The genuine SearchFilterHost.exe file is a software component of Microsoft Windows Operating System by Microsoft Corporation. "SearchFilterHost.exe" is a Microsoft Windows core process residing in "C:\Windows\System32." It "hosts" (links to and loads into memory) search filter ".dll" (Dynamic Link Library) modules so that Windows Search or another full-text indexing program can execute them. Filters are registered under "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes" by "regsvr32.exe" to enable finding the filter designed for a file's internal format, (e.g., PDF, Word, Excel, or HTML), based on a file's class, its name extension, or a GUID. The filter negotiates the file's structure and formatting codes to extract text content and file properties for indexing. Filter DLL's have to be written in native code because Windows 7 and later expressly block managed code. One filter can handle multiple file types but each time a file type is met the same filter must be used.
SearchFilterHost stands for Windows SearchFilterHost
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 SearchFilterHost.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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SearchFilterHost.exe file information
SearchFilterHost.exe process in Windows Task Manager
Description: The original SearchFilterHost.exe from Microsoft is an important part of Windows, but often causes problems. SearchFilterHost.exe is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder.
Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 86,528 bytes (39% of all occurrences), 173,056 bytes and 25 more variants.
The program has no visible window. It is a Microsoft signed file. The file is a Windows core system file.
Therefore the technical security rating is 4% dangerous; but you should also compare this rating with the user reviews.
Is SearchFilterHost.exe a virus? No, it is not. The true SearchFilterHost.exe file is a safe Microsoft Windows system process, called "Microsoft Windows Search Filter Host".
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 e.g. PE_VIRUX.S-4 (detected by TrendMicro), and Win32:MalwareX-gen [Trj] (detected by Avast).
To ensure that no rogue SearchFilterHost.exe is running on your PC, click here to run a Free Virus Scan.
How to recognize suspicious variants?
If SearchFilterHost.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files", the security rating is 64% dangerous. The file size is 2,099,712 bytes.
It is a file with no information about its developer. The program is not visible. The SearchFilterHost.exe file is a Windows scheduled tasks. The file is not a Windows core file.
If SearchFilterHost.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder, the security rating is 100% dangerous. The file size is 3,289,088 bytes.
The software uses ports to connect to or from a LAN or the Internet. The program has no visible window. It is a file with no information about its developer. The app is launched periodically by the Windows Task Scheduler. The SearchFilterHost.exe file is not a Windows system file.
SearchFilterHost.exe is able to monitor applications, manipulate other programs and record keyboard and mouse inputs.
Important: Some malware disguises itself as SearchFilterHost.exe, particularly when not located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the SearchFilterHost.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.
regarding to vista it appears to be part of their new all singing all dancing search indexer and though it speeds up file searches ultimately slow your entire os hildabum
I got it off by uninstalling Windows Desktop Search Genior
The first time I hear abot it was when outlook 2007 ask me about to chek on Carlos AB (further information)
einfach den Dienst deaktivieren uncle di
part of the confusingly named "windows search" which is an add-on app (this is NOT the built-in search function in windows) a
Speeds up searches from start menu Dimitris
uninstalling Windows Search 4.0 will remove this HD & CPU hogger MrForce
Seems to be part of Windows search indexing. Turning it off will at worst make file searching take longer.
If it is a window indexer (searches file faster in the desktop) then I believe there's no need for "SearchFilterHost" to connect itself to the internet. Might as well disable or block it with a 3rd party firewall. Syah
it took 50% of my cpu usage. in windows 7 you can disable it by going to: control panell indexing optios (then deselect folders)
Thank you MrForce! Uninstalling Windows Search 4.0 solved the problem, and now I'm not bogged down by SearchIndexer locking up my computer. What an annoyance!!! Wadie
I had windows indexing turned off for years when I noticed searchfilter was taking up 15%- 45% of my processor time while I was waiting for a new program I wrote to compile in Visual Studio 10. I double checked th search index in control panel and I had no files of folders chosen for indexing. I will try to uninstall Search 4.0 as suggested here on your web page). I will re-post when I am done with the uninstall (I am still compiling in the background). Joe Spivey
On my computer (Windows XP SP3) this file was installed by Microsoft Search v4.0 David
Error after Adobe Flash Player Up-Grade. Adobe Flash site has fix for Flash Player 11.3 ,268 After install it fixed my mem error
In Windows 7, press Windows key + R simultaneously. In the Run dialog box enter 'services.msc'. Scroll down to 'Windows Search'. Right-click and from the ensuing window first stop, then disable the service. All fixed, no more p.i.t.a, CPU hogging by this annoying service. thx
its taking to much cpu and hoting my laptop to 90c ohad
Resource Hog!
Part of windows search. Disable if it is causing issues.
I tried the advice from 'thx' to disable 'Windows Search' using 'services.msc', and tested start-menu searching. Turns out the start-menu search will not search through my documents when 'Windows Search' is disabled, so I re-enabled it. I have windows 7. Jan Heldal
My version of SearchFilterHost.exe is 113,664 bytes and is in C:\Windows\System32 not in another sub folder of C:\Windows. The information on this page says it is normally this size when in another sub-folder, not when in System32. My computer is running Windows 7 Home Premium. My start-up anti-virus said that SearchFilterHost.exe wanted to access my data and the data it wanted to access was a small image file in a sub-folder of My Documents. The sub-folder is of images used in a publishing program. Pat
Slows my typing to a crawl. Add/Remove On Windows 7: Go to Add/Remove Programs Turn Windows Features ON or OFF Scroll down to Windows Search Uncheck Windows Search. You will need to reboot. Kevin
CPU Usage from 80-90% down to 2% with the advice from "thx". Start "services.msc", scroll down to "Windows Search", rightclick, choose "Preferences". Set "Starttype" to "Disabled" and if u want, "end" the process under "service status". Reboot your PC. That's it! Vanyue
Show all user comments
Summary: Average user rating of SearchFilterHost.exe:
based on 39 votes with 27 user comments.
6 users think SearchFilterHost.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application.
2 users think it's probably harmless.
26 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous.
5 users suspect danger.
6 users don't grade SearchFilterHost.exe ("not sure about it").
Best practices for resolving SearchFilterHost issues
A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with SearchFilterHost. 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 SearchFilterHost.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 (further information)
hildabum
Genior
Carlos AB (further information)
uncle di
a
Dimitris
MrForce
binyo66 (further information)
Sirius
Syah
(further information)
Wadie
Joe Spivey
David
thx
ohad
Jan Heldal
Pat
Kevin
Vanyue
Summary: Average user rating of SearchFilterHost.exe: based on 39 votes with 27 user comments. 6 users think SearchFilterHost.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 2 users think it's probably harmless. 26 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. 5 users suspect danger. 6 users don't grade SearchFilterHost.exe ("not sure about it").