Modern motherboards ship with a small forest of headers that most builds ignore. The ARGB header on the second row, the thermal probe pin block near the CPU socket, the extra fan headers by the M.2 slot, the SMB and TB pins nobody labels clearly. XDA found four that manufacturers keep including even though nobody uses them. The reason nobody uses them is usually the software, not the header. We picked seven apps that turn those overlooked pins into something worth having, from RGB you can actually script to fan curves that hit thermal probes correctly.
What to look for in a motherboard-header utility
Vendor apps have a bad reputation for a reason. The good ones share the same handful of traits.
- Reads sensors correctly across chipsets and CPU generations
- Does not require signing you up for a vendor cloud account
- Writes to the header directly, not through a driver that a Windows update will break
- Automations survive reboots without you re-configuring anything
- Plays well with other utilities that touch the same registers
- Open-source or at least honest about telemetry
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| FanControl | Fan headers, thermal probes | Yes | Multi-source fan curves with graphs |
| OpenRGB | ARGB and RGB headers | Yes | Vendor-agnostic control across brands |
| SignalRGB | Coordinated RGB effects | Free tier | Cross-brand animations that sync |
| HWiNFO64 | Reading every sensor first | Yes | Reference sensor coverage |
| Aquasuite | Aquacomputer flow, pump, temp | Trial | Deep integration for water loops |
| MSI Center | MSI-brand hardware headers | Yes | Official for MSI-specific pins |
| ASUS Armoury Crate | ASUS Aura and Aura Sync devices | Yes | Official for ASUS-specific pins |
The apps
1. FanControl — best for every fan and thermal probe header
FanControl is the community standard for fan curves on Windows. It reads sensors via HWiNFO or its own drivers, lets you build multi-source curves (a fan can react to CPU, GPU, and a case thermal probe together), and turns the mystery pin block by the M.2 slot into a working spot for a thermal probe. Curves survive reboots and update as sensors move.
Where it falls short: Not every board exposes every fan header to software. When it does not, FanControl can only see what the BIOS lets it see.
Platforms: Windows 10 and newer.
Pricing: Free, no license fee. Author accepts donations.
Download: getfancontrol.com
Bottom line: The first thing to install after a new build if you care about noise or thermals.
2. OpenRGB — best for ARGB and RGB headers
OpenRGB talks to almost every RGB and ARGB device that has ever shipped, without a vendor account or a login. It handles motherboard ARGB headers, RAM, coolers, and case fans. Plugin support lets Home Assistant, Rainmeter, or a script drive the lighting in response to system events.
Where it falls short: Some very recent controllers need manual profile edits. The UI is functional, not pretty.
Platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS.
Pricing: Free, GPL-2.0.
Download: openrgb.org
Bottom line: The right answer for anyone tired of running four vendor apps at once.
3. SignalRGB — best for coordinated effects across brands
SignalRGB is a slicker alternative when the point is to sync lighting across mixed-brand hardware and keep it moving in time. Its effects engine outperforms OpenRGB for animations, and it maintains a plugin store for community-made scenes.
Where it falls short: Advanced features and some hardware sit behind a paid Pro tier. It runs a background service that consumes a couple hundred megs of RAM.
Platforms: Windows.
Pricing: Free tier covers most hardware. Pro subscription for advanced effects.
Download: signalrgb.com
Bottom line: The right pick when the goal is a coherent look across mismatched RGB gear.
4. HWiNFO64 — best for reading every sensor
HWiNFO64 is the reference tool for reading the sensors motherboard vendors expose. Every voltage, every temp, every fan tach the SIO chip publishes shows up here. It pairs cleanly with FanControl as a data provider, so a curve driven by a specific thermal probe becomes possible.
Where it falls short: Not itself a control tool. It reads; it does not write.
Platforms: Windows.
Pricing: Free for personal use. Pro edition for commercial use.
Download: hwinfo.com
Bottom line: Install it alongside FanControl. Together they are the pair most builds need.
5. Aquasuite — best for water-cooling headers
Aquasuite is the software for Aquacomputer hardware, which happens to plug into headers many boards expose. Flow, coolant temperature, pump speed, and reservoir level become sensors your fan curves can react to. If a water loop is in the case, this is the tool that makes the extra headers earn their spot.
Where it falls short: Only makes sense with Aquacomputer sensors and controllers. Licensing is per-computer with a yearly free tier.
Platforms: Windows.
Pricing: Free tier included with hardware; paid unlock for advanced features.
Download: aquacomputer.de
Bottom line: The right pick when the loop matters more than the RGB.
6. MSI Center — best for MSI-specific headers
MSI Center is the official app for MSI-branded features: the extra USB header behind the M.2 slot, the LED strip pass-through, the “Mystic Light” pins that only respond to MSI’s driver. It has improved since the Dragon Center days and is now the least painful vendor app in the category.
Where it falls short: Still installs more than most people want. Requires accepting an account for some features.
Platforms: Windows, MSI hardware only.
Pricing: Free.
Download: msi.com
Bottom line: Install the modules you need, skip the rest.
7. ASUS Armoury Crate — best for ASUS-specific headers
ASUS Armoury Crate covers the pins ASUS boards expose that no third-party app fully controls: Aura Sync ARGB, dedicated OLED headers on ROG boards, and the fan headers on the newer chipsets. It has finally reached a state where it does not slow the machine down, which is a real change from 2022.
Where it falls short: Still large. Some features are gated by the vendor cloud account.
Platforms: Windows, ASUS hardware only.
Pricing: Free.
Download: asus.com
Bottom line: Use the modular install and only enable the pieces you actually plan to use.
How to pick the right one
- Install HWiNFO64 and FanControl on any new build first. Everything else layers on top.
- Add OpenRGB the moment you have more than one brand of RGB in the case.
- Consider SignalRGB if you want animated effects that stay in sync across brands.
- Reach for Aquasuite if there is a water loop with Aquacomputer parts.
- Use the vendor app (MSI Center or ASUS Armoury Crate) only for the specific headers only they can control, and install the modular pieces.
FAQ
Why do motherboards ship with headers nobody uses? Boards target a wide market. A budget build might use two fan headers; a workstation might use eight and a thermal probe. Shipping every header keeps a single board relevant to many buyers.
Can I mix these apps without conflicts? FanControl and HWiNFO cooperate. OpenRGB and vendor RGB apps fight over the same controllers, so pick one per device.
Which of these read every sensor my BIOS shows? HWiNFO64 covers the widest surface, but even it depends on what the SIO chip exposes. Some boards hide sensors deliberately.
Do I need a paid app for RGB across mixed brands? No. OpenRGB is free and covers most hardware. SignalRGB adds slicker effects if that is what you want.
Are these safe to leave running at boot? Yes, and most people do. Set the ones you use to launch minimized so the tray, not a window, is what you see.
What about the mysterious SMB header on my board? That is a system management bus header, typically used for aftermarket sensors and controllers like Aquacomputer’s. Nothing bad happens if it stays empty.
