The genuine iTunesHelper.exe file is a software component of iTunes by Apple. iTunesHelper.exe is an executable file that is associated with iTunes, a cross-platform desktop media manager primarily for audio files developed by Apple Inc. This process runs the iTunes Helper File. This is not an essential process for Windows and can be disabled.
iTunes comes equipped with media management capabilities, and can even be used to broadcast radio online. The software is popularly known for its mobile device management applications. It is used to play, download, and organize digital audio and video. The iTunes Store lets users purchase music online through their iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.
Apple Inc. is an American company that develops consumer electronics, computer software, as well as online services. The company is known for its smartphones, tablet computers, personal computers, media players and smartwatches. Apple develops the OS X and iOS operating systems, the iTunes media player, the Safari web browser, as well as several dozen productivity suites. Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in 1976, to develop and sell personal computers. The company is currently based in Cupertino, California, USA.
iTunesHelper stands for iTunesHelper Module Launcher
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 iTunesHelper.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.
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Description: ITunesHelper.exe is not essential for Windows and will often cause problems. The file iTunesHelper.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files (x86)" (mostly C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\).
Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 152,392 bytes (25% of all occurrences), 421,736 bytes and 39 more variants. AppleInc iTunes meets the requirements of the Windows Store, the package name is AppleInc.iTunes_nzyj5cx40ttqa.
The iTunesHelper.exe file is not a Windows system file. The application is loaded during the Windows boot process (see Registry key: MACHINE\Run).
The program has no visible window. The program can be uninstalled in the Control Panel. The file is a Verisign signed file. ITunesHelper.exe is digitally signed.
ITunesHelper.exe is able to monitor applications.
Therefore the technical security rating is 26% dangerous; however you should also read the user reviews.
If iTunesHelper.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\, the security rating is 22% dangerous. The file size is 157,992 bytes (20% of all occurrences), 176,952 bytes, 421,736 bytes, 822,272 bytes or 164,152 bytes.
ITunesHelper.exe is not a Windows core file. The iTunesHelper.exe file is a Verisign signed file. The program is not visible. The application can be uninstalled in the Control Panel. The file has a digital signature. The program is loaded during the Windows boot process (see Registry key: MACHINE\Run).
If iTunesHelper.exe is located in C:\, the security rating is 26% dangerous. The file size is 421,776 bytes (25% of all occurrences), 421,736 bytes, 302,904 bytes or 421,160 bytes.
The iTunesHelper.exe file is a Verisign signed file. You can uninstall this program in the Control Panel. The program has no visible window. The iTunesHelper.exe file is not a Windows core file. The file has a digital signature. The application uses ports to connect to or from a LAN or the Internet. The program starts when Windows starts (see Registry key: MACHINE\Run).
ITunesHelper.exe is able to monitor applications.
"iTunes Helper" must run at start up. Installed with Apple's iTunes for Windows. Uses ~3-4MB of memory and if disabled in MSCONFIG or deleted from the registry it will re-instate itself after running iTunes a few times - hence the reluctant Y recommendation
Important: Some malware camouflages itself as iTunesHelper.exe, particularly when located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder, for example Trojan.Generic.KDV.361681 (detected by F-Secure), and Trojan.Generic.KDV.361681 or Win32.Expiro.Gen.7 (detected by BitDefender). Therefore, you should check the iTunesHelper.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
My computer keeps freezing every seconds until I removed it in Control panel and rebooted the computer, it went fine like the old, I would recommend to uninstall it like I did. Alex
Optional program. Only keep it if you access itunes daily
i always get thew nessage:iTunesHelper is not correctly installed; reinstall iTunes. martin
Windows 7 kept freezing randomly. Until I removed this program. Patrik
For me it interfered with using winamp, it made winamp 2-3 times use more processing power and blocked my attempt uninstall a winamp plugin. Not only should you disable it, you should uninstall the whole apple package and consider a different music player - winamp (does it all) and musicbee (does a lot with little effort on your part) are both really great. Peter L.
its not dangerous at all, but be careful cause if you close it, and then try to transfer files to your ipod, it will mess it up, and you will have to reset your ipod to factory settings, happened to me a couple times James
Would crash my fairly high end laptop every 30 minutes or so with a memory leak. I disable it every time the PC boots. Chris H.
background program but slows down startup speed on windows tom
Summary: Average user rating of iTunesHelper.exe:
based on 129 votes with 9 user comments.
71 users think iTunesHelper.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application.
7 users think it's probably harmless.
11 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous.
21 users suspect danger.
19 users think iTunesHelper.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it.
7 users don't grade iTunesHelper.exe ("not sure about it").
Best practices for resolving iTunesHelper issues
A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with iTunesHelper. 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 iTunesHelper.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
Alex
martin
Patrik
Peter L.
James
Chris H.
tom
(further information)
Summary: Average user rating of iTunesHelper.exe: based on 129 votes with 9 user comments. 71 users think iTunesHelper.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 7 users think it's probably harmless. 11 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. 21 users suspect danger. 19 users think iTunesHelper.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it. 7 users don't grade iTunesHelper.exe ("not sure about it").