Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Resource Tuner VS Resource Hacker

Compare Resource Tuner VS Resource Hacker and see what are their differences

Resource Tuner logo Resource Tuner

Resource Editor: modify EXE file's resources, change Icons inside EXE, DLL, MUN. View, search, extract, replace, edit, add and delete the embedded resources of executable program files.

Resource Hacker logo Resource Hacker

Resource Hacker has been designed to be the complete resource editing tool.
  • Resource Tuner Landing page
    Landing page //
    2025-04-14

Resource Tuner lets you view, search, extract, replace, edit, and delete the embedded resources of executable files: icons, strings, images, sounds, dialogs, menus — all that make up the visual part of your Windows programs.

In fact, it allows you to add your own custom branding to an application, change dialog messages, customize toolbar actions, and so on without having access to the actual source code. Resource Tuner offers exciting possibilities even if you aren't a programmer. It's perfect for translators, tweakers, and anyone else who wants a different look and feel for an application.

Resource Tuner offers a thorough look at all of the resources (bitmaps, jpeg, icons, strings, dialogs, PNG, PNG compressed Vista icons, XML, Image Lists, Type Library, version information) in the compiled executable file, and allows you to make modifications without needing to recompile the source code.

It allows you to scan all executable files on all your hard disks and extract all resources found in them (bitmaps, icons, GIF, AVI movies, HTML files, and more) into the folder that you specify.

Resource Tuner is packed with features which make it an essential tool for anyone tweaking another programs. Have fun personalizing any application to your own unique taste. With the powerful Resource Tuner, you no longer need to suffer with ugly default icons and pictures. The usage is very simple, just run the program and then select the EXE, DLL, or MUN file to read the data from. Once you try it, we think you will find it hard to go back to other resource hacking utilities.

  • Resource Hacker Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-08

Resource Tuner

$ Details
paid Free Trial $49.95 / Annually (1 User)
Platforms
Windows
Release Date
2024 April

Resource Hacker

Website
angusj.com
Pricing URL
-
$ Details
-
Platforms
-
Release Date
-

Resource Tuner features and specs

  • OS
    Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP
  • Free Trial
    30-day free trial, no credit card required
  • Support for 32/64-bit Files
  • Scan, Extract and Save Resources
  • Unicode Support
    Yes
  • Resource Types Supported
    Every type imaginable
  • Automatic UPX Unpacker

Resource Hacker features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Resource Hacker features an intuitive and straightforward interface, making it accessible for both beginners and advanced users to navigate and use the tool efficiently for modifying resources in executable files.
  • Comprehensive Resource Editing
    The tool allows users to view, modify, add, and delete resources within Windows executables, making it versatile for a variety of resource management tasks.
  • Support for Multiple File Types
    Resource Hacker supports a wide range of file types, including .EXE, .DLL, .CPL, .OCX, and more, providing flexibility in resource editing across different Windows components.
  • Script Capabilities
    It can automate tasks through scripts, allowing for efficient batch processing and modifications, which is advantageous for repetitive tasks.
  • Free to Use
    Resource Hacker is available for free, offering extensive features without any cost, making it an attractive option for users looking for budget-friendly software.

Possible disadvantages of Resource Hacker

  • Windows-Only
    Resource Hacker is limited to Windows platforms, which restricts its usage for developers or users operating on macOS or Linux systems without additional support like emulators.
  • Steep Learning Curve for Complex Tasks
    While the interface is user-friendly, more complex editing tasks may require a deeper understanding of Windows resources and file structures, posing a learning challenge for newcomers.
  • Potential for Unstable Modifications
    Improper use of Resource Hacker can lead to unstable applications or system behavior, as modifying executable resources can affect how programs run.
  • Legal and Ethical Limitations
    Modifying executable files may breach software licenses or terms of use, leading to legal and ethical concerns. Users must ensure compliance with software agreements.

