What is explorer.exe?

The genuine explorer.exe file is a software component of Microsoft Windows Operating System by Microsoft Corporation.
Microsoft's genuine "Explorer.exe" process resides in "C:\Windows" and manages the Graphical Shell component of the Windows Operating System, including the file manager, desktop, Start menu, and taskbar. Although the process name has remained constant since introduction of the Shell with Windows NT in 1996, its official name has changed from Windows Explorer to File Explorer and certain features and options have been introduced and removed during different versions. It is started by default upon user logon by "Userinit.exe", which partially initializes the user environment, including checking group policies, and then consults the "Shell" registry key; this can be changed to replace "Explorer.exe" as the default Shell handler. The name "explorer.exe" is used often by many Trojans, viruses, and worms to disguise themselves or files they install. Suspicious registry keys for finding "Explorer.exe" include "CurrentVersion\Run", RunOnce, or RunServices; the most dangerous locations are "C:\Program Files" or subfolders of "Common Files."

Explorer stands for Windows File Explorer

The .exe extension on a filename indicates an executable file. Executable files may, in some cases, harm your computer. Therefore, please read below to decide for yourself whether the explorer.exe on your computer is a Trojan that you should remove, or whether it is a file belonging to the Windows operating system or to a trusted application.

Click to Run a Free Scan for explorer.exe related errors

Explorer.exe file information

Windows Task Manager with explorer — Explorer.exe process in Windows Task Manager

The process known as Windows Explorer or TJprojMain or Win or LintasGaming or Windows Prieskumník or Windows Start-Up Application or Windows Command Processor or syncui

belongs to software Microsoft Windows Operating System or Project1 or Win or Intel® Common Users Interface or Sistem de operare Microsoft Windows or AIMWARE or Microsoft Windows Ýþletim Sistemi or Operacijski sustav Microsoft Windows

by Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) or Intel (www.intel.com) or Spark or Valerie Thor LombardyScotsman Mohammed RoweBowen or www.microsoft.com or Apple (www.apple.com) or AVAST Software a.s.

Description: The original explorer.exe from Microsoft is an important part of Windows, but often causes problems. Explorer.exe is located in the C:\Windows folder. Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 2,871,808 bytes (13% of all occurrences), 1,033,728 bytes and 316 more variants.
The explorer.exe file is a Windows core system file. The program has a visible window. The explorer.exe file is a trustworthy file from Microsoft. Explorer.exe is able to record keyboard and mouse inputs. Therefore the technical security rating is 1% dangerous; however you should also read the user reviews.

Recommended: Identify explorer.exe related errors

Viruses with the same file name

Is explorer.exe a virus? No, it is not. The true explorer.exe file is a safe Microsoft Windows system process, called "Windows Explorer". However, writers of malware programs, such as viruses, worms, and Trojans deliberately give their processes the same file name to escape detection. Viruses with the same file name are such as Gen:Heur.MSIL.Krypt.2 or Worm.Generic.293996 (detected by BitDefender), and Spyware_KEYL_Ardamax (detected by TrendMicro).
To ensure that no rogue explorer.exe is running on your PC, click here to run a Free Virus Scan.

How to recognize suspicious variants?

If explorer.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows, the security rating is 76% dangerous. The file size is 138,460 bytes (0% of all occurrences), 211,947 bytes and 214 more variants. The explorer.exe file is not a Windows core file. There is no information about the author of the file. The program is not visible. The software starts upon Windows startup (see Registry key: MACHINE\RunOnce, MACHINE\Run, TaskScheduler, Run, User Shell Folders, Winlogon\Shell, RunOnce, MACHINE\RunServices). The file is an unknown file in the Windows folder. Explorer.exe is able to monitor applications and record keyboard and mouse inputs.
If explorer.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder, the security rating is 70% dangerous. The file size is 742,400 bytes (4% of all occurrences), 89,088 bytes and 41 more variants. It is not a Windows core file. The application starts when Windows starts (see Registry key: MACHINE\RunOnce, MACHINE\Run, TaskScheduler, Run, User Shell Folders, Winlogon\Shell, RunOnce, MACHINE\RunServices). The program is not visible. The process has no file description. Explorer.exe is able to record keyboard and mouse inputs, monitor applications and manipulate other programs.
If explorer.exe is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder, the security rating is 70% dangerous. The file size is 438,272 bytes (3% of all occurrences), 1,922,560 bytes and 26 more variants.
If explorer.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files", the security rating is 58% dangerous. The file size is 260,608 bytes (9% of all occurrences), 3,805,931 bytes and 9 more variants.
If explorer.exe is located in the Windows folder for temporary files, the security rating is 62% dangerous. The file size is 79,872 bytes (16% of all occurrences), 51,200 bytes and 4 more variants.
If explorer.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\, the security rating is 49% dangerous. The file size is 2,872,320 bytes (33% of all occurrences), 7,351,808 bytes, 1,729,024 bytes, 467,030 bytes or 893,454 bytes.
If explorer.exe is located in C:\, the security rating is 37% dangerous. The file size is 2,048 bytes (50% of all occurrences) or 2,872,320 bytes.
If explorer.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows\System32, the security rating is 84% dangerous. The file size is 81,897 bytes (50% of all occurrences) or 287,744 bytes.
If explorer.exe is located in the user's profile folder, the security rating is 100% dangerous. The file size is 1,568,768 bytes.
If explorer.exe is located in a subfolder of Windows folder for temporary files, the security rating is 60% dangerous. The file size is 4,985,344 bytes.
If explorer.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's "Documents" folder, the security rating is 20% dangerous. The file size is 167,936 bytes.

