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What is support.exe?

support.exe is an executable file that is typically associated with certain software applications, most commonly NetSupport Client, NetSupport Manager, and Dell Support. This file is usually located in the C:\Users\Public\Support directory.

NetSupport Client and NetSupport Manager are software applications developed by NetSupport. They are used for remote management, monitoring, and desktop sharing. These tools are beneficial for IT professionals as they allow them to provide remote support, manage multiple computers, and perform administrative tasks without being physically present at the machine.

Dell Support is a software application developed by Dell. It provides automated support to Dell users, helping them troubleshoot and resolve issues with their Dell devices.

support.exe is needed if you are using any of the aforementioned software applications. It is a crucial component that ensures these applications run smoothly. support.exe can sometimes be associated with malware or viruses. Malicious programs often disguise themselves as legitimate files to avoid detection.

If you find support.exe on your computer and you haven't installed any of the associated software, or if your antivirus software flags it as a threat, it's recommended to remove it. Always ensure that your antivirus software is up-to-date and perform regular scans to keep your system safe.

Click to Run a Free Scan for support.exe related errors

Support.exe file information

Windows Task Manager with support
Support.exe process in Windows Task Manager

The process known as NetSupport Client Application or Support belongs to software NetSupport Manager or Dell Support by (www.netsupportsoftware.com) or Dell (www.dell.com).

Description: Support.exe is not essential for the Windows OS and causes relatively few problems. Support.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\"—mostly C:\Users\Public\Support\. Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 34,288 bytes (75% of all occurrences) or 74,240 bytes. file.net/process/support.exe.html 
The support.exe file is not a Windows system file. The program is not visible. The software listens for or sends data on open ports to a LAN or the Internet. The program starts when Windows starts (see Registry key: Run, MACHINE\Run). It is a Verisign signed file. Therefore the technical security rating is 68% dangerous; but you should also compare this rating with the user reviews.

Uninstalling this variant: If you still experience problems with support.exe, you can also do the following:
  1) uninstall the associated program (Start > Control Panel > Uninstall a Program > NetSupport School or Lenovo Support)
  2) turn to the software company, Netsupportsoftware, for advice.

Recommended: Identify support.exe related errors

If support.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files\Common Files", the security rating is 34% dangerous. The file size is 294,912 bytes. The support.exe file is not a Windows core file. The software is loaded during the Windows boot process (see Registry key: Run, MACHINE\Run). The program is not visible. You can uninstall this program in the Control Panel.

Uninstalling this variant: If you still experience problems with support.exe, you can also do the following:
  1) uninstall the associated program (Start > Control Panel > Uninstall a Program > Dell Support)
  2) visit the vendor’s support site
  3) make sure that you have installed the latest version.

External information from Paul Collins:

Important: Some malware camouflages itself as support.exe, particularly when located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the support.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

It seems to be the Dell auto-support program, but then again, hackers are very stealthy?
  Matt Sundance  
pre-installed from Dell
  jay  
Appears to try to connect to the net at startup. This is annoying if you use an On-Demand provision such as AOL.
  Jeremy Gugenheim  
Dell Support tool... Pre-installed on all dells since October 2002. Supposably collects information on user by stealth. See link for details.
  Maximilleus   (further information)

Summary: Average user rating of support.exe: based on 5 votes with 4 user comments. 3 users think support.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 2 users think it's probably harmless. One user is not sure about it.


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Best practices for resolving support issues

A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with support. 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 support.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.



Other processes

support.exe [all]