Resource Hacker

Resource Hacker

Resource Hacker is a free utility for modifying resources in Windows executables and DLLs. It enables viewing, editing, and extracting resources such as icons, images, manifest files, strings, menus, dialogs, version information, and more.
Resource Hacker image
resource-editing executable-editing dll-editing windows

Resource Hacker: Modify Windows Resources

Free utility for editing resources in Windows executables and DLLs, viewing and extracting resources such as icons, images, manifest files, strings, menus, dialogs, version information, and more.

What is Resource Hacker?

Resource Hacker is a free and open-source resource editing utility for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows applications. It enables developers and power users to view, modify, add, delete and extract resources in Windows PE files such as EXEs, DLLs, CPLs, OCXs and more.

With Resource Hacker you can edit resources including icons, images, manifests, strings, menus, dialogs, version info, and anything else managed by the Windows resource compiler. It works by unpacking the executable file, allowing you to make changes to resources, then recompiling the executable with the new resources embedded.

Some key features of Resource Hacker include:

  • Intuitive and easy-to-use interface for exploring and editing resources
  • Supports viewing and extracting all resource types
  • Editing support for most common resource types
  • Drag and drop support
  • Search resources by type and name
  • Compare files tool
  • Plugin support for adding new resource types
  • Command line interface
  • Free and open source (GNU GPL license)

Resource Hacker enables developers to customize Windows applications by altering icons, images, strings and other resources. It's also useful for localizing applications, modifying installers, changing application icons and images, and much more without needing access to the program's source code.

Resource Hacker Features

Features

  1. View and edit resources in Windows executables and DLLs
  2. Extract resources like icons, images, manifest files, strings, menus, dialogs, version info
  3. Add, delete and modify resources
  4. Supports EXE, DLL, ICNS, ICO, BMP, PNG, JPEG, GIF, MUI, XML, RC, MANIFEST, RES, CUR, AVI, ANI and more

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Easy to use interface

Supports a wide variety of resource types

Active development and updates

Cons

Limited to Windows platform

Less frequently updated than commercial alternatives

Lacks some advanced features of paid resource editors


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