How to Kill “Anti-Malware Service Executable” High PC Usage

Often when you update your computers antimalware or antivirus, you get an issue with the antimalware occupying a huge percentage of the CPU memory/RAM, thereby slowing your computer down.

Antimalware Service Executable is a component of your Windows Defender application and it helps protect your Windows PC from malware, virus, and suspicious attacks. As an inbuilt feature of Window Defender it keeps your computer safe, by running in the background and scanning any threatening content or files that it intercepts on your computer, which you can get via email or by visiting risky sites.

While Antimalware Service Executable is highly frustrating and may cause you to end the process several times, you cannot do without it simply because you need to protect your computer and keep it functional. Let us show you how to overcome this challenge with some steps that we recommend. Firstly, the Window Defender is an application that constantly runs in the background, as long as you PC are on. Windows Defender, by default, runs with two options that are pre-selected – one is the ‘real-time’ protection and the second feature is the ‘deep scanning’ which constantly and continuously scans your computers files to fix threats it finds. Now, you first need to diagnose whether it is either of these two issues that are occupying your computer’s hard disk and memory. Let’s show you how to check that out.

Fixing your PC for slow down issues due to ‘Real-Time Protection’ feature

1. Go to your computers ‘Settings’ and then to ‘Update and Security’
2. Turn off the ‘Real-Time Protection’ feature
3. Turn off the ‘Cloud based Protection’ feature 

Once you have done the above changes, reboot your computer and check the Task Manager for the Antimalware Service Executable process or the msmpeng.exe file. See the CPU and memory occupancy and if you see that now the Antimalware Service Executable is not occupying so much of the CPU hard disk or the memory, then your problem stands fixed.

Fixing your PC for slow down issues due to ‘Deep Scanning’ feature

Once you have altered the real-time protection issue, you next need to check if the deep scanning is also slowing your PC down. So,

1. Go to your computers ‘Settings’ and then to ‘Update and Security’
2. Here, you will see a sub-setting ‘Limited Periodic Scanning’ – turn this feature ‘On’
3. Select a frequency for deep scanning of your files – preferably a week. 

Again, reboot your PC once you have done the above change and if you now find that the Antimalware Service Executable or the msmpeng.exe file not occupying high percentages of your CPU or memory, then you know that you have fixed the slow down issue you were facing with your PC.

While the above should help is fixing PC slowdown issues, you need to understand that your PC is going to be at risk with the real-time protection and deep scanning feature now turned to ‘periodic’ frequency instead of constantly. This essentially exposes your PC to threats from antivirus and malware. Let us guide you about how you can keep your PC protected as well as enjoy its optimal functioning. At all points in time, you definitely should consider a round-the-clock protection for your PC because you don’t know when you will face a threat – either by way a virus attack or a Trojan or malware. Following are antivirus and malware apps that you can consider to keep your PC protected throughout.

Fix your PC by changing Defender’s Scheduling Options

Another useful way is to change the windows defender scheduling option. This is yet another error caused due to real-time protection features. Fulfil the given details below and repair the ‘antimalware service executable high disk usage’ issue.

• Press the Windows logo key + R at the same time to invoke the Run box.
• Type taskschd. MSC and press Enter.
• Double-click on Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows.
• Double-click Windows Defender in Windows. Accordingly double-click Windows Defender Scheduled Scan.
• Uncheck Run with greatest privileges.
• Uncheck all the items in the Conditions section. Hence click OK.

How to put Antimalware Service Executable to Windows Defender’s Exclusion List

• Press the Windows logo key + I at the exact time to open the Settings window.
• Click Update & security.
•  Click Windows security, then virus & threat protection settings.
• Click manage settings,
• scroll down, under Exclusion click Add or remove exclusions.
• Click Exclude a .exe, .com or .scr process
• Type MsMpEng.exe. Then click OK.

How to Disable Windows Defender using Regedit

Defender’s Antimalware Service implies that Windows Defender’s real-time protection is Turned ON. If the above-mentioned solutions haven’t helped you, it might indicate your windows defender may have got completely corrupted due to being overworked and continuous files scanning. if that’s the case then your system has been causing  100% usages hence disabling Windows Defender using Regedit can fix your problem.

To Disable Windows Defender From Registry 

• Press Windows + R, type Regedit and ok to open the windows registry editor.
• Backup registry database then navigates the following path.
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender
• Now right-click on the blank space and select new and then click on “create the DWORD key” and name this to “DisableAntiSpyware”.
• After that, just double click on your new key and set the value to 1 and that will disable your Windows Defender permanently.

Avast Antivirus

Avast is a world leader in providing antivirus programs and offers some of the best antivirus programs you can consider. Even the Avast free version by itself is a very good antivirus and will protect your PC from most threats and virus attacks. Not only is the Avast free antivirus a small application but it ideally does not occupy too much of your CPU hard disk and memory; therefore, allowing you to work seamlessly. So do install the Avast free version and once satisfied with its performance you can consider the premium versions if you find a need to do so.

Malwarebytes

In the event you find the Avast antivirus slowing down your PC, just like the Antimalware Service Executable, then you could also consider Malwarebytes software, which is another excellent option for your PC protection, once you have altered your Windows Defender protection and scanning options. Malwarebytes is easily installable on Windows, Mac OS, iOS and Android and helps keep your computer and Smartphone safe from viruses and malware.

The above suggestions should considerably help most PCs fix up any slowdown issues. However, if your PC is still lagging in performance, then another alternative you could consider after doing the above is installing a performance optimizer on your PC. Doing so will help your PC clear up junk files and clear space and boost your computer’s performance immensely. There are quite some options you could consider for your PC.

SlimCleaner

To boost your PC performance, you might want to try installing SlimCleaner on your computer. This is completely free software and you will immediately see a difference in your PC’s performance post installation.

• It will remove junk and temporary files
• It will indicate risks to your privacy
• It is highly PC-friendly and offers a power-management mode, which will use your PC’s battery charge optimally. It also has performance boost mode which will speed up your PC’s performance, the moment you click it.

You can install SlimCleaner easily from https://slimware.com/slimcleanerand boost your computer’s performance with a single click whenever you find it going slow.

FixMyPC

Yet another PC optimization tool you can consider is the FixMyPC software. FixMyPC is a complete free of cost tool that you can install on your PC to clear up space, free memory and boost performance. You can gain the following benefits from installing this software on your PC.

• It disables background apps which aren’t functional or aren’t being used by you for a long while, especially if these are draining your PC’s memory.
• It tracks and eliminates viruses, Trojans, malware and harmful files.
• It regularly cleans your PC of your private transaction input details, so that hackers can’t steal details from you, thereby keeping you and your computer safe.
• It also indicates clutter and useless files and prompts you to clear them.
• It prevents your programs and other applications from crashing or hanging due to overload on the CPU and memory.

With FixMyPC free version itself you will see tremendous improvement in your PC’s performance and based on your experience, you can also upgrade to their paid versions at https://fixmypc.tv/,

 Which offer stronger and more coverage on optimization and security for your PC. 

Do try fixing your PCs slowdown issues by making the advised changes to your Windows Defender settings, on the real-time protection and deep scanning options in your PC. This is an internal modification, which should help optimize your PC’s performance. However, in the event your PC still continues to be slow, with programs hanging mid operations or crashing, then you definitely can consider the PC performance optimization tools, we have shared with you. These are effective (you can also refer to user reviews and ratings) and will boost your PC’s performance immensely without you having to worry about your PC’s performance, every now and then.

So if you are plagued with the Antimalware Service Executable problem, you now have solutions that you can try, without impacting your pocket or compromising your security.