HardwareVisualizer - Compatibility Notes

Before you install

What the app is built to keep visible

HardwareVisualizer is a free, open-source desktop monitor for people who want live hardware state, short-window graphs, and recent history in one readable surface.

Official distribution

GitHub Releases, hardviz.com, and Winget where available.

Desktop coverage

Windows 10/11, macOS builds for Apple Silicon and Intel, plus Linux packages for common desktop distributions.

Historical insight

CPU, memory, GPU, and process history are kept for up to 30 days by default.

Privacy posture

No outbound telemetry for collected hardware data.

Customization

Color themes, graph colors, background images, transparent UI, glass blur, and tray widget preferences.

Languages

The app supports English, Japanese, and Russian.

HardwareVisualizer System Specifications showing CPU, GPU, memory, and storage details — System Specifications preview. See CPU, GPU, memory, storage, and available health details together.

Platform fit

Operating systems and installers

The app targets desktop operating systems, but sensor depth can vary by OS APIs, device files, drivers, and vendor SDKs.

Windows

Supported

Coverage: Windows 10/11, x64
Notes: MSI and setup installers are available, and Winget is an official Windows installation path where available.

macOS (Apple Silicon)

Supported

Coverage: Apple Silicon (ARM64)
Notes: macOS releases are signed and notarized. Sensor coverage depends on the machine and OS API availability.

macOS (Intel)

Experimental

Coverage: Intel (x64)
Notes: Intel macOS builds are experimental. Sensor coverage depends on the machine and OS API availability.

Linux

Supported

Coverage: Debian/Ubuntu, RPM-based distros, AppImage
Notes: Some device files and sensors may require elevated privileges. Desktop-environment limitations can apply.

Area	Coverage	Status	Notes
Windows	Windows 10/11, x64	Supported	MSI and setup installers are available, and Winget is an official Windows installation path where available.
macOS (Apple Silicon)	Apple Silicon (ARM64)	Supported	macOS releases are signed and notarized. Sensor coverage depends on the machine and OS API availability.
macOS (Intel)	Intel (x64)	Experimental	Intel macOS builds are experimental. Sensor coverage depends on the machine and OS API availability.
Linux	Debian/Ubuntu, RPM-based distros, AppImage	Supported	Some device files and sensors may require elevated privileges. Desktop-environment limitations can apply.

Hardware coverage

Signals and feature coverage

The matrix separates always-useful dashboard surfaces from best-effort sensor paths and planned monitoring work by operating system.

CPU / RAM

CPU and RAM usage, memory details, history

Windows Supported

Live usage, memory details, and history are core supported surfaces.

macOS Supported

Live usage, memory details, and history are core supported surfaces.

Linux Supported

Live usage, memory details, and history are core supported surfaces.

GPU

NVIDIA full path, AMD and Intel partial paths

Windows Partial

Deepest coverage, especially NVIDIA; AMD and Intel depend on driver and API availability.

macOS Partial

Partial coverage through macOS APIs; visible counters vary by device.

Linux Partial

Partial coverage through NVIDIA and DRM paths; permissions and drivers matter.

CPU / sensor temperature

CPU package and thermal-zone temperature where available

Windows Best effort

ACPI thermal zones are best effort; PawnIO can improve CPU package temperature on supported CPUs.

macOS Best effort

Best effort. Sensor exposure depends on the machine and macOS APIs.

Linux Best effort

Best effort. Sensor access can depend on device files, drivers, and privileges.

Storage Health

Storage summary, Storage Health records, Live Storage Health

Windows Best effort

Native and fallback paths can expose SMART or NVMe health fields when available.

macOS Best effort

Native paths can expose storage summary and selected health fields when available.

Linux Best effort

Native paths and smartctl can improve SMART or NVMe health coverage.

Network

Interface, IP, subnet, and gateway data

Windows Partial

Interface, IP, subnet, and gateway data are available; traffic usage is planned.

macOS Partial

Interface, IP, subnet, and gateway data are available; traffic usage is planned.

Linux Partial

Interface, IP, subnet, and gateway data are available; traffic usage is planned.

Process

Live Process Table and Process Insight

Windows Supported

Live Process Table and Process Insight connect current load with history.

macOS Supported

Live Process Table and Process Insight connect current load with history.

Linux Supported

Live Process Table and Process Insight connect current load with history.

Fan

Windows fan speed on supported Super I/O sensors

Windows Partial

Fan-speed reads are implemented for supported Super I/O sensors through the optional PawnIO LpcIO module. Coverage varies by motherboard, and this read-only path does not support fan control.

macOS Planned

Cross-vendor fan monitoring remains roadmap and research work.

Linux Planned

Cross-vendor fan monitoring remains roadmap and research work.

Language

English, Japanese, Russian

Windows Supported

English, Japanese, and Russian are supported in the app.

macOS Supported

English, Japanese, and Russian are supported in the app.

Linux Supported

English, Japanese, and Russian are supported in the app.

