Packer is a tool for building identical machine images for multiple platforms from a single source configuration.
Packer is lightweight, runs on every major operating system, and is highly performant, creating machine images for multiple platforms in parallel. Packer supports various platforms through external plugin integrations, the full list of which can be found at https://developer.hashicorp.com/packer/integrations.
The images that Packer creates can easily be turned into Vagrant boxes.
Publisher’s description
What is HashiCorp Packer?
HashiCorp Packer is a proprietary virtualisation program for Windows from HashiCorp. It ranks 4th by popularity among virtualisation in this catalogue. It is written in Go.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit and 32-bit as Portable. The main installer is 34.5 MB. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.16.2, released on October 22, 2026. 30 versions are listed since February 15, 2023, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 8.1 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 560,220 times. The source code on GitHub (hashicorp/packer) has 15,812 stars. Similar programs include Oracle VirtualBox, Sandboxie and Multipass.
Project description on GitHub: “Packer is a tool for creating identical machine images for multiple platforms from a single source configuration.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Portable: runs without installation
- Frequent updates (about 8.1 a year)
- Large user base
Cons
- Proprietary licence: check the terms and price
- No native ARM64 build
In short: HashiCorp Packer is a virtualisation tool for 64-bit and 32-bit PCs. It is actively maintained.
Is HashiCorp Packer safe to download?
- The file is served by releases.hashicorp.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
1B3984AE7F5954CC3AE416B527AE5C5A747EA7BB7977366038609199BE4A2710· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 24, 2026)
- 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 hashicorp/packer repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Code review10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Actively maintained10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Security policy10
- Licence declared9
- Pinned dependencies8
- Branch protection6
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Fuzzing0
- Signed releases0
- 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 30 versions ›30 versions over 4 years · about 8.1 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.16.2Latest | October 22, 2026 | 34.5 MB | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 1.16.1 | September 18, 2026 | 35.3 MB | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 1.16.0 | July 24, 2026 | 35.2 MB | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 1.15.4 | June 3, 2026 | 31.8 MB | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 1.15.3 | April 27, 2026 | 25.9 MB | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 1.15.2 | April 24, 2026 | 25.9 MB | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 1.15.1 | March 26, 2026 | 25.7 MB | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
| 1.15.0 | February 4, 2026 | 14.8 MB | 32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
Release cycle and support
Version 1.16.2 belongs to the 1.16 release line, still supported, with no end date announced.
| Release line | Released | Support ends | Latest version | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.16 | July 24, 2026 | not announced | 1.16.2 | Supported |
| 1.15 | February 4, 2026 | not announced | 1.15.4 | Supported |
| 1.14 | July 30, 2025 | not announced | 1.14.3 | Supported |
| 1.13 | May 30, 2025 | July 24, 2026 | 1.13.1 | End of life |
| 1.12 | January 22, 2025 | February 4, 2026 | 1.12.0 | End of life |
| 1.11 | May 31, 2024 | July 30, 2025 | 1.11.2 | End of life |
| 1.10 | December 5, 2023 | May 30, 2025 | 1.10.3 | End of life |
| 1.9 | May 31, 2023 | January 22, 2025 | 1.9.5 | End of life |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Hashicorp.Packer -echoco install packer -yProgram files (.exe): packer.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- HashiCorp
- Category
- Virtualisation
- Licence
- BUSL-1.1
- Price
- See the publisher’s site
- Source code
- github.com/hashicorp/packer
- Written in
- Go
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, 32-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 1.16.2
- Released
- October 22, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- March 27, 2023
- Versions listed
- 30
- Updates / year
- 8.1
- Chocolatey downloads
- 560,220
- GitHub stars
- 15,812
- GitHub forks
- 3,363
- Website
- developer.hashicorp.com
- winget ID
- Hashicorp.Packer
- Chocolatey package
- packer
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to HashiCorp Packer
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Oracle VirtualBox7.2.22VirtualBox is a general-purpose full virtualization software for x86_64 hardware (with version 7.1 additionally for macOS/Arm), targeted at laptop, desktop, server and embedded use.Open source2.3M ↓ -
Sandboxie5.73.8Sandboxie is a sandbox-based isolation software for 32- and 64-bit Windows NT-based operating systems.Open source95K ↓ -
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Proprietary19K ↓ -
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Omnissa Horizon Client8.20.0Connect to your Omnissa Horizon virtual desktop from your device of choice.Proprietary244.2K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is HashiCorp Packer free?
HashiCorp Packer is proprietary (closed-source) software (licence: BUSL-1.1). Whether it costs money depends on the edition: check the publisher’s site for prices and free tiers.
Is HashiCorp Packer safe to download?
The download comes from releases.hashicorp.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 HashiCorp Packer 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.
Does HashiCorp Packer run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit and 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of HashiCorp Packer?
The versions page lists all 30 versions with links to their official installer files, back to February 15, 2023.
Can I use HashiCorp Packer without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to HashiCorp Packer?
Oracle VirtualBox, Sandboxie, Multipass, QEMU and usbipd-win. The alternatives page compares them.
