Profile Explorer is a tool for viewing CPU profiling traces collected through the Event Tracing for Windows (ETW) infrastructure on machines with x64 and ARM64 CPUs. Its focus is on presenting the slowest parts of the profiled application through an easy-to-use but detailed UI consisting of several views, such as a hot function list, flame graph, call tree, timeline, assembly code view, and source file view.
Publisher’s description
What is Profile Explorer?
Profile Explorer by Microsoft Corporation is open-source Windows software in the developer utilities category. It is written in C#.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (Inno Setup) installers for 64-bit and ARM64 Windows. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.3.0, released on June 8, 2026. The version history goes back to February 26, 2026: 2 releases, all linked to the official files.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (microsoft/profile-explorer) has 289 stars. Similar programs include WinMerge, jq and x64dbg.
Project description on GitHub: “CPU profiling trace viewer”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Documented silent install
Cons
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: Profile Explorer is an open-source developer utilitie tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is Profile Explorer 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:
04573ABB2F2D8F34357301BC25A84625E86556C4058F490EC7F6EDE8D3476A53· 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 2 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3.0Latest | June 8, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 1.2.1 | February 26, 2026 | — | ARM64 EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Microsoft.ProfileExplorer -eprofile_explorer_installer_1.3.0_x64.exe /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART /SP-Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Microsoft Corporation
- Category
- Developer utilities
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/microsoft/profile-explorer
- Written in
- C#
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- EXE (Inno Setup)
- Version
- 1.3.0
- Released
- June 8, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- March 4, 2026
- Versions listed
- 2
- GitHub stars
- 289
- GitHub forks
- 27
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Microsoft.ProfileExplorer
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Profile Explorer free?
Yes. Profile Explorer is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is Profile Explorer 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 Profile Explorer 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 Profile Explorer be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Profile Explorer run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Profile Explorer?
The versions page lists all 2 versions with links to their official installer files, back to February 26, 2026.
What are alternatives to Profile Explorer?
WinMerge, jq, x64dbg, Biome and delta. The alternatives page compares them.
