RenderDoc is a free and open source frame debugger that can be used to analyze single frames generated by other software programs such as games. It can provide in-depth analysis of single frames from any application that uses Vulkan, D3D11, OpenGL & OpenGL ES, or D3D12. RenderDoc also allows the user to manipulate a captured frame to inspect different things such as pipeline stage, commands, texture maps, models, assets, and more. Furthermore, it is able to capture assets outside the view of the game's camera and supports analyzing frame rendering costs on the graphics processing unit.
Optimizing GPU programs is about finding bottlenecks. RenderDoc provides information of the calls on the GPU, the number of invocation of each shader, and the number of primitives and fragments generated.
Baldur Karlsson started RenderDoc development as a spare-time project out of need for a reliable debugger and was then expanded to support more platforms. In 2014 Crytek announced the source code for RenderDoc is released for free. At GDC 2018, AMD announced that Radeon GPU Profiler would include support for RenderDoc. RenderDoc also integrates with well known game engines such as Unity and Unreal Engine. Oculus maintains its own fork of RenderDoc.
What is RenderDoc?
RenderDoc is an open-source api & web development program for Windows from Baldur Karlsson. It ranks 6th by popularity among api & web development in this catalogue. It is written in C++.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit and 32-bit as MSI. The main installer is 88.4 MB. Installation asks for administrator rights. The installer supports unattended (silent) installation. An MSI package is available for deployment with Group Policy, Intune or Configuration Manager.
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.46.0, released on August 31, 2026. 28 versions are listed since July 25, 2021, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 5.5 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 4,876 times. The source code on GitHub (baldurk/renderdoc) has 11,214 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 2 of our languages. On Windows it registers 6 file types, including .tga, .psd, .dds, .hdr and .exr. Similar programs include Bruno, Insomnia and Yaak.
Project description on GitHub: “RenderDoc is a stand-alone graphics debugging tool.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- MSI package for managed deployment
- Documented silent install
- Updated in the last two months
- Large user base
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: RenderDoc is an open-source api & web development tool for 64-bit and 32-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is RenderDoc safe to download?
- The file is served by renderdoc.org, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
135DC762F9108B46E81839D816E51800010BAA053A5CCDBE523B5D5DC906D383· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- 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 baldurk/renderdoc repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- No dangerous workflows10
- Actively maintained10
- Licence declared10
- Signed releases8
- Branch protection3
- Code review0
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- No binaries in the repository0
- Security policy0
- Fuzzing0
- Pinned dependencies0
- 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 28 versions ›28 versions over 5 years · about 5.5 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.46.0Latest | August 31, 2026 | 88.4 MB | 32-bit MSI64-bit MSI |
| 1.45.0 | July 2, 2026 | 85.8 MB | 64-bit MSI32-bit MSI |
| 1.44.0 | May 1, 2026 | 86.0 MB | 64-bit MSI32-bit MSI |
| 1.43.0 | February 27, 2026 | 87.6 MB | 32-bit MSI64-bit MSI |
| 1.42.0 | December 19, 2025 | 87.2 MB | 32-bit MSI64-bit MSI |
| 1.41.0 | November 5, 2025 | 86.8 MB | 64-bit MSI32-bit MSI |
| 1.40.0 | September 5, 2025 | 86.5 MB | 32-bit MSI64-bit MSI |
| 1.39.0 | June 27, 2025 | 85.8 MB | 32-bit MSI64-bit MSI |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id BaldurKarlsson.RenderDoc -echoco install renderdoc -yscoop install extras/renderdocmsiexec /i RenderDoc_1.46_64.msi /qn /norestartmsiexec /x {D66E687D-0AE7-44BE-967B-8DA7283D4169} /qn /norestartRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Baldur Karlsson
- Category
- API & web development
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/baldurk/renderdoc
- Written in
- C++
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, 32-bit
- Installer
- MSI
- Version
- 1.46.0
- Released
- August 31, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- July 25, 2021
- Versions listed
- 28
- Updates / year
- 5.5
- Chocolatey downloads
- 4,876
- GitHub stars
- 11,214
- GitHub forks
- 1,815
- Website
- renderdoc.org
- winget ID
- BaldurKarlsson.RenderDoc
- Chocolatey package
- renderdoc
- Scoop package
- extras/renderdoc
- MSI product code
- {D66E687D-0AE7-44BE-967B-8DA7283D4169}
File types it opens (6)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to RenderDoc
See all ›-
Bruno4.3.0Opensource IDE For Exploring and Testing API's (lightweight alternative to Postman/Insomnia)Open source120.8K ↓ -
Open source153K ↓ -
Yaak2026.9.0The most intuitive desktop API client. Organize and execute REST, GraphQL, WebSockets, Server Sent Events, and gRPC.Open source19.2K ↓ -
HTTPie2025.2.0HTTPie for Web & Desktop — cross-platform API testing client for humans. Painlessly test REST, GraphQL, and HTTP APIs.Free65.8K ↓ -
Open source20.1K ↓ -
ResponsivelyApp1.18.0A modified browser built using Electron that helps in responsive web development.Open source7.4K ↓ -
Open source6.2K ↓ -
Open source659.2K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is RenderDoc free?
Yes. RenderDoc is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is RenderDoc safe to download?
The download comes from renderdoc.org, 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 RenderDoc 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 RenderDoc be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer, including msiexec for the MSI package.
Does RenderDoc 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 RenderDoc?
The versions page lists all 28 versions with links to their official installer files, back to July 25, 2021.
What are alternatives to RenderDoc?
Bruno, Insomnia, Yaak, HTTPie and Altair GraphQL Client. The alternatives page compares them.
