Rainmeter is a free and open-source desktop customization utility for Windows released under the GNU GPL v2 license. It allows users to create and display user-generated customizable desktop widgets or applets called "skins" that display information. Ready to use collections of skins can be downloaded and installed in packages known as "suites".
Common functionalities of Rainmeter skins include desktop clocks, RSS readers, system monitors, weather widgets, application launchers and audio players.
The Rainmeter project was originally founded by Kimmo 'Rainy' Pekkola, the developer of Rainlendar, in 2001. The project is primarily written in C++, while plugins can be written in either C++ or C#.
Rainmeter skins are written in Rainmeter code using a text editor and stored as INI configuration files. System resource values and other information such as weather or time are stored through "measure" values within a skin, which can then be shown through different kinds of customizable visual elements called "meters".
What is Rainmeter?
Rainmeter by Rainmeter is open-source Windows software in the customisation category. It ranks 4th by popularity among customisation in this catalogue. It is written in C# and C++.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 32-bit 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 4.5.28.3936, released on October 12, 2026. The version history goes back to August 27, 2024: 9 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 4.2 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 77,885 times. The source code on GitHub (rainmeter/rainmeter) has 6,101 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 9 of our languages. On Windows it registers 1 file type, including .rmskin. Similar programs include PowerToys, Scribus and Mattermost.
Project description on GitHub: “Desktop customization tool for Windows”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Updated in the last two months
- Large user base
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- 32-bit only
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: Rainmeter is an open-source customisation tool for 32-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Screenshots
Is Rainmeter 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:
DE6E010F8C28882BC28DCD8F319C899F34DFDDEC51E1E4DD4E7A23F68EBFE14D· 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
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the rainmeter/rainmeter repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Pinned dependencies10
- Licence declared10
- No binaries in the repository7
- Branch protection3
- Code review0
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Security policy0
- 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 9 versions ›9 versions over 2 years · about 4.2 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5.28.3936Latest | October 12, 2026 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.5.27.3934 | October 6, 2026 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.5.26.3894 | May 20, 2026 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.5.26 | May 20, 2026 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.5.25 | May 17, 2026 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.5.24 | May 13, 2026 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.5.23 | April 12, 2025 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.5.21 | February 4, 2025 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Rainmeter.Rainmeter -echoco install rainmeter -yscoop install extras/rainmeterRainmeter-4.5.28.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Rainmeter
- Category
- Customisation
- Licence
- GPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/rainmeter/rainmeter
- Written in
- C# and C++
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 32-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Version
- 4.5.28.3936
- Released
- October 12, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- August 27, 2024
- Versions listed
- 9
- Updates / year
- 4.2
- Chocolatey downloads
- 77,885
- GitHub stars
- 6,101
- GitHub forks
- 641
- Website
- rainmeter.net
- winget ID
- Rainmeter.Rainmeter
- Chocolatey package
- rainmeter
- Scoop package
- extras/rainmeter
File types it opens (1)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to Rainmeter
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Frequently asked questions
Is Rainmeter free?
Yes. Rainmeter is open-source software under the GPL-2.0 licence.
Is Rainmeter 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 Rainmeter 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 Rainmeter be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Rainmeter run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Rainmeter?
The versions page lists all 9 versions with links to their official installer files, back to August 27, 2024.
What are alternatives to Rainmeter?
PowerToys, Scribus, Mattermost, TranslucentTB and Lively Wallpaper. The alternatives page compares them.
