Have you noticed that a process named msmpeng.exe is consuming a lot of your computer's resources? Wondering what it is and how to deal with it? In this article, we will explain to you what msmpeng.exe is, why it is important for the security of your system , and how to configure it so that it does not slow down your PC .
What is msmpeng.exe?
Msmpeng.exe is short for Microsoft Malware Protection Engine . This is the antivirus scanning engine built into Windows 10 , part of the Antimalware Service Executable . This service is responsible for real-time protection of your computer against malware, viruses, worms and other threats.
Msmpeng.exe runs in the background and scans files you download, open, or edit, as well as programs you run. It also updates virus definitions and malware signatures to detect new threats. If msmpeng.exe detects something suspicious, it quarantines or deletes it.
Why is msmpeng.exe important?
Msmpeng.exe is an essential part of your Windows . malware attacks that can damage your files, steal your personal data, spy on your activity, or take control of your PC. Without msmpeng.exe, your computer would be vulnerable to infections and intrusions.
You might like this article: Windows 10: How to disable Windows Defender?
How to configure msmpeng.exe?
Msmpeng.exe is generally a silent and unobtrusive that should not affect your PC's performance. However, sometimes msmpeng.exe can consume a lot of CPU or disk , which can slow down your computer or cause crashes. This can happen for several reasons, such as:
- A complete analysis of the current system
- An update to virus definitions
- A conflict with another antivirus program
- Malware infection _
- A technical problem or file corruption
To avoid these problems, here are some solutions you can try:
Solution 1: Check if your PC has malware
It is possible that msmpeng.exe is infected with malware that is impersonating it or attempting to disable . To check this, you can boot your PC into Safe Mode with Networking and run a full system scan with Windows Defender or another antivirus tool.
Solution 2: Uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Security Essentials
If you are using Windows 7 , Vista , or XP , you may have Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) as your antivirus program. MSE also uses msmpeng.exe as a scanning engine. However, MSE is no longer supported by Microsoft Windows updates . To resolve this issue, you can uninstall MSE and replace it with another newer antivirus program.
Good to know: Why take a paid antivirus?
Solution 3: Exclude msmpeng.exe from scanning
msmpeng.exe may scan itself or files related to its operation, creating an infinite loop and increasing CPU or disk usage . To avoid this, you can exclude msmpeng.exe and its installation folder from scanning by Windows Defender or your other antivirus program . To do this, you must follow the following steps:
- Open Windows Defender Security Center by clicking the shield icon in the taskbar or searching for “ Windows Security” in the Start menu.
- Click on “Virus & Threat Protection” then “Virus & Threat Protection Settings”.
- Scroll down and click “Add or remove exclusions”.
- Click on “Add an exclusion” then on “Folder”.
- Select the folder where msmpeng.exe is located. By default, it is located in C:\Program Files\ Windows Defender or C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client.
- Click “Select Folder” then “Yes” to confirm the exclusion.
- Repeat the same steps to exclude the msmpeng.exe file itself, choosing “File” instead of “Folder” in step 4.
Solution 4: Schedule MSE scan time or disable real-time protection
If you use MSE as an antivirus program , you can reduce the impact of msmpeng.exe on your PC's performance by scheduling the scan time for a time when you are not using your computer, such as at night or while you are at work. To do this, you must follow the following steps:
- Open MSE by clicking its icon in the taskbar or by searching for “Microsoft Security Essentials” in the Start menu.
- Click on the “Settings” tab then “Scheduled scan”.
- Check the “Run a scheduled scan on my computer” box.
- Choose the scan type (quick or full), frequency (daily or weekly), day and time you want the scan to take place.
- Click “Save Changes”.
You can also temporarily disable MSE real-time protection if you need to free up resources for a specific task. To do this, you must follow the following steps:
- Open MSE as shown above.
- Click on the “Home” tab then on the “Activate/deactivate real-time protection” button.
- Uncheck the “Enable real-time protection” box.
- Click “Save Changes”.
Caution: If you turn off real-time protection, your computer will be less protected against malware. Don't forget to reactivate it as soon as possible.
Solution 5: Install another antivirus program
If none of the above solutions resolve the msmpeng.exe problem, you may consider installing another antivirus program that is lighter and more efficient than MSE or Windows Defender. There are many free or paid antivirus programs that provide good protection without consuming too many resources. For example, you can try Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Malwarebytes or Norton.
Before installing a new antivirus program, make sure to completely uninstall MSE or Windows Defender to avoid conflicts. To do this, you must follow the following steps:
- Open Control Panel by clicking its icon in the Start menu or by searching for “Control Panel” in the Windows search bar.
- Click “Uninstall a program” under the “Programs” heading.
- Find Microsoft Security Essentials or Windows Defender in the list of installed programs and click on it.
- Click “Uninstall” then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation process.
- Restart your computer to apply the changes.
- Download and install the antivirus program of your choice following the provider's instructions.
Comparison of the main antivirus programs for Windows
If you are not satisfied with the performance or effectiveness of msmpeng.exe, you may consider installing another antivirus program that is more suitable for your needs and budget. There are many antivirus programs on the market that offer comprehensive and advanced malware protection, with additional features like a VPN, parental controls, online backup, etc. However, you also need to consider cost, ease of use, compatibility and the impact on PC resources.
