DriveForge makes common but normally-complicated Windows disk tasks simple and safe:
create bootable Windows or Linux USB drives, clone a running PC to another drive,
back up and restore Windows to an image, recover deleted files, securely erase drives,
and diagnose drive health. It is a single self-contained executable with no ads,
no telemetry, and no accounts. Free and open source under the GPL-3.0.
Publisher’s description
What is DriveForge?
DriveForge by ForgeLabsSoft is open-source Windows software in the disk & usb tools category. It is written in C#.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit Windows. It runs without installation (portable). It needs Windows 10 or newer.
Updates and version history
The current version is 4.5.1, released on October 17, 2026. The version history goes back to July 26, 2026: 10 releases, all linked to the official files. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (ForgeLabsSoft/driveforge) has 2 stars. Similar programs include Rufus, Ventoy and unetbootin.
Project description on GitHub: “Free, open-source Windows tool — bootable USB, PC clone & backup, file recovery, secure wipe, and drive diagnostics. Single self-contained .exe.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Updated in the last two months
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: DriveForge is an open-source disk & usb tool tool for 64-bit PCs.
Is DriveForge 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:
46E9318B229CDE2560C44C0A13E9BACF7E5E12DA21C8D2DC416663A4A807FD07· 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
Recent versions
All 10 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5.1Latest | October 17, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 4.5.0 | October 13, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 4.4.5 | October 10, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 4.4.3 | October 10, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 4.4.2 | October 6, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 4.4.0 | September 30, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 4.3.3 | September 28, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 4.3.2 | September 17, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id ForgeLabsSoft.DriveForge -eProgram files (.exe): driveforge.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- ForgeLabsSoft
- Category
- Disk & USB tools
- Licence
- GPL-3.0-only
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/ForgeLabsSoft/driveforge
- Written in
- C#
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10 (Windows 10+)
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 4.5.1
- Released
- October 17, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- August 21, 2026
- Versions listed
- 10
- GitHub stars
- 2
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- ForgeLabsSoft.DriveForge
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to DriveForge
See all ›-
Rufus4.15A utility that helps format and create bootable USB flash drives, such as USB keys/pendrives, memory sticks, etc.Open source840.1K ↓ -
Ventoy1.1.18Ventoy is an open source tool to create bootable USB drive for ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI files.Open source206.5K ↓ -
unetbootin702UNetbootin allows you to create bootable Live USB drives for Ubuntu and other Linux distributions without burning a CD.Open source54.9K ↓ -
smartmontools7.5smartmontools contains utility programs (smartctl, smartd) to control/monitor storage systems using the Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology System (S.M.A.R.T.) built into most modern ATA and SCSI disks. It is derived from smartsuite.Open source853.5K ↓ -
Open source419.9K ↓ -
Open source284.7K ↓ -
Open source602.1K ↓ -
Proprietary575.2K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is DriveForge free?
Yes. DriveForge is open-source software under the GPL-3.0-only licence.
Is DriveForge 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 DriveForge 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.
Which Windows versions does DriveForge support?
The installer requires Windows 10 or newer and is available for 64-bit.
Does DriveForge 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 DriveForge?
The versions page lists all 10 versions with links to their official installer files, back to July 26, 2026.
Can I use DriveForge without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to DriveForge?
Rufus, Ventoy, unetbootin, smartmontools and WinFsp 2024 Beta2. The alternatives page compares them.