The genuine audiodg.exe file is a software component of Microsoft Windows Operating System by Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft introduced "audiodg.exe" in Windows Vista and Server 2008 as a new process, part of new user-mode audio architecture replacing that in XP and Server 2003. Called "Audio Device Graph Isolation," it is a core system component residing in "C:\Windows\System32" and should not be removed. It is a protected process, also a concept introduced in Vista. It hosts the audio engine separately from the Windows audio service hosted by "svchost.exe". The audio engine performs all digital signal processing (DSP), which may include loading third-party code: Audio Processing Objects (APOs), customized DSP's provided by audio system vendors. Only Microsoft code is allowed in anything hosted by "svchost.exe", so executing in "audiodg.exe" in user mode isolates the audio engine. Its protected process status is required for use of Digital Rights Management (DRM) for media industry protected intellectual property including Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, which also has to be isolated from "svchost.exe".
AudioDG stands for Windows AudioDevice Graph Isolation
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 audiodg.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.
Description: The original audiodg.exe from Microsoft is an important part of Windows, but often causes problems. Audiodg.exe is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder.
Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 100,864 bytes (58% of all occurrences), 88,576 bytes and 8 more variants.
The file is a Windows core system file. The program has no visible window. The audiodg.exe file is a trustworthy file from Microsoft.
Therefore the technical security rating is 2% dangerous; however you should also read the user reviews.
Is audiodg.exe a virus? No, it is not. The true audiodg.exe file is a safe Microsoft Windows system process, called "Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation".
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 for instance TROJ_GEN.R002C0DE922 or TROJ_COINMINE.CYE (detected by TrendMicro), and Trojan:Win32/Tiggre!rfn or PUA:Win32/CoinMiner (detected by Microsoft).
To ensure that no rogue audiodg.exe is running on your PC, click here to run a Free Virus Scan.
How to recognize suspicious variants?
If audiodg.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files", the security rating is 60% dangerous. The file size is 1,189,376 bytes (25% of all occurrences), 5,962,256 bytes and 9 more variants.
The file is not a Windows system file. The program is not visible.
Audiodg.exe is able to monitor applications, manipulate other programs and record keyboard and mouse inputs.
If audiodg.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder, the security rating is 81% dangerous. The file size is 2,594,816 bytes (20% of all occurrences), 10,875,904 bytes and 6 more variants.
The file is not a Windows system file. There is no description of the program. The program is not visible.
If audiodg.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows, the security rating is 74% dangerous. The file size is 1,283,584 bytes (60% of all occurrences) or 5,342,757 bytes.
If audiodg.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\, the security rating is 72% dangerous. The file size is 86,016 bytes.
Important: Some malware disguises itself as audiodg.exe, particularly when not located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the audiodg.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.
Every time I insert an USB pendrive, audiodg.exe activates my wireless, even if I disactivated it. So I strongly suspect it is some sort of malware. Sam Rice
amd64_microsoft-windows-audio-audiocore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_d294b5cdfe50c681 and C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_microsoft-windows-audio-audiocore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_d4c5c995fb3f4a1b\audiodg.exe found two more in W-root/winsxs/ pigman
Well the file size of it is about 112 KB and it is in C:/Windows/system32.Well,the Malvarebytes Anti-Malvare said that it is clean.Same with Hitman Pro and Avast!.Yes,the orginal filename is audioadg.exe (See the link for more info).Well,there IS description,I dont remember it,but it said Windows and something else.So,it looks like it is a needed file for Windows. davids2015 (further information)
Uses typically 10% CPU when no audio is being used. If killed in task manager, it immediately starts again, thus impossible to stop. File modification date (3rd Feb 2015) is before the file creation date (11 Mar 2015) ??!! Tony Erwood
If I end this process in task manager it restarts immediately. This seems to be a new behaviour. It used to stay ended. It uses about 5% cpu even when I have no audio i/o. Tony Erwood
it uses like 0.5% cpu fjsdofjaslfs
type "sc stop audiosrv" in the command prompt. there, no more audio dg. Tuffy
Summary: Average user rating of audiodg.exe:
based on 128 votes with 9 user comments.
81 users think audiodg.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application.
10 users think it's probably harmless.
15 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous.
11 users suspect danger.
11 users think audiodg.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it.
16 users don't grade audiodg.exe ("not sure about it").
Best practices for resolving audiodg issues
A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with audiodg. 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 audiodg.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.
Score
User Comments
(further information)
Sam Rice
pigman
davids2015 (further information)
Tony Erwood
Tony Erwood
fjsdofjaslfs
Tuffy
(further information)
Summary: Average user rating of audiodg.exe: based on 128 votes with 9 user comments. 81 users think audiodg.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 10 users think it's probably harmless. 15 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. 11 users suspect danger. 11 users think audiodg.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it. 16 users don't grade audiodg.exe ("not sure about it").