To help you choose the best antivirus program for your Windows computer, we have compared the top antivirus programs available in terms of their advantages and disadvantages. You can consult the table below to get an overview of the different options and make your choice based on your personal criteria.
| Antivirus program | Benefits | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Defender | Free, built into Windows 10, easy to use, provides basic protection | May consume a lot of resources, may be less effective than other antivirus programs, may be incompatible with some Windows updates |
| Microsoft Security Essentials | Free, compatible with Windows 7, Vista and XP, easy to use, offers basic protection | No longer supported by Microsoft, may consume a lot of resources, may be less effective than other antivirus programs, may be incompatible with some Windows updates |
| Avast | Free or paid depending on the options chosen, offers complete and advanced protection, has many additional features (VPN, PC cleaner, etc.) | May display pop-up ads or notifications, may slow PC startup, may collect personal data |
| AVG | Free or paid depending on the options chosen, offers complete and advanced protection, has many additional features (VPN, PC cleaner, etc.) | May display pop-up ads or notifications, may slow PC startup, may collect personal data |
| Bitdefender | Paid, offers comprehensive and advanced protection, has many additional features (VPN, parental controls, etc.), has a low footprint on PC resources | Can be expensive depending on plan chosen, can be difficult to uninstall completely |
| Kaspersky | Paid, offers comprehensive and advanced protection, has many additional features (VPN, parental controls, etc.), has a low footprint on PC resources | Can be expensive depending on plan chosen, can be difficult to uninstall completely |
| Malwarebytes | Free or paid depending on the options chosen, offers comprehensive and advanced protection against the latest and most dangerous malware | May be incompatible with some antivirus programs, may require annual subscription for real-time protection |
| Norton | Paid, offers comprehensive and advanced protection, has many additional features (VPN, online backup, etc.), has a low footprint on PC resources | Can be expensive depending on plan chosen, can be difficult to uninstall completely |
FAQs
Why is msmpeng.exe consuming a lot of CPU or disk?
Msmpeng.exe consumes a lot of CPU or disk when it scans your computer for malware. This may occur during a full system scan, virus definition update, conflict with another antivirus program, malware infection, or technical problem.
How to reduce CPU or disk usage by msmpeng.exe?
You can reduce CPU or disk usage by msmpeng.exe by checking your PC for malware, uninstalling and reinstalling Microsoft Security Essentials, excluding msmpeng.exe from scanning, scheduling scan time from MSE or by disabling real-time protection, or by installing another antivirus program.
Is Msmpeng.exe a virus?
No, msmpeng.exe is not a virus. This is a legitimate Windows process that ensures your computer is protected from malware. However, it is possible that malware is masquerading as msmpeng.exe or attempting to disable it. To check this, you can boot your PC into Safe Mode with Networking and run a full system scan with Windows Defender or another antivirus tool.
Can I remove msmpeng.exe?
No, you should not delete msmpeng.exe. This is an essential process for the security of your Windows system. If you remove it, you risk exposing your computer to infections and intrusions. If you want to replace Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials with another antivirus program, you must first completely uninstall these programs before installing the new one.
How to lower the priority of msmpeng.exe?
You can lower the priority of msmpeng.exe using Task Manager. To do this, you must follow the following steps:
- Press Ctrl + Alt + Del keys to open Task Manager.
- Click the Details tab and find msmpeng.exe in the process list.
- Right-click on msmpeng.exe and choose Set Priority.
- Choose a lower priority than the current one, such as Low or Below Normal.
- Click Change Priority to confirm the change.
This should reduce the impact of msmpeng.exe on your PC's performance, but also reduce its effectiveness in detecting malware.
How do I stop msmpeng.exe from running at startup?
You can prevent msmpeng.exe from running at startup by using the System Configuration utility. To do this, you must follow the following steps:
- Press Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
- Type msconfig and click OK to open the System Configuration utility.
- Click the Services tab and uncheck the Antimalware Service Executable box.
- Click Apply and OK to save the changes.
- Restart your computer to apply the changes.
This should prevent msmpeng.exe from running at startup, but also disable Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials, making your computer less protected against malware.
How to update msmpeng.exe?
You can update msmpeng.exe by updating Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials. To do this, you must follow the following steps:
- Open Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials by clicking its icon in the taskbar or searching for its name in the Start menu.
- Click the Update tab and check if any updates are available.
- If updates are available, click Update to download and install them.
- If no updates are available, click Check for updates to check if new updates are available.
- If new updates are available, click Update to download and install them.
This should update msmpeng.exe and improve its performance and effectiveness in detecting malware.
Conclusion
Msmpeng.exe is a Windows process that helps protect your computer from malware. It is part of the Antimalware Service Executable service, which is linked to Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials depending on your version of Windows . Msmpeng.exe is usually a silent and unobtrusive process, but it can sometimes consume a lot of CPU or disk and slow down your PC. To resolve this issue, you can try the following solutions:
- Check if your PC has malware
- Uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Security Essentials
- Exclude msmpeng.exe from scanning
- Schedule MSE scan time or disable real-time protection
- Install another antivirus program
We hope this article helped you understand what msmpeng.exe is and how to manage it. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know.
