Determine if a Windows Executable is 32-bit or 64-bit

Overview

There are several ways to determine whether a Windows executable file (.exe) is a 32-bit or 64-bit application. This article describes a simple method that can be performed using a text editor or 7-Zip.

Refer to this Super User question for further information: How to check if a binary is 32- or 64-bit on Windows?

Method 1 - Examine the PE Header in a Text Editor

The file can be inspected directly using a text editor.

1. Open the executable file in a text editor, such as Notepad or Notepad++.


2. Search for the first occurrence of PE.


3. Locate the first printable characters immediately following the PE header.


4. Interpret the value as follows:

• 32-bit executable: PE  L


• 64-bit executable: PE  d†

The characters shown above correspond to the machine type recorded in the Portable Executable (PE) header. This method works for most executables.

Method 2 - Using 7-Zip

1. Right-click the executable.



2. Select 7-Zip > Open Archive.



3. Open the File > Properties dialog.



4. Review the CPU architecture information displayed by 7-Zip.

Date Created: Friday, 3 April 2020, 7:54 PM