But can you get those precise Afterburner statistics (core clock, temperature, fan speed, voltage) directly onto a sleek Rainmeter skin? Instead, the community relies on a powerful bridge: HWiNFO .
GPU Sensor (voltage/temp/freq) → HWiNFO64 → Shared Memory → Rainmeter HWiNFO Plugin → Your Skin rainmeter afterburner plugin
For PC enthusiasts, gamers, and overclockers, MSI Afterburner is the gold standard for GPU overclocking, undervolting, and—most importantly—on-screen display (OSD) monitoring. Rainmeter is the beloved desktop customization tool that turns your Windows desktop into a live, interactive dashboard. But can you get those precise Afterburner statistics
This article explains exactly how to pipe MSI Afterburner’s data into Rainmeter, the role of HWiNFO, and how to set it up for the ultimate desktop monitoring suite. Rainmeter cannot read MSI Afterburner’s internal data directly. Afterburner uses its own proprietary RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS) and kernel-level drivers. There is no official "Rainmeter Afterburner plugin" that connects the two. Rainmeter is the beloved desktop customization tool that
The solution is to use (Hardware Info) as an intermediary. HWiNFO can read the exact same GPU sensors that Afterburner uses (and many more), and it includes a Rainmeter plugin that allows Rainmeter skins to query sensor data in real-time. Important distinction: You don’t need Afterburner running to feed Rainmeter. You need HWiNFO . But if you already use Afterburner for overclocking, HWiNFO will read the same sensors without conflict. How the "Plugin" Actually Works The Rainmeter ecosystem includes a plugin file called HWiNFO.dll or HWiNFO64.dll (depending on Rainmeter version). This plugin acts as a direct reader of HWiNFO’s shared memory.
If you’re looking for a ready-to-use solution, install for Rainmeter, then launch HWiNFO64. Within 5 minutes, you’ll have a beautiful, live Afterburner-style display right on your wallpaper. Have a favorite Rainmeter skin for hardware monitoring? Share it in the comments (or community forums). Happy customizing!