The genuine dwm.exe file is a software component of Microsoft Windows by Microsoft. Microsoft Windows is an operating system. Dwm.exe runs the Desktop Windows Manager, a window management utility for Windows and an essential Windows component that should not be removed.
Previously known as Desktop Compositing Engine, Desktop Windows Manager is the window manager in several operating systems including Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10. It is designed to enable hardware acceleration to support the graphical user interface of Windows. DWM was first created to enable sections of the Windows Aero user experience, and is included with Windows Server 2008. Additionally, it enables certain visual effects on desktops such as Windows Flip and Windows Flip3D, and can be enabled or disabled via the Control Panel.
The Microsoft Corporation, headquartered in Redmond, Washington is best known for its Microsoft Windows lineup of operating systems. Regarded as the world's largest software maker by revenue and one of the most valuable companies in the world, this American multinational technology company develops, manufactures and licenses computer software, personal computers and consumer electronics, and generated a revenue of $85 billion+ in 2017.
DWM stands for Desktop Windows Manager
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 dwm.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 dwm.exe from Microsoft is an important part of Windows, but often causes problems. Dwm.exe is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder.
Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 92,672 bytes (67% of all occurrences), 81,920 bytes and 11 more variants.
Dwm.exe is a Windows system file. The program is not visible. It is a trustworthy file from Microsoft.
Therefore the technical security rating is 15% dangerous, however you should also read the user reviews.
Is dwm.exe a virus? No, it is not. The true dwm.exe file is a safe Microsoft Windows system process, called "Desktop Window Manager".
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 example Artemis!A29094FF4DC2 (detected by McAfee), and Backdoor:Win32/Caphaw.H or TrojanDownloader:Win32/Deewomz.A (detected by Microsoft).
To ensure that no rogue dwm.exe is running on your PC, click here to run a Free Virus Scan.
How to recognize suspicious variants?
If dwm.exe is located in a subfolder of Windows folder for temporary files, the security rating is 74% dangerous. The file size is 913,920 bytes (56% of all occurrences), 318,464 bytes and 4 more variants.
It is not a Windows core file. The program is not visible. The process has no file description.
Dwm.exe is able to monitor applications.
If dwm.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder, the security rating is 71% dangerous. The file size is 318,464 bytes (29% of all occurrences), 913,920 bytes and 8 more variants.
There is no information about the author of the file. The program is not visible. The file is not a Windows core file.
If dwm.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\, the security rating is 54% dangerous. The file size is 1,998,336 bytes (25% of all occurrences), 1,568,768 bytes, 1,491,968 bytes or 102,970 bytes.
If dwm.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files", the security rating is 72% dangerous. The file size is 1,030,680 bytes (25% of all occurrences), 336,401 bytes, 2,471,936 bytes or 395,776 bytes.
If dwm.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows, the security rating is 50% dangerous. The file size is 142,336 bytes.
If dwm.exe is located in the C:\Windows folder, the security rating is 68% dangerous. The file size is 470,016 bytes.
If dwm.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows\System32, the security rating is 56% dangerous. The file size is 1,502,208 bytes.
Important: Some malware disguises itself as dwm.exe, particularly when not located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the dwm.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
If it takes up more than 50 percent of your CPU, it is definetly a virus. I have been through this experience before. All you need to do is end the task, ignore any warnings and disable startup on anything starting with tmp unless you have purposely enabled it. Lewis
Mine is disguised as a .ts file vlc recording, but the properties show it as a .dwm file and will not show security setting. . I can not delete it with anything. Norton. Malware bytes do not see it as a problem and when I try scanning it crashes them. RevoU ninstaller can not delete it. Anon
This software is essential for Windows 10 to run.If you kill the app then your OS will restart the application but if you pause the process that runs dwm using the Resource Manager the Desktop & Explorer will stop working Savidu Sirisoma
Dwm.exe is not a virus this is Windows Aero. We can find this on vista and windows 7.If your Dwm exe use to much CPU/RAM/ You can disable but you will have no Aero Look (candy look) on your Windows Johan (further information)
it is malicious in my laptop have its root somewhere but take host in appdata/temp/msupdates Bhuvanesh.s
Dwm.exe is used for transparent window borders and window animations on Windows Vista and newer. If you think dwm.exe is a virus, try ending it with task manager. If you get opaque windows then it's the real thing. But if your windows remain transparent, then it could be a virus. If you dwm.exe on Windows XP, then it's probably a virus. Pootis
dwm.exe is needed for Vista and above because we can have all those Aero effects we see until today. However,sometimes it may (sometimes) affect your computer's performance. Constiff
Summary: Average user rating of dwm.exe:
based on 288 votes with 9 user comments.
184 users think dwm.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application.
18 users think it's probably harmless.
35 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous.
9 users suspect danger.
42 users think dwm.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it.
13 users don't grade dwm.exe ("not sure about it").
Best practices for resolving dwm issues
A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with dwm. 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 dwm.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
Lewis
(further information)
Anon
Savidu Sirisoma
Johan (further information)
Bhuvanesh.s
Pootis
Constiff
(further information)
Summary: Average user rating of dwm.exe: based on 288 votes with 9 user comments. 184 users think dwm.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 18 users think it's probably harmless. 35 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. 9 users suspect danger. 42 users think dwm.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it. 13 users don't grade dwm.exe ("not sure about it").