What is hl.exe?

hl.exe is an executable file associated with the Half-Life game, developed by Valve. This file is also known as the Half-Life Launcher. It is typically located in the directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\Counter-Strike 1.6.

The associated software, Half-Life, is a popular first-person shooter game. The hl.exe file is essential for launching and running the game. It is also used to launch other games based on the Half-Life engine, such as Counter-Strike.

hl.exe is needed to start the Half-Life game and other games based on its engine. Without this file, the game will not run. It is a crucial component of the software and should not be removed if you intend to play the game.

Under normal circumstances, there is no need to remove hl.exe. If it is causing problems (like system crashes or performance issues), or if it has been identified as a virus or malware by your security software, it may need to be removed. Always ensure to download games from official sources to avoid malicious files.

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Hl.exe file information

Windows Task Manager with hl — Hl.exe process in Windows Task Manager

The process known as Half-Life Launcher belongs to software Steam Half-Life Launcher or Half-Life Launcher or Counter Strike Serbia Edition verzija or Counter-Strike (version 1.6 v23b) by Valve (www.valvesoftware.com).

Description: Hl.exe is not essential for the Windows OS and causes relatively few problems. Hl.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files (x86)"—common is C:\Program Files (x86)\Counter-Strike 1.6\. Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 86,077 bytes (57% of all occurrences), 81,920 bytes, 98,984 bytes or 103,936 bytes.
The file is not a Windows core file. Hl.exe is able to record keyboard and mouse inputs. Therefore the technical security rating is 26% dangerous; however you should also read the user reviews.

Uninstalling this variant: You may also want to use the software publisher's support ^[1][2] or remove the entire program Counter-Strike or Steam using Windows Control Panel.

Recommended: Identify hl.exe related errors

If hl.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's "Documents" folder, the security rating is 51% dangerous. The file size is 86,077 bytes (50% of all occurrences) or 86,175 bytes. The hl.exe file is not a Windows system file. The process uses ports to connect to or from a LAN or the Internet.
If hl.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder, the security rating is 45% dangerous. The file size is 102,912 bytes (50% of all occurrences) or 86,077 bytes. The program has a visible window. The hl.exe file is not a Windows core file.
Uninstalling this variant: You may also want to use the software publisher's support or remove the entire program Counter-Strike using Windows Control Panel.

Important: Some malware camouflages itself as hl.exe, particularly when located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the hl.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

Well most likely it's one of your games from Sierra. Definiteley not dangerous.
Kev (further information)

not dangerous at all, its a game from SteamValve.
Matlo (further information)

hl.exe is a part of the Half Life series of computer games, and is a main executable of the series.
Mike

Its a game CS 1.6
Radu

Keylogger
SE7EN

Its a game called Half-Life or for a mod called cs 1.6
MegaHello

Half-Life
Gordon Freeman

It is the Source Engine

i Like it
ShellPro

Summary: Average user rating of hl.exe: based on 14 votes with 9 user comments. 8 users think hl.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 2 users think it's probably harmless. 2 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. One user suspects danger. One user thinks hl.exe is dangerous and recommends removing it. 2 users don't grade hl.exe ("not sure about it").

Best practices for resolving hl issues

A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with hl. 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 hl.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

sysapcrt.dll popwndlog.exe gom.exe hl.exe elevateservice.exe hwinfo64.exe nitropdfdriverservice8x64.exe clmsmonitorservice.exe ngen.exe bootstrap.exe clear.fimovieservice.exe [all]

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