Driver
wghwmon.sys
The WinGauge Hardware Monitor driver, explained: what it does, whether it is safe, and how to remove it.
wghwmon.sys is the hardware-monitor driver for WinGauge, the real-time PC monitoring app from MudCrab Labs. The name is short for WinGauge Hardware Monitor. WinGauge installs it so the app can read the low-level sensors on your machine that normal software cannot reach on its own.
What it reads
CPU and GPU temperatures, fan speeds, voltages and per-core clocks.
Who publishes it
MudCrab Labs, the maker of WinGauge. The file is digitally signed.
When it runs
Only while WinGauge is monitoring. It idles otherwise.
Is wghwmon.sys safe?
Yes, if it came from WinGauge. wghwmon.sys is a signed driver published by MudCrab Labs, and it is a normal part of the app. Like every hardware monitor (the same category as tools that read temperatures and fan speeds), it needs a kernel driver to reach those sensors, which is all wghwmon.sys does. If you installed WinGauge, you can keep it.
I never installed WinGauge
A driver name on its own is not proof of anything, so treat an unexpected file with care. Check the digital signature and publisher: the genuine driver is signed by MudCrab Labs and lives with a WinGauge install. A file using the wghwmon.sys name with a different signature, or in an unusual location, is not our driver and should be removed.
How to remove it
The cleanest way is to uninstall WinGauge from Windows Settings, then Apps. That removes wghwmon.sys along with the app. To remove only the driver, close WinGauge first so it is not in use, then uninstall it from Device Manager.
Common questions
Is wghwmon.sys safe?
Yes. wghwmon.sys is a legitimate part of WinGauge, the PC monitoring app from MudCrab Labs. It is the driver WinGauge uses to read your hardware sensors. If you installed WinGauge, wghwmon.sys is expected and safe to keep.
Is wghwmon.sys a virus?
No. The genuine wghwmon.sys published by MudCrab Labs is not a virus or malware. Because it is a low-level driver, a few antivirus tools may flag it heuristically, but the signed file that ships with WinGauge is safe. Only keep it if it came with a WinGauge install you performed yourself.
Why is wghwmon.sys on my PC?
WinGauge installs wghwmon.sys during setup. The driver lets WinGauge read sensors that ordinary applications cannot reach directly, such as CPU and GPU temperatures, fan speeds, voltages and per-core clocks.
Where is wghwmon.sys located?
The genuine driver ships inside the WinGauge program folder and loads from the Windows drivers directory while monitoring is active. Its digital signature and publisher should read MudCrab Labs. A copy with a different signature, or in an unexpected folder, is not the WinGauge driver.
How do I remove wghwmon.sys?
The simplest way is to uninstall WinGauge from Windows Settings, then Apps, which removes wghwmon.sys with it. To remove only the driver, close WinGauge first so it is not in use, then uninstall it through Device Manager or delete the app.
Still unsure about wghwmon.sys? Read the WinGauge help or learn more about WinGauge.