cava

cava 1.0.0

Cross-platform Audio Visualizer

  • By karlstav
  • Open Source
  • Updated Jun 13, 2026
Download for Windows

About cava

Cross-platform Audio Visualizer

What's new in 1.0.0

CAVA-1.0.0 is out!
This is not really a major update from 0.10.7, but new development on this project has slowed down lately so I feel it is finally time to move to "stable" version. This project have been in development for over 10 years now and I could probably have moved to version 1.0.0 long ago, but I just never felt that it was a need for it. The only API to speak of is the cavacore api and I am not sure if anyone else is using it. Either way it has not changed for years.
Thanks a lot to all contributors!

What's Changed

  • output/shaders: add Orion circle shaders (static + rotating) by @oxyzenQ in #729
  • SDL_GLSL: add gain option, reduce overhead, and harden long-run timing by @oxyzenQ in #730
  • feat(build): add WiX installer support for Windows by @amnweb in #742
  • windows build: vcpkg migration by @rohanb1216 in #744
  • windows build: use static linking
  • core: tie smoothing to elapsed sample count by @mechakotik in #752
  • windows: allow defining input device by @rohanb1216 in #754
  • native Coreaudio support for macOS by @karlstav in #767
  • Additional pipewire error handling by @pallaswept in #772

Full release notes »

Technical details

Publisherkarlstav
AuthorKarl Stavestrand
Version1.0.0
Release date2026-06-13
LicenseMIT
Installer typewix
Architecturex64
Package IDkarlstav.cava
DependenciesMicrosoft.VCRedist.2012.x86, Microsoft.VCRedist.2015+.x86

Install cava from the command line

Install with Windows Package Manager
winget install --id=karlstav.cava -e
Update to the latest version
winget upgrade --id=karlstav.cava -e
Uninstall
winget uninstall --id=karlstav.cava -e
Silent install with the offline installer
msiexec /i "cava_win_x64_install.msi" /quiet /norestart
Uninstall the MSI package
msiexec /x {61F0C5C1-C4CB-470D-B7E5-E89EA3DF26E9} /quiet

cava adds this command to the command line: cava.

alsaaudio-visualizeraudiovisualizerglsl-shadersncursesnorwaypipewireportaudiopulseaudiosdl2sndio

cava version history

0.10.7 Jan 28, 2026

What's Changed
- various pipewire fixes by @mia-0 and @pallaswept in #688 #699
- various device fixes and improvements on windows by @rohanb1216 in #696 #713 #712
- improve memory handling in config reloading @LukashonakV in #698
- add live config auto-reload by @oxyzenQ in #718
- slight adjustment to default eq and frequency bandwidth in 724c694
Full Changelog: 0.10.6...0.10.7

0.10.4 Feb 13, 2025

What's Changed
- feat: Better Windows Support by @nlogozzo in #616
Full Changelog: 0.10.3...0.10.4

0.10.3 Nov 15, 2024

Frequently asked questions

Is cava free?

Yes. cava is free and open-source software released under the MIT license.

What is the latest version of cava?

The latest version is 1.0.0, released on Jun 13, 2026.

Is it safe to download cava?

The download button links to the official installer published on github.com, the same file Windows Package Manager installs. You can verify the downloaded file by comparing its SHA-256 checksum with fe0f95cf88573a4369baa3b85c4efe28aff6a5b6c75bb0f140ccf5c655544dab.

Which Windows versions does cava support?

cava runs on Windows and is available for 64-bit (x64) systems.

How do I install cava silently?

Run the offline installer with msiexec /i "cava_win_x64_install.msi" /quiet /norestart, or install it with Windows Package Manager: winget install --id=karlstav.cava -e --silent.

How do I uninstall cava?

Open Settings › Apps › Installed apps, find cava and select Uninstall. From the command line, run winget uninstall --id=karlstav.cava -e.