Signal / feature	Windows	macOS	Linux
CPU / RAM CPU and RAM usage, memory details, history	Supported Live usage, memory details, and history are core supported surfaces.	Supported Live usage, memory details, and history are core supported surfaces.	Supported Live usage, memory details, and history are core supported surfaces.
GPU NVIDIA full path, AMD and Intel partial paths	Partial Deepest coverage, especially NVIDIA; AMD and Intel depend on driver and API availability.	Partial Partial coverage through macOS APIs; visible counters vary by device.	Partial Partial coverage through NVIDIA and DRM paths; permissions and drivers matter.
CPU / sensor temperature CPU package and thermal-zone temperature where available	Best effort ACPI thermal zones are best effort; PawnIO can improve CPU package temperature on supported CPUs.	Best effort Best effort. Sensor exposure depends on the machine and macOS APIs.	Best effort Best effort. Sensor access can depend on device files, drivers, and privileges.
Storage Health Storage summary, Storage Health records, Live Storage Health	Best effort Native and fallback paths can expose SMART or NVMe health fields when available.	Best effort Native paths can expose storage summary and selected health fields when available.	Best effort Native paths and smartctl can improve SMART or NVMe health coverage.
Network Interface, IP, subnet, and gateway data	Partial Interface, IP, subnet, and gateway data are available; traffic usage is planned.	Partial Interface, IP, subnet, and gateway data are available; traffic usage is planned.	Partial Interface, IP, subnet, and gateway data are available; traffic usage is planned.
Process Live Process Table and Process Insight	Supported Live Process Table and Process Insight connect current load with history.	Supported Live Process Table and Process Insight connect current load with history.	Supported Live Process Table and Process Insight connect current load with history.
Fan Windows fan speed on supported Super I/O sensors	Partial Fan-speed reads are implemented for supported Super I/O sensors through the optional PawnIO LpcIO module. Coverage varies by motherboard, and this read-only path does not support fan control.	Planned Cross-vendor fan monitoring remains roadmap and research work.	Planned Cross-vendor fan monitoring remains roadmap and research work.
Language English, Japanese, Russian	Supported English, Japanese, and Russian are supported in the app.	Supported English, Japanese, and Russian are supported in the app.	Supported English, Japanese, and Russian are supported in the app.

Readable on your desk

Appearance and customization

HardwareVisualizer is meant to stay open, so visual settings are part of the product surface rather than a decorative afterthought.

Color themes

System , Light , Dark , Dark+ , Sky , Grove , Sunset , Nebula , Orbit , Cappuccino , Espresso .

Theme choices cover neutral, bright, dark, and warm setups without forcing a single visual personality.

Graph colors

Per-metric line colors for CPU, memory, and GPU graphs.

Useful when the app is kept on a side display and the important metric needs to be recognizable immediately.

Background images

Local background image selection with opacity control.

Background assets stay local and can be toned down so metrics remain readable.

Transparent UI

Transparent window surfaces with adjustable glass blur.

The glass effect is configurable, and interactive controls keep opaque enough contrast for day-to-day use.

Tray widget

CPU, GPU, and GPU temperature metrics, with ordering and visibility preferences.

Close-to-tray behavior and compact metric access help the monitor stay available without occupying the full desktop.

Display preferences

Language, temperature unit, dashboard visibility, and chart display settings.

These settings make the app more useful across regions, Celsius/Fahrenheit habits, and different monitoring workflows.

Deeper hardware paths

Storage Health and optional components

Optional components are not bundled with the app. On Windows, you can choose PawnIO during MSI setup or install it later from Settings with administrator approval.

Live Storage Health

A cheap native read path refreshes focused storage information without running smartctl on the live polling cadence.

Storage Health Record

Daily health records can include SMART overall health, temperature, NVMe percentage used, available spare, reallocated sectors, pending sectors, offline uncorrectable sectors, and NVMe media errors when available.

PawnIO for CPU package temperature

On Windows, Settings → Advanced → Optional component setup can download and install PawnIO with administrator approval. Supported CPUs and motherboards may then expose package temperature, power, and sensor readings.

smartctl for richer storage signals

smartmontools can improve Storage Health when native OS paths cannot read important SMART or NVMe health fields.

Trust model

Privacy and download verification

HardwareVisualizer is open source, avoids outbound telemetry for collected hardware data, and documents how to verify official release files.

Official sources: Use GitHub Releases, hardviz.com, or Winget where available. Third-party mirrors and password-protected archives are not official.
SHA-256 checksums: SHA256SUMS.txt is published for release assets from v1.8.1 onward.
GitHub Artifact Attestations: Release artifacts include GitHub Artifact Attestations from v1.8.1 onward where available.
Windows signing: Windows installers are Authenticode signed from v1.9.0 onward.
macOS signing: macOS downloads are signed with Apple Developer ID and notarized.
Linux packages: Linux package signing is not currently provided through GPG, Sigstore, or repository metadata; use checksums and attestations instead.

Go to downloads Open verification guide