External information from Paul Collins:
There are different files with the same name:

"ccreg" definitely not required. Added by the ZCREW TROJAN! Note - the valid "explorer.exe" is located in C:\Windows or C:\Winnt whereas this one is located in a C:\Windows\System or C:\Winnt\System subdirectory
"Explore" definitely not required. Added by the IRC.FLOOD.G TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate Windows Explorer (explorer.exe) which would only be in startups if you added it manually
"explorer" can run at start up. Starts Windows Explorer. Unless this has been manually added to startups or added by another program it could be a virus such as PE_BISTRO or DVLDR or MYDOOM.C. Note that it is also not the explorer.exe task/service you'll see when via CTRL+ALT+DEL
"Explorer lptt01" definitely not required. Variant of the RapidBlaster parasite (in an "explorer" folder in Program Files). It is not recommended you manually uninstall RapidBlaster but use RapidBlaster Killer. Note - this is not the legitimate Windows Explorer (explorer.exe) which would only be in startups if you added it manually!
"loadMecq0" definitely not required. Added by the MUMUBOU.C TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate Windows Explorer (explorer.exe) which would only be in startups if you added it manually
"smsys" definitely not required. Added by the CLICKER-C TROJAN! Note - the valid "explorer.exe" is located in C:\Windows or C:\Winnt whereas this one is located in a C:\Windows\Template or C:\Winnt\Template subdirectory
"Sustem" definitely not required. Added by an unidentified VIRUS, WORM or TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate Windows Explorer (explorer.exe) which would only be in startups if you added it manually
"system" definitely not required. Added by the GRAYBIRD TROJAN! Note - this is located in this is located in C:\Windows\System (Win9x/Me), C:\Winnt\System32 (WinNT/2K), or C:\Windows\System32 (WinXP) rather than the valid Windows Explorer which is located in C:\Windows or C:\Winnt
"System Update2" definitely not required. Added by the AUTOTROJ-C TROJAN!
"Windowz Update V2.0" definitely not required. Added by the YODO WORM! Note - the valid "explorer.exe" is located in C:\Windows or C:\Winnt whereas this one is located in the System32 sub-directory

Important: Some malware disguises itself as explorer.exe, particularly when not located in the C:\Windows folder. Therefore, you should check the explorer.exe process on your PC to see if it is a threat. We recommend Security Task Manager for verifying your computer's security. This was one of the Top Download Picks of The Washington Post and PC World.

Score

User Comments

This is trusted and there are rarely any errors
BOB (further information)

no matter what system you run... boot the pc in safe mode and then run the virus checker or ipconfig with DOS = no drivers have loaded = clean system
gareth

It's the graphical shell for ALL Windows versions and is thus very, very, very important.
Advait

not much other than losing sound a lot have to reboot, also freezing up a lot comes on to update & often but computer states unknown may be dangerous so I don't allow it to update
anita

The virus? It is called by a script. When deleted, get a black screen. However, functionality is not zero. Ctrl-Alt-Del brings up task manager and you can run programs by typing in their executable name, e.g. "firefox", or "iexplore", etc. All works well. typying in "explorer" brings up the desktop and all looks OK, until one hunts around, and it is clearly a fake.
Peter

If the process 'explorer.exe' is stopped via WinTaskMngr, the desktop disappears, but is easily restored by simply going to the Appl tab of WinTaskMngr, if already open, and click on New Task and enter 'explorer.exe.'
Frustrated

Very, Very, Important system.
Seong-Jun Ham

explorer.exe is a critical component of Windows. Ending the process will cause the desktop, taskbar and any open windows associated with it to disappear, leaving the computer almost non-functional until it is restarted.

More comments can be found here:
(further information)

Summary: Average user rating of explorer.exe: based on 382 votes with 9 user comments. 202 users think explorer.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 14 users think it's probably harmless. 79 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. 24 users suspect danger. 63 users think explorer.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it. 59 users don't grade explorer.exe ("not sure about it").

Best practices for resolving explorer issues

A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with explorer. This means running a scan for malware, cleaning your hard drive using 1cleanmgr and 2sfc /scannow, 3uninstalling programs that you no longer need, checking for Autostart programs (using 4msconfig) and enabling Windows' 5Automatic Update. Always remember to perform periodic backups, or at least to set restore points.

Should you experience an actual problem, try to recall the last thing you did, or the last thing you installed before the problem appeared for the first time. Use the 6resmon command to identify the processes that are causing your problem. Even for serious problems, rather than reinstalling Windows, you are better off repairing of your installation or executing the 7DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth command. This allows you to repair the operating system without losing data.

To get your computer running as fast as it did on day one, you can 8reset your PC. Your personal files will remain intact, but any programs you installed will need to be reinstalled.

To help you analyze the explorer.exe process on your computer, the following programs have proven to be helpful: ASecurity Task Manager displays all running Windows tasks, including embedded hidden processes, such as keyboard and browser monitoring or Autostart entries. A unique security risk rating indicates the likelihood of the process being potential spyware, malware or a Trojan. A good Bantivirus software detects and removes sleeping spyware, adware, Trojans, keyloggers, malware and trackers from your hard drive.

Other processes

mscoreei.dll ctfmon.exe mdnsresponder.exe explorer.exe googlecrashhandler.exe task.vbs kmservice.exe nvinit.dll urlredir.dll hkcmd.exe ascplugin_protection.dll [all]

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