Darktable (stylized as darktable) is a free and open-source photography application and raw developer. Rather than being a raster graphics editor like Adobe Photoshop or GIMP, it comprises a subset of image editing operations specifically aimed at non-destructive raw image post-production. It is primarily focused on improving a photographer's workflow by facilitating the handling of large numbers of images. It is freely available in versions tailored for most major Linux distributions, macOS, Solaris and Windows and is released under the GPL-3.0-or-later software license.
Darktable involves the concept of non-destructive editing, similar to that of some other raw manipulation software. Rather than being immediately applied to raster data of the image, the program keeps the original image data until final rendering at the exporting stage — while parameter adjustments made by a user display in real-time. The program features built-in ICC profiles, GPU acceleration (based on OpenCL), and supports most common image formats.
What is darktable?
darktable by darktable team is open-source Windows software in the photo management category. It ranks 3rd by popularity among photo management in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2009. It is written in C and Lua. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux, macOS, Solaris and BSD.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (Inno Setup) installers for 64-bit Windows. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 5.6.2, released on October 4, 2026. The version history goes back to December 24, 2017: 36 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 4.1 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 85,660 times. The source code on GitHub (darktable-org/darktable) has 13,307 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 21 of our languages. On Windows it registers 36 file types, including .ppm, .pgm, .jp2, .pbm and .hdr. Similar programs include paint.net, Kodi and Image Resizer for Windows.
Project description on GitHub: “darktable is an open source photography workflow application and raw developer”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Updated in the last two months
- Opens 36 file types
- Also runs on Linux, macOS and Solaris
- Large user base
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: darktable is an open-source photo management tool for 64-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Screenshots
Is darktable safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
7F7A1EABCD0A1B548DCFACAC842C8203FC85A4175697FB09F90BB891C8931EDD· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the darktable-org/darktable repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- No dangerous workflows10
- Actively maintained10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Licence declared10
- Published packages10
- Code review7
- Signed releases6
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge2
- Restricted token permissions0
- Security policy0
- Fuzzing0
- Pinned dependencies0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 36 versions ›36 versions over 9 years · about 4.1 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.6.2Latest | October 4, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 5.6.1 | August 27, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 5.6.0 | June 21, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 5.4.1 | February 5, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 5.4.0 | December 21, 2025 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 5.2.1 | August 6, 2025 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 5.2.0 | June 16, 2025 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 5.0.1 | February 9, 2025 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id darktable.darktable -echoco install darktable -yscoop install extras/darktabledarktable-5.6.2-win64.exe /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART /SP-Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
flatpak install flathub org.darktable.DarktableInformation
- Publisher
- darktable team
- Category
- Photo management
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/darktable-org/darktable
- Written in
- C and Lua
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- EXE (Inno Setup)
- Other platforms
- Linux, macOS, Solaris, BSD
- Version
- 5.6.2
- Released
- October 4, 2026
- First release
- 2009
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 36
- Updates / year
- 4.1
- Chocolatey downloads
- 85,660
- GitHub stars
- 13,307
- GitHub forks
- 1,487
- Website
- darktable.org
- winget ID
- darktable.darktable
- Chocolatey package
- darktable
- Scoop package
- extras/darktable
File types it opens (36)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is darktable free?
Yes. darktable is open-source software under the GPL-3.0 licence.
Is darktable safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install darktable with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can darktable be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does darktable run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of darktable?
The versions page lists all 36 versions with links to their official installer files, back to December 24, 2017.
Can I use darktable without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to darktable?
paint.net, Kodi, Image Resizer for Windows, digiKam and GIMP. The alternatives page compares them.
