GDAL is a translator library for raster and vector geospatial data formats that is released under an MIT style Open Source License by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation.
Publisher’s description
What is GDAL?
GDAL is an open-source photo editor program for Windows from GISInternals. It ranks 16th by popularity among photo editors in this catalogue. It is written in C++.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit as MSI. The main installer is 41.1 MB. Installation asks for administrator rights. The installer supports unattended (silent) installation. An MSI package is available for deployment with Group Policy, Intune or Configuration Manager.
Updates and version history
The current version is 3.12.1, released on January 29, 2026. 2 versions are listed since December 13, 2024, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 1.8 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (OSGeo/gdal) has 6,111 stars. Similar programs include Pinta, Natron and Upscayl.
Project description on GitHub: “GDAL is an open source MIT licensed translator library for raster and vector geospatial data formats.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- MSI package for managed deployment
- Documented silent install
- Large user base
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: GDAL is an open-source photo editor tool for 64-bit PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is GDAL safe to download?
- The file is served by download.gisinternals.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
81B520FF68A6D07FEBEA18D0C440DE3A103B3F910E36BEF957893571909B02A5· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- 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 2 versions ›2 versions over 1 year · about 1.8 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.12.1Latest | January 29, 2026 | 41.1 MB | 64-bit MSI |
| 3.10.0 | December 13, 2024 | — | 64-bit MSI32-bit MSI |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id GISInternals.GDAL -emsiexec /i gdal-3.12.1-1944-x64-core.msi /qn /norestartmsiexec /x {164DBC09-80FD-41D3-BAD1-A8F40193FE7C} /qn /norestartRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install gdalInformation
- Publisher
- GISInternals
- Category
- Photo editors
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/OSGeo/gdal
- Written in
- C++
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- MSI
- Version
- 3.12.1
- Released
- January 29, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- December 27, 2024
- Versions listed
- 2
- Updates / year
- 1.8
- GitHub stars
- 6,111
- GitHub forks
- 2,968
- Website
- gdal.org
- winget ID
- GISInternals.GDAL
- MSI product code
- {164DBC09-80FD-41D3-BAD1-A8F40193FE7C}
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to GDAL
See all ›-
Open source15.8K ↓ -
Natron2.5.0Open-source video compositing software. Node-graph based. Similar in functionalities to Adobe After Effects and Nuke by The Foundry.Open source13.8K ↓ -
Upscayl2.15.0A powerful image upscaling tool that uses advanced AI technology to enhance your images.Open source11.1K ↓ -
Proprietary436.9K ↓ -
Open source1.7K ↓ -
PhotoDemon2025.4A free portable photo editor focused on pro-grade features, high performance, and maximum usability.Other licence429 ↓ -
Open source791 ↓ -
Open source8.9K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is GDAL free?
Yes. GDAL is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is GDAL safe to download?
The download comes from download.gisinternals.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 GDAL 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 GDAL be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer, including msiexec for the MSI package.
Does GDAL 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 GDAL?
The versions page lists all 2 versions with links to their official installer files, back to December 13, 2024.
What are alternatives to GDAL?
Pinta, Natron, Upscayl, XnView MP and ART. The alternatives page compares them.
