Alephium GPU Miner for Windows is a free, open-source program that lets owners of graphics cards mine Alephium. It suits hobbyists and developers who are comfortable working in PowerShell and want to read the code they run. The project is hosted on GitHub, and its code also targets Linux.
The program is a command-line miner rather than a point-and-click application. Setup means building it from source with a set of developer tools, then starting it from a PowerShell window. The latest tagged release is v0.6.0, and the most recent code update dates to August 2024. Check the project page for newer activity before you commit hardware time to mining.
What Alephium Mining Involves
Alephium is a blockchain network, and mining means contributing computing power to help secure it while earning rewards under its rules. Proof-of-work mining uses hardware to repeatedly test candidate values against a difficulty target until one qualifies. GPU miners are popular because graphics cards run many similar calculations in parallel.
Mining rewards depend on network difficulty, the amount of hashrate you contribute, and the cost of electricity. Because those variables change over time, treat any earnings as uncertain rather than predictable. A miner's output tells you how fast it is hashing, not how much money you will make.
A few terms are worth knowing before you start. Hashrate is the number of hash calculations a device performs per second. A mining pool combines the work of many miners and splits the rewards between them. A wallet address is where rewards are sent, and it is different from a seed phrase, which should never be shared with any software or website.
How GPU Mining Works on a Windows PC
A graphics card contains many small processing cores designed to run similar operations at the same time. Mining software takes advantage of this by distributing large batches of hash calculations across those cores. The result is usually far more throughput than a central processor can deliver for the same task.
On a Windows PC, the graphics driver and the CUDA runtime sit between the miner and the hardware. Keeping drivers current helps avoid crashes and compatibility problems. Cooling matters as well, because sustained full load raises card temperatures, and poor airflow can reduce performance or shorten component life.
A typical session involves starting the miner, watching its output for errors and hashrate figures, and stopping it if temperatures climb too high. Keeping short notes from several sessions makes patterns easier to spot, such as a card slowing down during hot afternoons or after a case fan fails.
Who Should Consider Building This Miner
This miner fits people who are comfortable with the Windows command line and want more control than a graphical application offers. Developers and technically minded hobbyists can inspect the source, adjust the build, or compare how it behaves with other tools.
It is less suited to someone who wants a single installer and a graphical dashboard. Building from source takes time, and fixing a failed build means reading compiler output and checking tool versions. Expect the first setup to take an evening or more.
A realistic scenario looks like this: a user with an NVIDIA card wants to test Alephium mining on a spare desktop. They install the build tools, build the program once and keep the result for later sessions. Because the source is public, they can also review what changed between releases before rebuilding.
Key features
Open-source code
Scripted build process
Command-line operation
Windows and Linux platforms
Supported coins
The miner is built around Alephium, and its build instructions reference NVIDIA's CUDA Toolkit, so it is aimed at owners of NVIDIA graphics cards. The project lists Windows and Linux as its platforms. Check the project page for any changes to supported hardware before you start.
How to install Alephium GPU Miner on Windows
- 1
Get the program from the official source
Download only from the official website or repository, which is the alephium/gpu-miner project on GitHub. Look for a packaged Windows build on the Releases page if one is offered. If you plan to build from source, clone the repository to a local folder.
- 2
Prepare the build tools
The documented route is building from source. Install Visual Studio Build Tools 2019 and select the C++ CMake tools for Windows during setup. Install the CUDA Toolkit, where version 11.5 was tested and reported as working, and install conan. These are build-time tools, not requirements for running a finished program.
-
Build and verify the miner
Open PowerShell, move into the cloned folder and launch the build script. Wait until it completes without errors. Before running the result, verify the file as described in the safety section below.
How to use Alephium GPU Miner
Once the miner is built, running it is a short process. Work in PowerShell and keep the window open while the miner runs.
- Open PowerShell in the folder where you cloned the repository.
- Launch the build script and wait until it finishes without errors.
- Locate the built miner file in the output folder the script creates.
