Console tool for sysadmins and other peoples who need to autoupdate the "hosts" file. Command line use required.
Publisher’s description
What is hostsmgr?
hostsmgr is an open-source firewall & privacy program for Windows from henrypp. It is written in C.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit and 32-bit as Portable. It runs without installation (portable).
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (henrypp/hostsmgr) has 82 stars. Similar programs include OnionShare, dnscrypt-proxy and Portmaster.
Project description on GitHub: “Console tool for sysadmins and other people who need to autoupdate "hosts" file.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- No update for more than a year
In short: hostsmgr is an open-source firewall & privacy tool for 64-bit and 32-bit PCs. Updates have slowed down.
Is hostsmgr 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:
95B1F551C82A5A641C42B2543EFA8BC915C46EDD2AA97563329D62384DE56D70· 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 1 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1.1Latest | August 11, 2025 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id henrypp.hostsmgr -eRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- henrypp
- Category
- Firewall & privacy
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/henrypp/hostsmgr
- Written in
- C
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, 32-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 2.1.1
- Released
- August 11, 2025
- Added to the catalogue
- August 11, 2025
- Versions listed
- 1
- GitHub stars
- 82
- GitHub forks
- 13
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- henrypp.hostsmgr
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is hostsmgr free?
Yes. hostsmgr is open-source software under the GPL-3.0 licence.
Is hostsmgr 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 hostsmgr 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 hostsmgr 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.
Can I use hostsmgr without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to hostsmgr?
OnionShare, dnscrypt-proxy, Portmaster, WindowsSpyBlocker and Prey Anti-Theft. The alternatives page compares them.
