WireGuard is a communication protocol and free and open-source software that implements encrypted virtual private networks (VPNs). It aims to be lighter and better performing than IPsec and OpenVPN, two common tunneling protocols. The WireGuard protocol passes traffic over UDP.
In March 2020, the Linux version of the software reached a stable production release and was incorporated into the Linux 5.6 kernel, and backported to earlier Linux kernels in some Linux distributions. The Linux kernel components are licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2; other implementations are under GPLv2 or other free/open-source licenses.
The WireGuard protocol is a variant of the Noise Protocol Framework IK handshake pattern. The key exchange, or handshake, combines long-term and ephemeral Diffie-Hellman values using Curve25519. Each pair generates a set of public and private key pairs using Curve 25519, the public keys are exchanged, with each pair then assigned an IP address (generally RFC 1918) to utilize with the WireGuard tunnel. Once the keys have been confirmed by both peers, the Noise Protocol is used to generate a shared ChaCha20 session key for symmetric encryption authenticated with Poly1305. SipHash24 is used for hashtable keys, while BLAKE2s is used as a cryptographic hash function. Key derivation functions are handled using HKDF and Base64-encoded private ke
What is WireGuard?
WireGuard by WireGuard LLC (developed by Jason A. Donenfeld) is open-source Windows software in the vpn & proxy category. It ranks 13th by popularity among vpn & proxy in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2015. It is written in C, Go, and Rust. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux, Android, iOS, FreeBSD and NetBSD.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides MSI installers for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit Windows. The main installer is 3.3 MB. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches. An MSI package is available for deployment with Group Policy, Intune or Configuration Manager.
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.1.1, released on September 20, 2026. The version history goes back to March 30, 2021: 28 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 5.1 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 931,516 times. Wikipedia has an article about it in 18 of our languages. On Windows it registers 2 file types, including .zip and .conf. Similar programs include OpenVPN, nginx and Tailscale.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- MSI package for managed deployment
- Documented silent install
- Updated in the last two months
- Small download (3.3 MB)
- Also runs on Linux, Android and iOS
Cons
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: WireGuard is an open-source vpn & proxy tool for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is WireGuard safe to download?
- The file is served by download.wireguard.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
7BFED60AD61B785C914B38B61555A975488E1D3EC472DBFB2FCDF498FCA75242· 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
Recent versions
All 28 versions ›28 versions over 5 years · about 5.1 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1Latest | September 20, 2026 | 3.3 MB | 32-bit MSI64-bit MSIARM64 MSI |
| 1.1 | May 7, 2026 | 3.2 MB | ARM64 MSI32-bit MSI64-bit MSI |
| 1.0.1 | April 20, 2026 | 3.2 MB | 64-bit MSI32-bit MSIARM64 MSI |
| 1.0 | April 18, 2026 | 3.2 MB | ARM64 MSI64-bit MSI32-bit MSI |
| 0.6.1 | April 10, 2026 | 3.2 MB | ARM64 MSI64-bit MSI32-bit MSI |
| 0.6 | April 10, 2026 | 1 KB | ARM64 MSI32-bit MSI64-bit MSI |
| 0.5.3 | December 23, 2021 | 2.9 MB | ARM64 MSI64-bit MSI32-bit MSI |
| 0.5.2 | November 8, 2021 | 2.8 MB | ARM64 MSI32-bit MSI64-bit MSI |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id WireGuard.WireGuard -echoco install wireguard -ymsiexec /i wireguard-amd64-1.1.1.msi /qn /norestartmsiexec /x {5D46ED04-DEA2-47D0-A957-F82C3EF577FE} /qn /norestartRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- WireGuard LLC
- Developer
- Jason A. Donenfeld
- Category
- VPN & proxy
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- git.zx2c4.com
- Written in
- C, Go, and Rust
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64, 32-bit
- Installer
- MSI
- Other platforms
- Linux, Android, iOS, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD
- Version
- 1.1.1
- Released
- September 20, 2026
- First release
- 2015
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 28
- Updates / year
- 5.1
- Chocolatey downloads
- 931,516
- Website
- wireguard.com
- winget ID
- WireGuard.WireGuard
- Chocolatey package
- wireguard
- MSI product code
- {5D46ED04-DEA2-47D0-A957-F82C3EF577FE}
File types it opens (2)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to WireGuard
See all ›-
Open source1.8M ↓ -
nginx1.31.8NGINX is the world's most popular Web Server, high performance Load Balancer, Reverse Proxy, API Gateway and Content Cache.Open source286.5K ↓ -
Tailscale1.104.2Tailscale is a WireGuard based mesh VPN, used to connect your computers and other devices together securely without proxies.Open source568.1K ↓ -
Open source152.7K ↓ -
Netbird0.81.5Connect your devices into a secure WireGuard®-based overlay network with SSO, MFA and granular access controls.Open source169.6K ↓ -
Windscribe2.24.13Windscribe encrypts your browsing activity, blocks ads, and unblocks entertainment contentOpen source56.5K ↓ -
Free87.4K ↓ -
Open source78K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is WireGuard free?
Yes. WireGuard is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is WireGuard safe to download?
The download comes from download.wireguard.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 WireGuard 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 WireGuard be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer, including msiexec for the MSI package.
Does WireGuard run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of WireGuard?
The versions page lists all 28 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 30, 2021.
What are alternatives to WireGuard?
OpenVPN, nginx, Tailscale, Proton VPN and Netbird. The alternatives page compares them.
