# WezTerm

Application: Wez Furlong

Also called wez term, wezterm-gui

Wez Furlong, System

GPU-accelerated terminal emulator. The process is wezterm-gui.exe. It is not Windows Terminal.

## What you need to know

WezTerm is a GPU terminal. It is not Windows Terminal.

wezterm-gui.exe is Wez Furlong's emulator. Windows Terminal is Microsoft. MobaXterm is the SSH-plus-X bundle.

- **What is it?**: GPU terminal emulator

  **Still current?**: Yes, see Current status

  **Official download?**: Use the vendor link in this article

Feex says

If wezterm-gui.exe is the window, I edit wezterm.lua, not settings.json. That JSON file is Windows Terminal.

## What is WezTerm?

wezterm-gui.exe draws the terminal with the GPU. The shell inside is still pwsh, cmd, or wsl. WindowsTerminal.exe is a different emulator.

## If you have never used it

If you want a fast GPU terminal with Lua config, WezTerm is Wez Furlong's emulator. Install it from wezfurlong.org/wezterm. Windows Terminal is Microsoft's inbox-adjacent tab host. MobaXterm is SSH plus X11, not this GPU emulator.

## What is it used for?

**GPU-drawn terminal tabs**

wezterm-gui.exe. Windows Terminal uses a different renderer and settings UI.

**Lua configuration**

wezterm.lua. settings.json is the Windows Terminal file. They do not share config.

**Multiplexer and SSH extras Wez documents**

Optional. MobaXterm still owns the bundled X server story.

## Who is it for?

- People who want a GPU terminal
- Users with a wezterm.lua they were handed
- Anyone comparing this with Windows Terminal

## Current status

WezTerm (2019) is a current gpu terminal emulator from Wez Furlong. The vendor still points Windows users at https://wezfurlong.org/wezterm/.

## How old is it?

WezTerm launched in 2019. Windows Terminal (2019) is the Microsoft sibling people confuse by job, not by codebase. WezTerm is not a Windows optional feature.

## Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

WezTerm stable

Nightly

## System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

### Minimum

| Operating system | A current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per the vendor |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| RAM              | Enough for Windows plus this app. Heavy projects want more.          |

## Resource profile

- **CPU demand**: Follows what you open inside the app

  **RAM demand**: Follows documents, tabs, or libraries

## Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

| wezterm-gui.exe | Main Windows executable |
| --------------- | ----------------------- |
| wezterm.exe     | CLI                     |

## Startup components

WezTerm can register as a default terminal. That is optional. It does not need Startup Apps.

## File locations

| Typical install | C:\Program Files\WezTerm\\ |
| --------------- | -------------------------- |

## File formats

LUA

## Common problems

### Edited Windows Terminal JSON and nothing changed

WezTerm reads wezterm.lua. Wrong emulator config.

### Expected an X server

Install MobaXterm or VcXsrv. WezTerm is a terminal, not Mobatek's X pack.

## Getting unstuck

### Install from wezfurlong.org/wezterm

GitHub releases are official. Skip random "WezTerm Pro" zips.

### Open the debug overlay if the GPU backend fails

Wez documents fallback renderers. That is not a Windows Terminal profile bug.

### Launch wsl.exe inside WezTerm if you want Linux

WezTerm is the window. WSL is still the distro. See the WSL article.

## Alternatives

Windows Terminal is the Microsoft default on many PCs. MobaXterm adds X11. PuTTY is SSH-only.

## Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

| Download      | [wezfurlong.org/wezterm/ ](https://wezfurlong.org/wezterm/)Official installer or vendor page |
| ------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Help          | [wezfurlong.org/wezterm/ ](https://wezfurlong.org/wezterm/)Vendor support                    |
| Official site | [wezfurlong.org/wezterm/ ](https://wezfurlong.org/wezterm/)Start here, not a random exe host |

## Related hardware

A working GPU driver helps the renderer. Integrated graphics is usually enough. This is not a game.

## Technical details

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

## Related

These entities connect to this article. Type is shown on every link.

[MobaXterm: Application](https://feex.it/wiki/software/moba-xterm)[How to read Task Manager: Guide](https://feex.it/wiki/software/system/how-to-read-task-manager)

## Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. [How we research](https://feex.it/wiki/research).

- [WezTerm official site ](https://wezfurlong.org/wezterm/)· Vendor product page
- [WezTerm help ](https://wezfurlong.org/wezterm/)· Vendor support
- [Foxhole process map ](https://foxhole.feex.it/)· First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

## Was this article useful?

A yes or no is enough. Pick a reason if you want, or add a short note.

Quick facts

The short identity of this page. Specs, sources, and the full story stay in the article.

- **Developer**: Wez Furlong

  **Category**: GPU terminal emulator

  **Process**: wezterm-gui.exe

  **License**: MIT

  **First released**: 2019

  **Official site**: [wezfurlong.org/wezterm](https://wezfurlong.org/wezterm/)

  **Mapped by Feex**: Seen on Windows PCs in Foxhole

Feex Reviewed: Last verified August 2026

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Source: [Canonical Feex Wiki page](https://feex.it/wiki/software/wezterm/)

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