An app for management and switching of the Hosts file.
Publisher’s description
What is SwitchHosts?
SwitchHosts by oldj is open-source Windows software. It is written in TypeScript.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit Windows. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. It needs Windows 10 or newer. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 5.0.3, released on October 20, 2026. The version history goes back to March 30, 2021: 14 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 2.5 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 6,261 times. The source code on GitHub (oldj/SwitchHosts) has 27,302 stars.
Project description on GitHub: “Switch hosts quickly!”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Updated in the last two months
- Large user base
In short: SwitchHosts is an open-source Windows tool for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is SwitchHosts 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:
0F0AF3E5F4BAE316EEDE8FF1299F15E7CCA8DA81BE33E3AAC7153A278D434ED1· 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 14 versions ›14 versions over 6 years · about 2.5 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0.3Latest | October 20, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS) |
| 5.0.2 | August 10, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)ARM64 EXE (NSIS) |
| 5.0.1 | June 18, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 5.0.0 | May 17, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.3.0 | March 13, 2026 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.2.0 | August 7, 2024 | — | 32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.1.2 | June 8, 2022 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 4.1.1 | March 7, 2022 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id oldj.switchhosts -echoco install switchhosts -ySwitchHosts-5.0.3-windows-x64-setup.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- oldj
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/oldj/SwitchHosts
- Written in
- TypeScript
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10 (Windows 10+)
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64, 32-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Version
- 5.0.3
- Released
- October 20, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 14
- Updates / year
- 2.5
- Chocolatey downloads
- 6,261
- GitHub stars
- 27,302
- GitHub forks
- 2,688
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- oldj.switchhosts
- Chocolatey package
- switchhosts
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Frequently asked questions
Is SwitchHosts free?
Yes. SwitchHosts is open-source software under the Apache-2.0 licence.
Is SwitchHosts 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 SwitchHosts 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 SwitchHosts be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Which Windows versions does SwitchHosts support?
The installer requires Windows 10 or newer and is available for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit.
Does SwitchHosts run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of SwitchHosts?
The versions page lists all 14 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 30, 2021.
Can I use SwitchHosts without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.