Starward is an open-source third-party launcher developed to address the shortcomings of HoYoPlay (miHoYo Launcher). It supports all PC games of HoYoverse and aims to completely replace the official launcher. In addition to the basic functions of a launcher, it includes additional features such as recording game time, switching game accounts, viewing game screenshots, and saving gacha records.
Publisher’s description
What is Starward?
Starward by Scighost is open-source Windows software in the system utilities category. It is written in C#.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE installers for 64-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 0.18.1, released on August 7, 2026. The version history goes back to July 20, 2026: 2 releases, all linked to the official files.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (Scighost/Starward) has 4,568 stars. Similar programs include AutoHotkey, Bazel and osquery.
Project description on GitHub: “Game Launcher for miHoYo - 米家游戏启动器”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: Starward is an open-source system utilitie tool for 64-bit PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is Starward 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:
567E0EF9B01E19DC7BCA6893932D64B9EFFA5E9E870989A9307E99664D0A6329· 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.18.1Latest | August 7, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE |
| 0.18.0 | July 20, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Scighost.Starward -eStarward_Setup_0.18.1_x64.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Scighost
- Category
- System utilities
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/Scighost/Starward
- Written in
- C#
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- EXE
- Version
- 0.18.1
- Released
- August 7, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- August 21, 2026
- Versions listed
- 2
- GitHub stars
- 4,568
- GitHub forks
- 253
- Website
- starward.scighost.com
- winget ID
- Scighost.Starward
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Starward free?
Yes. Starward is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is Starward 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 Starward 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 Starward be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Starward run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Starward?
The versions page lists all 2 versions with links to their official installer files, back to July 20, 2026.
What are alternatives to Starward?
AutoHotkey, Bazel, osquery, LocalSend and Simplenote. The alternatives page compares them.
