using an unsupported port of Redis 3.2.1 for Windows, developed by MSOpenTech. This version has some drawbacks and is no longer officially supported, but it may work for development purposes only. To install and run Redis, download the .msi file or follow alternative steps to install via a .zip file, adding the path of your Redis folder as an environment variable and installing it as a Windows Service. After installation, secure your Redis by specifying a password and network addresses, and connect to it using the redis-cli.exe file.