XMRig for Windows
Plain-English reference for XMRig, the open source CPU and GPU mining program: what it does, how Windows users set it up, how configuration works, and where the official releases come from.
What XMRig actually is
XMRig is a command-line program that turns spare processor cycles into hash calculations for proof-of-work coins. It has no installer, no dashboard and no background service: you unpack a folder, point it at a mining pool, and watch a scrolling log. Most people meet it through RandomX (Monero), but the same binary also handles KawPow, CryptoNight variants and GhostRider.
The project is open source and maintained publicly. This site is an independent guide written for people running it on a Windows desktop — it explains the parts that the terse release notes leave out, and always points back to the project's own repository for the files themselves.
Windows support in short
Official Windows builds are 64-bit and run on Windows 10 and Windows 11, as well as on Windows Server editions of the same generation. There is no 32-bit build worth using, and nothing to install into Program Files — the archive expands into a folder you choose.
| Item | What Windows users need |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 or Windows 11, 64-bit |
| Processor | Any x86-64 CPU; RandomX benefits strongly from large caches |
| Memory | 2.5 GB of free RAM per RandomX thread in fast mode |
| Privileges | Administrator rights only for enabling large pages and MSR tweaks |
| Files | The executable plus an editable config.json |
The Windows page covers each of these in detail, including the permission prompts you will see the first time you launch the miner.
From download to first run
- Get the archive from the project's own release page and check the file against the published checksum — the download guide walks through both steps.
- Expand it into a folder you own, for example
C:\Mining\xmrig, not into a temporary directory. - Open
config.jsonin a text editor and enter your pool address, port and wallet or worker name. - Start the executable from a command prompt so you can read the output instead of losing it when a window closes.
- Let it run for a few minutes: early hashrate numbers are meaningless until the dataset is allocated and the CPU settles.
Words you will see in the log
- Hashrate
- Calculations per second, printed as 10-second, 60-second and 15-minute averages. Use the longest one.
- Share
- A result that met the pool's difficulty target. Accepted shares are how a pool measures your contribution.
- Difficulty
- How hard a share is to find. Pools raise it as your hashrate grows, so share frequency drops while credit stays the same.
- Dataset
- The ~2 GB RandomX structure held in RAM in fast mode. Light mode uses far less memory and is far slower.
- Large pages
- A Windows memory feature that lets the dataset sit in fewer, bigger memory pages. It usually gives the single largest speed gain.
Where the software comes from
Mining software is a favourite disguise for malware, so provenance matters more here than for ordinary utilities. Binaries published by the XMRig project live in one place, and every release carries a checksum you can verify locally. Anything offered as an "installer", a "pro edition" or a bundled setup executable did not come from the project. The repository page explains how to recognise the genuine source, and our security guide covers why antivirus tools flag miners and how to judge those warnings.
Common questions
What is XMRig?
An open source, command-line mining program for CPUs and GPUs, best known for RandomX mining on ordinary desktop processors.
Is XMRig available for Windows?
Yes. The project publishes 64-bit Windows builds alongside Linux, macOS and FreeBSD versions.
Does it need to be installed?
No. It is a portable archive: unpack it, edit the configuration file, run the executable.
Is this the official XMRig website?
No. xmrigsoftware.com is an independent informational resource. Downloads and source code belong to the XMRig project itself.