Ethminer is an open-source, command-line GPU miner built for the Ethash proof-of-work algorithm. It is aimed at hobbyists and experienced miners who want direct control over how their graphics cards mine Ethereum-style coins on a Windows PC. Note that the project is no longer actively maintained: the latest code update is from February 2022, and Ethereum itself moved to proof of stake, so the program is now mainly of historical and technical interest.
The program was written in C and C++ and supports both NVIDIA cards through CUDA and AMD cards through OpenCL, with CPU mining also listed among its hardware options. Because it runs from a terminal rather than a graphical interface, it rewards users who are comfortable editing command lines and reading driver documentation.
What Ethash Mining Means for Your Graphics Card
Ethash is a proof-of-work algorithm designed so that mining depends mainly on memory rather than raw compute speed. Miners must read through a large dataset called the DAG, which grows over time. This is why graphics cards with plenty of video memory were so valuable for this kind of mining.
Ethminer is built specifically around this algorithm. It works with any coin that relies on Ethash, including Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, Metaverse, Musicoin, Ellaism, Pirl and Expanse, as listed in the project documentation. The software does not switch between algorithms, so it is best understood as a dedicated Ethash tool.
Who Ethminer Is For
The program is aimed at people who prefer transparent, open-source software and are willing to work from a terminal. Hobbyists who wanted to test their own GPUs, students exploring how proof-of-work systems operate, and developers studying the Ethash implementation all fit this profile.
It is less suited to someone who wants a point-and-click experience. Setting up parameters, pool addresses and driver versions takes patience, and the community support available today is limited because development has stopped.
How the Command-Line Workflow Works
Ethminer is a command-line program. You launch it from the Windows command prompt, and you can save frequently used commands in a batch or cmd file so that starting the miner becomes a single double-click. Many users create one batch file per rig or per pool, which makes it easy to switch configurations.
Because every option is passed as a flag, reproducing a working setup is straightforward: copy the command line, note the driver version and keep the batch file with your records. Running the program's built-in help lists the available commands.
Why Video Memory Size Matters
The DAG grows as Ethash progresses, and the program needs enough video memory to hold it. The documentation notes that the VRAM must be larger than the DAG size, which was about 4.023 GB at the time of the last update, to achieve the best performance. When memory falls short, the hash rate drops sharply.
This is a practical limit rather than a minor tuning detail. A card with 4 GB of memory is at the edge of what the historical DAG required, so users with 8 GB or more had more headroom for future epochs.
Ethereum's Move Away from Proof of Work
Ethereum completed its transition to proof of stake in 2022, which ended GPU mining on the main network. Ethminer remains useful for understanding how Ethash worked and for mining some other Ethash-based chains, but the most popular use case of the past no longer applies.
Anyone reading about the software today should keep this context in mind. The technical design of the miner, including its DAG handling and stratum support, is still instructive even though the economics of mining Ethereum have changed completely.
Key features
OpenCL mining
NVIDIA CUDA mining
Benchmarking against any epoch
On-GPU DAG generation
Stratum mining without a proxy
Farm failover
Supported coins
According to the project documentation, ethminer is used for Ethereum (ETH) and Ethereum Classic (ETC), and more broadly for any coin that relies on the Ethash proof-of-work algorithm. Other Ethash-based networks mentioned in the project materials include Metaverse, Musicoin, Ellaism, Pirl and Expanse. The miner works with the Ethash algorithm specifically and does not support other mining algorithms.
How to install Ethminer on Windows
- 1
Download the program from an official source
Get the Windows build or installer from the official GitHub Releases page of the ethereum-mining/ethminer project, or from the project's official website. Avoid mirror sites and file-sharing links, because modified builds are a common way to distribute malware.
- 2
Verify the file
Before running anything, compare the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded file with the value published on the release page. If the project provides a signature, check it as well. A mismatch means the file should be deleted and downloaded again.
- 3
Update your graphics drivers
Install the latest drivers from NVIDIA or AMD before running the miner. The project notes that Pascal GPUs work best with WDDM 2.1 compatible drivers on Windows 10 Anniversary Edition, and that Maxwell 2 owners sometimes used an older driver to reach better speeds.
- 4
Extract or run the installer
If you received a ZIP archive, extract it to a dedicated folder such as C:\Mining\ethminer. If you received an installer, follow its prompts and note the install path so you can find the executable later.
- 5
Open the command prompt and test
Open Command Prompt in the folder containing the executable and run the program with the help flag to confirm that it starts. The output lists the available commands and options.
-
Create a launch file
Write your pool address, wallet and device options into a batch file. Keep a separate file for each configuration so that you can return to a known-good setup after changes.
