A crossbow winch was a mechanical device used by crossbowmen to assist in drawing the string of a crossbow, making it easier to cock the weapon. Crossbows had a much higher draw weight than bows. Therefore, they required significantly more force to pull the string back into the cocked position. The winch, often a hand-cranked mechanism, was used to generate the necessary force.

The winch typically consisted of a drum or spool, onto which a cord or rope was wound. The user attached one end of the rope to the string of the crossbow and then used the winch to turn the drum, gradually pulling the string back. This process allowed the crossbow to be cocked with much less physical effort than drawing the string by hand.

Winches were commonly used by soldiers and crossbowmen in warfare, especially when the draw weight of the crossbows was large enough to make manual drawing impractical.

These devices varied in design but were typically made from wood and metal, with some featuring a ratchet to prevent the string from slipping back once the crossbow was cocked. The winch made crossbows more effective and allowed them to be used in battle with greater efficiency.