- Start the miner from a PowerShell window, using the arguments described in the project's README file.
- Watch the first few minutes of output for connection messages and hashrate figures.
- Stop the miner with Ctrl+C when you need to change settings, then restart it after editing them.
- Check GPU temperatures with a monitoring tool during the first session, and adjust cooling if they stay high.
Pros & cons
- Free to use, with public source code that anyone can review
- Build script reduces manual steps for first-time builders
- Works on Windows and Linux according to the project's platform list
- Command-line output makes troubleshooting straightforward for experienced users
- Building from source requires several developer tools and some patience
- Less suitable for users who expect a graphical interface
- The most recent code update dates to August 2024
- Focused on a single network, so it offers no broad algorithm coverage
Is Alephium GPU Miner safe?
Download Alephium GPU Miner for Windows only from the official GitHub repository for alephium/gpu-miner, and use the Releases page when a packaged build is offered. Avoid mirrors, forum links and file-sharing sites, because mining tools are a common disguise for malware. After downloading, compare the file's SHA-256 checksum with the value published by the project, or verify a signature if one is provided. Never enter a seed phrase into any miner or third-party website, since a miner needs only a wallet address. Antivirus software often flags mining programs, sometimes as false positives. If that happens, review the file and add a targeted exception rather than turning protection off entirely. The latest code update dates to August 2024, so check the official website for the current version before installing.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/alephium/gpu-miner. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Alephium GPU Miner differs from most entries in this catalog because it is a source-first project for one network. GMiner and Rigel are NVIDIA GPU miners that cover a wider range of algorithms, which suits users who want flexibility without building software themselves. T-Rex and NBMiner are also NVIDIA miners, but their development has stopped, so their code no longer receives updates. PhoenixMiner was built around Ethash, which no longer applies after Ethereum moved to proof-of-stake, and it has no official website. XMRig targets RandomX, KawPow and CryptoNight, a different family of algorithms. Choose Alephium GPU Miner if you want to read, build and modify the code yourself for Alephium.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- —
- Latest version
- v0.6.0
- Last update
- 28 Aug 2024
- Windows support
- Yes (Windows build or installer)
- Source code
- github.com/alephium/gpu-miner
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Alephium GPU Miner is free and open source. The complete source code is published on GitHub, so you can review it before building. Being free does not reduce the cost of electricity, hardware wear or time spent on setup, so factor those into any decision to mine.
The program itself is open source, which allows public review, but safety depends on where you get the file and how you check it. Download it only from the official GitHub repository, compare the SHA-256 checksum, and never enter a seed phrase into any miner. Antivirus warnings are common with mining software, so add a targeted exception if needed.
The documented route is building from source with the build script. Check the Releases page for a packaged Windows build, and use it if one is available for your version. If you build it yourself, you will need Visual Studio Build Tools, CUDA Toolkit and conan during setup.
Antivirus tools often flag mining software because it uses significant processing power and can be misused. Flags on legitimate miners can be false positives. Verify the checksum first, then add a targeted exception for the specific file rather than disabling your protection entirely.
The build instructions reference the CUDA Toolkit, which points to NVIDIA graphics cards. The toolkit version 11.5 was reported as tested and working. Check the project page for current hardware notes before building, because compatibility can change between releases.
Yes, the project lists Linux as a supported platform alongside Windows. This page focuses on the Windows PowerShell workflow. Linux users will follow the same general process of building from source and launching the miner, using their own shell environment.
Mining profitability depends on network difficulty, your hashrate, electricity costs and the value of the rewards, all of which change over time. No miner can guarantee a profit. Track your power usage and results for several sessions before drawing any conclusions.
Verdict
Alephium GPU Miner suits Windows users who want an open-source Alephium miner they can read and build themselves. It is free and the code is public, but the setup is technical and the latest code update dates to August 2024. Beginners who want a graphical experience should review the alternatives listed on this page first. Experienced hobbyists with an NVIDIA card can test it on spare hardware, monitor temperatures and judge the results for themselves.