How to Mine Monero in 2026: CPU Mining with RandomX & XMRig Setup
Monero is one of the few major cryptocurrencies where individual CPU mining is still economically meaningful and philosophically encouraged. Thanks to the RandomX proof-of-work algorithm, which was specifically designed to run efficiently on consumer-grade CPUs while being difficult to optimize for ASICs and GPUs, anyone with a modern desktop processor can participate in securing the Monero network and earning XMR rewards. This guide covers everything you need to know to start mining Monero in 2026: hardware selection, XMRig installation and configuration, pool selection, and tips for maximizing your hash rate.
Why Mine Monero?
Beyond the obvious financial incentive, mining Monero serves important ideological purposes aligned with the project’s values. Every CPU miner who participates strengthens the network’s decentralization, making it more resistant to capture by large mining operations. Mining is also one of the most private ways to acquire XMR — freshly mined coins have no prior transaction history, meaning there’s no chain analysis trail connecting them to any exchange or prior activity.
Understanding RandomX
RandomX is Monero’s proof-of-work algorithm, adopted in November 2019. It was designed by Monero contributors and specifically optimized to leverage the capabilities of general-purpose CPUs:
- Large scratchpad memory: RandomX uses a 2 MB L3 cache scratchpad and benefits from fast, large CPU caches — something consumer CPUs have but ASICs struggle to replicate cost-effectively
- Floating-point operations: The algorithm performs complex floating-point computations that modern CPUs execute efficiently in hardware
- Dynamic program execution: Each “hash” involves executing a randomly generated program, making optimization for fixed hardware extremely difficult
- NUMA awareness: RandomX is aware of Non-Uniform Memory Access architectures, allowing high-core-count server CPUs to perform exceptionally well
The practical result is that high-end consumer CPUs achieve competitive hash rates, while GPUs offer no advantage and ASICs have never achieved economical dominance.
Hardware Selection
Best Consumer CPUs for XMR Mining
Hash rates are measured in hashes per second (H/s) or kilohashes per second (KH/s). Here are the top performers for home mining:
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X: ~25,000–28,000 H/s — The top consumer CPU for Monero mining; 16 cores with large L3 cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 7900X: ~18,000–20,000 H/s — Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- AMD Ryzen 9 5950X: ~21,000–23,000 H/s — Previous generation but still highly competitive
- Intel Core i9-13900K: ~15,000–18,000 H/s — Intel’s performance cores contribute well
- Apple M-series (M3/M4): ~7,000–12,000 H/s — Surprisingly capable given power efficiency
Server and Workstation CPUs
For serious miners, AMD EPYC processors represent the pinnacle of RandomX performance due to their enormous core counts and cache sizes. The AMD EPYC 9654 (96 cores) achieves approximately 180,000–185,000 H/s, but requires server infrastructure and significant power. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7995WX (96 cores) achieves around 109,000 H/s in a workstation form factor.
Electricity and Profitability
Mining profitability depends heavily on your electricity cost. At $0.10/kWh and current XMR prices (~$345–$500), a Ryzen 9 7950X drawing roughly 105W during mining can earn a small but meaningful daily amount. At higher electricity rates, profitability decreases proportionally. Use an online mining calculator with your specific hash rate, power consumption, electricity cost, and current XMR price to estimate your returns before investing in hardware.
Installing XMRig
XMRig is the standard, open-source Monero mining software. It’s maintained actively, well-documented, and supports all major platforms.
Step 1: Download XMRig
Download the latest release from the official XMRig GitHub repository. Choose the appropriate package for your operating system: Windows (.zip), Linux (.tar.gz), or macOS. Always download from the official source to avoid malware.
Step 2: Disable Antivirus (Windows)
On Windows, you’ll need to add XMRig to your antivirus exclusions before running it. Mining software is frequently flagged as a false positive by antivirus programs because malicious actors have historically used similar code for unauthorized mining. XMRig itself is safe, but your antivirus won’t know that without an exclusion.
Step 3: Create Your Configuration File
XMRig uses a JSON configuration file called config.json. You can generate one using the XMRig Wizard at xmrig.com/wizard. The key settings you need to configure are:
- Pool URL: The address of your mining pool (e.g.,
pool.supportxmr.com:3333) - Wallet address: Your Monero wallet address where rewards will be sent
- Worker name: An optional label for your mining rig
- CPU threads: Number of CPU threads to use (typically set to the number of physical cores)
Step 4: Optimize for Maximum Hash Rate
Several tweaks significantly improve RandomX performance:
- Enable Huge Pages: On Linux, enable 1GB huge pages for a 10–20% performance improvement. On Windows, enable “Lock Pages in Memory” in group policy
- Set CPU affinity: Pin mining threads to specific cores, avoiding hyperthreading pairs on Intel CPUs
- Disable Windows Defender real-time scanning on the XMRig directory
- Undervolt your CPU: Reducing CPU core voltage while maintaining performance can dramatically improve efficiency (more H/s per watt)
- Disable CPU efficiency cores on Intel 12th/13th gen CPUs, as E-cores perform poorly on RandomX
Step 5: Run XMRig
On Linux/macOS: ./xmrig in the extracted directory. On Windows: double-click xmrig.exe. The miner will connect to your pool, display your hash rate, and begin submitting shares. You can monitor your progress on your pool’s dashboard using your wallet address.
Choosing a Mining Pool
Solo mining Monero with a consumer CPU would take months or years to find a block on your own. Mining pools combine the hash rate of many miners, sharing rewards proportionally to the work each miner contributes. Major pool options include:
- P2Pool: The recommended choice for most miners. A fully decentralized mining pool with no fees, minimum payout of 0.00027 XMR, and no central operator that can be shut down or compromised. Requires running your own Monero node. (See our dedicated P2Pool guide for setup instructions.)
- SupportXMR: A reliable, well-established centralized pool. 0.6% fee, frequent payouts, good uptime record
- MoneroOcean: Supports multiple algorithms; automatically switches to the most profitable coin and converts to XMR. Good for maximizing returns if you want to mine other coins too
- HashVault: Another established pool with good reputation and low fees
Mining on Multiple Machines
If you have multiple computers, you can point all of them at the same pool address with the same wallet address and the same (or different) worker names. Each machine mines independently but contributions are tracked separately. For P2Pool, you can also set up a central P2Pool node and connect multiple XMRig instances to it on your local network.
Monitoring Your Mining Operation
XMRig includes a built-in API server that provides real-time stats including hash rate, accepted shares, rejected shares, and estimated earnings. You can access it from a web browser at http://127.0.0.1:8080. Most pools also provide a dashboard where you can track your contribution and pending balance using your wallet address.
Legal and Tax Considerations
In most jurisdictions, mining income is taxable as ordinary income at the fair market value of XMR at the time it’s received. Keep records of your mining rewards and the XMR price at the time of receipt. Consult a tax professional familiar with cryptocurrency if you’re uncertain about your obligations in your jurisdiction.
Conclusion
Mining Monero with a CPU in 2026 remains one of the most accessible and decentralized mining experiences in the cryptocurrency world. With RandomX keeping ASICs at bay and XMRig providing a polished, easy-to-configure mining client, the barrier to entry is genuinely low. Whether you’re mining to support Monero’s decentralization, acquire XMR privately, or simply want to put your CPU’s idle time to work, this guide gives you everything you need to get started. For the most decentralized experience possible, pair XMRig with P2Pool rather than a centralized mining pool.