System requirements
- Windows operating system with a current version of the graphics driver installed
- A graphics card with enough video memory to hold the DAG for the epoch you plan to mine, with the documentation recommending more VRAM than the DAG size for best performance
- NVIDIA cards that support CUDA, or AMD and other cards that support OpenCL
- For Pascal-generation NVIDIA cards, WDDM 2.1 compatible drivers paired with Windows 10 Anniversary Edition
How to use Ethminer
Using ethminer is a matter of building a correct command line and then checking that the hash rate looks reasonable. The steps below describe the general flow for a basic setup.
- Choose the pool or endpoint you want to connect to, and confirm that it supports the stratum protocol, since ethminer can connect to stratum pools directly.
- Open a text editor and write the command that starts the miner, including the pool address, your wallet or worker name and any device selection flags.
- Save the line as a .bat file in the same folder as the executable so that you can start it with a double-click.
- Run the batch file and watch the console output as the DAG is generated on the GPU and the miner begins submitting work.
- Use the benchmark option to test a card's speed against a chosen epoch before committing to a long session, which helps you compare settings.
- Check the console for errors or repeated rejected shares, and adjust the device selection or driver version if problems appear.
- Keep a log of working configurations so that you can restore a stable setup after a driver update or hardware change.
Pros & cons
- Open-source code that can be reviewed by anyone with the skills to read C and C++
- Supports both OpenCL and CUDA, covering AMD and NVIDIA hardware
- Generates the DAG on the GPU, so no large dataset files fill your disk
- Connects to stratum pools without an additional proxy program
- Includes benchmarking against arbitrary epochs for testing hardware
- Free to download and use
- Development has stopped, and the latest code update dates from February 2022
- Ethereum no longer uses proof of work, so the main original use case has ended
- Command-line only, which can be difficult for users without technical experience
- Performance depends heavily on driver versions and available video memory
- Documentation is partly outdated and some hardware notes are no longer current
Is Ethminer safe?
Ethminer is open-source, which gives the community the ability to inspect its code, but you should still verify the download before running it. Obtain the program only from the official GitHub repository or its release page, and check the SHA-256 checksum or signature against the published value. Never enter a seed phrase or private key on a third-party website while setting up mining, because legitimate mining software never requires one.
Mining tools are frequently flagged by antivirus programs, sometimes as false positives. If your protection reports the file, first confirm that you have the genuine release, then review the reason given rather than disabling your security software entirely. Because the project is no longer maintained, check the official repository for the latest notices before you rely on it.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/ethereum-mining/ethminer. 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
Ethminer differs from the newer GPU miners in the catalog mainly in its age and scope. T-Rex Miner, lolMiner, BzMiner, Nanominer and NBMiner were built to support a wider range of algorithms and hardware, and several of them are still updated regularly. Ethminer, by contrast, focuses only on Ethash and has not received code updates since 2022, so it is better understood as a reference implementation than as an actively developed tool.
For users who want a current miner, the alternatives listed above are generally a more practical choice. Ethminer remains interesting for people who want to study an open-source Ethash implementation, and its command-line design resembles that of many other miners in the category.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- —
- Latest version
- v0.19.0-alpha.0
- Last update
- 20 Feb 2022
- Windows support
- Yes (Windows build or installer)
- Source code
- github.com/ethereum-mining/ethminer
Frequently asked questions
Ethereum switched to proof of stake in 2022, so GPU mining on the main Ethereum network no longer works. Ethminer still functions for Ethash-based coins that continue to use proof of work, but it is no longer the right tool for mining ETH itself.
Yes. The program supports OpenCL, which is the route used by AMD cards, and it also supports CUDA for NVIDIA hardware. You can choose which OpenCL devices are active, which is useful when a rig contains several different cards.
The program can be run from an extracted archive or from an installer, depending on the release you download. Whichever you choose, you launch it from a command prompt, and creating a batch file is the most convenient way to repeat your settings.
The documentation advises that your VRAM should be larger than the DAG size, which was about 4.023 GB at the time of the last update. Cards with less memory than the DAG can suffer a severe loss in hash rate, so check the current DAG size before you buy or configure a card.
It is open-source and widely referenced, but you should download it only from the official GitHub repository or release page. Compare the SHA-256 checksum or signature against the published value, and be cautious of copies offered on other websites.
Mining software often triggers heuristic warnings because it runs intensive processes on the graphics card. A warning does not necessarily mean the file is malicious, but you should verify the download rather than disabling your antivirus completely.
The program lists CPU among its supported hardware, but GPU mining is its main focus. CPU mining with this tool is far slower than with GPUs, so most users rely on a graphics card for meaningful results.
Verdict
Ethminer is a well-known, open-source Ethash miner that taught many people how GPU mining worked. Its command-line design and support for both OpenCL and CUDA made it a serious tool in its day. Today, however, development has stopped and Ethereum has moved to proof of stake, so it suits historical study, technical curiosity or mining other Ethash-based chains for those who understand the risks. Readers looking for an actively maintained miner should compare the alternatives in this catalog.