Resource Tuner videos

Explain the Resource Tuner pro

More videos:

  • Review - Resource Tuner 2 03 漢化圖文教程交代清楚版

Resource Hacker videos

How To Make a .DLL Containing Icons Using Resource Hacker (BEST METHOD)

More videos:

  • Review - Extract Icons with Resource Hacker

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Resource Tuner and Resource Hacker)
IDE
30 30%
70% 70
Software Development
30 30%
70% 70
Developer Tools
33 33%
67% 67
Text Editors
100 100%
0% 0

Questions and Answers

As answered by people managing Resource Tuner and Resource Hacker.

How would you describe your primary audience?

Resource Tuner's answer

Programmers, translators, tweakers, and anyone else who wants a different look and feel for an application.

What makes your product unique?

Resource Tuner's answer

Discover the unique features of this Resource Editor, including how to open problem executable files and edit the hidden data which the other editors simply cannot see, wide range of supported resource types, UPX unpacker, and more.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Resource Tuner's answer

Resource Tuner is about the only tool you would probably trust to modify resources in a PE executable. You will learn the industry standard program for translating and customizing the user interface. Once you try it, we think you will find it hard to go back to other resource hacking utilities.

User comments

Share your experience with using Resource Tuner and Resource Hacker. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Resource Tuner and Resource Hacker

Resource Tuner Reviews

Reverse engineering tools review
Excellent resource editor from the creators of PE Explorer. It contains built-in unpackers, e.g. for UPX or FSG compressor, resource edition can be also done with use of friendly wizards. Resource Tuner has also built-in scanner that allows for scanning of any given catalogue for resources of a specific type.
Source: www.pelock.com

Resource Hacker Reviews

We have no reviews of Resource Hacker yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Resource Hacker seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 5 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Resource Tuner mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Resource Tuner yet. Tracking of Resource Tuner recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Resource Hacker mentions (5)

  • Windows Tips, Tricks, and Tweaks
    "Resource Hacker"[1] should be enough to edit some strings, you just need to find the right file. [1] http://angusj.com/resourcehacker/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Where can one find the default Foobar2000 playback icons?
    Btw there are a couple of small programs to extract icons from exe/dll -s I tried with (ResourceHacker)[http://angusj.com/resourcehacker/] and (BeCyIconGrabber)[https://jarlpenguin.github.io/BeCyIconGrabberPortable/] but neither could find other icons than the main icon AH I had the idea to maybe check the component dll-s and actually foo_ui_std.dll has the icons. Source: about 2 years ago
  • I made custom tiles in Windows 10 for my Steam games. So aesthetic
    I do too but I’ve been using resource hacker for over a year or two now to quickly get the icon. Very rarely have I had to look elsewhere. Source: over 3 years ago
  • How do you sell AHK scripts?
    Right click into any script, then the resulting executable open it with Resource Hacker and you'll see what I'm talking about: the script is just as a resource of the .exe. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Is it possible to change a program icon _everywhere_ it appears?
    You'll also need a program called Resource Hacker. Find it here: http://angusj.com/resourcehacker/. Source: almost 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Resource Tuner and Resource Hacker, you can also consider the following products

Universal Extractor 2 - Universal Extractor 2 is an unofficial updated and extended version of the original UniExtract by...

PE Explorer - EXE Editor, Resource Editor, Disassembler, Section Editor, Dependency Scanner, Quick Function Syntax Lookup. Analyze win32 executable files, including headers, procedures, and libraries. Edit icon resources and more.

Restorator - Restorator is an award-winning utility to edit windows resources in applications and their...

Resource Hacker FX - Resource Hacker FX is an improved ...

RisohEditor - RisohEditor is an all in one free resource editor for Win32 development that allows you to read and write resource data in EXE, DLL, RC, and RES files.

IDA - The best-of-breed binary code analysis tool, an indispensable item in the toolbox of world-class software analysts, reverse engineers, malware analyst and cybersecurity professionals.