How to remove an hotkey error

The free file information forum can help you determine if hotkey.exe is a virus, trojan, spyware, or adware that you can remove, or a file belonging to a Windows system or an application you can trust.

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Hotkey.exe file information

The process known as TOSHIBA Hotkey Filter Application or HotKey MFC Application or Lenovo Black Silk USB Keyboard or Performance Logs and Alerts Service or OneTouchHotKey MFC Application or TinianFn or Launch-n-Go or Hotkey Microsoft

belongs to software TOSHIBA Hotkey Utility or HotKey MFC Application or Lenovo Black Silk USB Keyboard or ASUS Hotkey or OneTouchHotKey Application or Microsoft Windows Operating System or Keyword Hotkey or TinianFn

by TOSHIBA (www.toshiba.com) or LG Electronics (www.lg.com) or JME or ASUS (www.asus.com) or Lenovo (www.lenovo.com) or Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) or Pmx. Electronics (www.umax.com) or Tethys Solutions.

Description: hotkey.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files". Known file sizes on Windows 7/XP are 114,688 bytes (12% of all occurrences), 798,208 bytes and 31 more variants.
There is an icon for this program on the taskbar next to the clock. File hotkey.exe is not a Windows core file. hotkey.exe is able to record inputs. Therefore the technical security rating is 43% dangerous, however also read the users reviews.
If you encounter difficulties with hotkey.exe, you can uninstall Toshiba Hotkey Utility or ASUS Hotkey software via Windows Control Panel/Add or Remove Programs (Windows XP) or Programs and Features (Windows 7/Vista).

Recommended: Identify hotkey.exe related errors

If hotkey.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows, the security rating is 32% dangerous. The file size is 610,304 bytes (32% of all occurrences), 462,848 bytes and 6 more variants. It is located in the Windows folder, but it is not a Windows core file. It is not a Windows system file. hotkey.exe is able to record inputs.

If hotkey.exe is located in the folder C:\Windows\System32, the security rating is 68% dangerous. The file size is 18,944 bytes (20% of all occurrences), 70,000 bytes, 1,219,992 bytes, 20,992 bytes or 78,192 bytes. The program is not visible. It is located in the Windows folder, but it is not a Windows core file. Hotkey.exe is not a Windows core file. The application starts upon Windows startup (see Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders, HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce, HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run). hotkey.exe is able to record inputs, hide itself and monitor applications.

External information from Paul Collins:

"load=" must run at start up. Solo 5300 display driver for Win2K on some Gateway laptops

Important: Some malware camouflages itself as hotkey.exe, particularly when located in the c:\windows or c:\windows\system32 folder. Therefore, you should check the hotkey.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

Enables special keys on Chicony keyboards. Special combinations include Internet, E-mail, vol+, vol-, mute, etc. Only required for extended features
kosper

ASUS utility used for mapping special keys on a laptop
Cherub

want it out of pc
d. sanchez

enables keys on flatbed-scanner; Name: PrimaxOne Touch MFC Application; (Path: %windir%\Twain_32\FladBed\HotKey.exe)
Stephan

It's part of the TWAIN-support drivers for the scanner-drivers (installed as part of camera software, under C:\winnt\twain_32). I removed it, since I don't have a scanner.
Shalom Craimer

part of LG Onscreen display software, needed for several shortcut button
ultime

TOSHIBA utility used for mapping special keys on a laptop
Fernando Torres

TOSHIBA laptop utility for key combinations with the Fn key.
Florin

it's a virus according to norton and i want to remove it. it slows the performance of my computer.
wayne

It is a Toshiba utility
Ian B (further information)

My virus protector keeps blocking this program as "medium risk". Since the icon has been popping up in my taskbar, my pc has been running extremely slow. I will probably delete it since my keyboard does not have the "Fn" button, and I have not been using my scanner. Thanks for the information provided. 4-10-09
Teresa

info from www.ProcessLibrary.com: hotkey.exe is a an application which belongs to the OneTouchHotKey Application by Pmx. Electronics Ltd. "This program is a non-essential process, but should not be terminated unless suspected to be causing problems.
Teresa 4-10-09 1:38pm (further information)

not dangerous it freezes up my computer every 5 secs for a millisec mouse an all i killed the process and the problem stopped, no harm done
jeff

I Know This Virus Will Slow Down Your Computer And You Will Need Professinal Help To Remove It
Jeremy

hotkey,exe is a universal name for the process that allows you to use shortcuts using the keyboard. EX:FN+F3 on my comp mutes sound. Without hotkey.exe, it would not work. Ii is completely harmless, unless infected by malware.
Andrew

Same experience as jeff. Every 5 seconds, the computer froze, and any audio or video froze as well. The CPU usage spiked every 5 seconds or so, oscillating between 9 and sometimes 100%. Thanks to Ian B, though. The "further information" link showed that it is not applicable to all Toshiba laptops, including mine (Toshiba Satellite M45 series). I deleted it and now my video and audio is fine again and the computer speeded up.
Jani

Used for keyboards that can control volume, quick button internet etc.
adam

installed itself after trying to get toshiba fn buttons to work again... but it ended up freezing the pc every few seconds and i cant see how to get it permanently removed. not a published service/app, not in add/remove programs, not in windows/system32 as some have said before. searching for hotkey.exe while enabling hidden files does not find it.
Scale

PHotkey is frequently installed by a computer mfg to direct input from the user to a pre-installed program. Removing the utility will make it necessary to access the target program manually.
T R Frazier

Summary: Average user rating of hotkey.exe: based on 20 votes with 19 reviews.

10 users think hotkey.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 2 users think it's probably harmless. 4 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. 2 users suspect danger. 2 users think hotkey.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it. 2 users doesn't grade hotkey.exe ("not sure about it").

Hotkey scanner

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