A lightweight editor for GLSL and HLSL shaders and a fully-featured IDE for developing GPU based algorithms.
Publisher’s description
What is GPUpad?
GPUpad by Albert Kalchmair is open-source Windows software in the text editors category. It is written in C++.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides MSI 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. An MSI package is available for deployment with Group Policy, Intune or Configuration Manager.
Updates and version history
The current version is 4.6.0, released on October 22, 2026. The version history goes back to May 3, 2026: 8 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 (houmain/gpupad) has 225 stars. Similar programs include Notepad++, Atom and Neovim.
Project description on GitHub: “A flexible GLSL and HLSL shader editor and IDE.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- MSI package for managed deployment
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Updated in the last two months
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: GPUpad is an open-source text editor tool for 64-bit PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is GPUpad 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:
A09121F2C9D918263B15AD13968E0839DC0547601B2BFD9271ABED7CEFACC71A· 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 8 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6.0Latest | October 22, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 4.5.1 | October 16, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 4.5.0 | September 26, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 4.4.0 | September 18, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 4.3.1 | August 22, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 4.3.0 | August 17, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 4.2.0 | August 2, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 3.4.1 | May 3, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSI |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id houmain.GPUpad -emsiexec /i GPUpad-4.6.0-win64.msi /qn /norestartmsiexec /x {6A2CDAE5-5340-45C4-8076-928F3B088E90} /qn /norestartRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Albert Kalchmair
- Category
- Text editors
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/houmain/gpupad
- Written in
- C++
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- MSI
- Version
- 4.6.0
- Released
- October 22, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- May 6, 2026
- Versions listed
- 8
- GitHub stars
- 225
- GitHub forks
- 13
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- houmain.GPUpad
- MSI product code
- {6A2CDAE5-5340-45C4-8076-928F3B088E90}
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is GPUpad free?
Yes. GPUpad is open-source software under the GPL-3.0 licence.
Is GPUpad 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 GPUpad 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 GPUpad be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer, including msiexec for the MSI package.
Does GPUpad 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 GPUpad?
The versions page lists all 8 versions with links to their official installer files, back to May 3, 2026.
Can I use GPUpad without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to GPUpad?
Notepad++, Atom, Neovim, Geany and Brackets. The alternatives page compares them.
