How to Resolve Antimalware Service Executable High Disk Usage Issue

Windows Defender, the built-in program on Windows, uses the process called Antimalware Service Executable to scan files and run real-time protection against malware and other malicious software. However, some users have reported that the process causes high disk usage 

This can slow down their computer and cause other performance problems. To fix this issue, there are several solutions available. In this article, we will provide a list of all of them so you can try them one by one and see which one works for you.

Antimalware service High CPU usage executable is a part of the Microsoft Defender antivirus included with Windows.#antivirusprogram #antivirus #Microsoft #Defender #Antimalware #High #CPU https://t.co/kdhNZErPKS via @ApzoMedia

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What is Antimalware Service Executable?

The Antimalware Service Executable is a process that runs in the background with Windows Defender, which is the built-in antivirus program in Windows. This process is in charge of scanning files and running real-time protection against virus and other harmful software.

It looks at all incoming files, like email attachments, downloaded files, and files from external drives, to see if they could be a threat. If it finds something, it either gets rid of it or puts it in quarantine. It also does regular full system scans to make sure your computer is free of malware.

It also helps Windows Defender stay updated by checking for new definitions and downloading them. It’s important to know that this process is needed to keep your computer safe. But sometimes it can cause your computer to use a lot of disk space.

Reasons Why You Are Facing This Issue

The “High Disk Usage” problem happens when the process called Antimalware Service Executable which is responsible for running Windows Defender, starts to use up a lot of the computer’s disk resources. This can happen for several reasons, such as:

• Frequent scans: Windows Defender is designed to perform regular full system scans to make sure your computer is safe. But if the process is set to scan too often, it can cause high disk usage.
• Large number of files: Having a lot of files on your computer means the process will have to scan them all, which can lead to high disk usage.
• Outdated definitions: Windows Defender is updated by checking for new definitions and downloading them. If the definitions are old, the process will take longer and use more resources.
• Malware: Sometimes malware can cause high disk usage by running many processes in the background. Additionally, the process will work harder to detect and remove the malware, causing high disk usage.
• Third-party software conflicts: Some third-party software can interfere with the process and cause it to use more resources.
• System resources issue: If your computer doesn’t have enough system resources such as memory, CPU, or disk space, the process may use more resources to complete its tasks.

Methods to Fix Antimalware Service Executable High Disk Usage

Method 1: Disable Windows Defender

Disabling Windows Defender will prevent the process from running and causing high disk usage. If you have another antivirus program installed on your computer, you can use this method to fix the issue.

1. First, press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Then, type “control” and press Enter to open the Control Panel.
3. Third, in the Control Panel, click on “System and Security”.
4. Under “Security and Maintenance,” click on “Security”.
5. Click on “Windows Security” to open the Windows Security app.
6. Click on “Virus & threat protection”.
7. Select “Manage settings” under “Virus & threat protection settings”.
8. Last, turn off the toggle switch for “Real-time protection”.

Method 2: Exclude Files and Folders from Scanning

Excluding certain files and folders from being scanned by Windows Defender will help to reduce the amount of disk usage. Besides that, this method is useful if you have large files or folders that you don’t want to be scanned every time.

1. First, press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Next, type “control” and press Enter to open the Control Panel.
3. Then, in the Control Panel, click on “System and Security.”
4. After that, under “Security and Maintenance,” click on “Security.”
5. Next, click on “Windows Security” to open the Windows Security app.
6. After that, click on “Virus & threat protection”.
7. Select “Manage settings” under “Virus & threat protection settings”.
8. Finally, under “Exclusions” you can add files and folders.

Method 3: Schedule a Scan

Scheduling a scan at a specific time when you’re not using your computer. This can help to prevent the high disk usage caused by the process. This method is useful if you want to keep your computer secure but don’t want the process to running.

1. Start by pressing the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “control” and press Enter to open the Control Panel.
3. Next, in the Control Panel, click on “System and Security”.
4. Under “Security and Maintenance,” click on “Security”.
5. After that, click on “Windows Security” to open the Windows Security app.
6. Then, click on “Virus & threat protection”.
7. Now, select “Manage settings” under “Virus & threat protection settings”.
8. Lastly, under “Scan options” you can select “Schedule a scan” and choose a time that works best for you.

Method 4: Check for Updates

High disk usage can also be caused by outdated software or drivers. Checking for updates and making sure that you are running the latest version of Windows and that all updates have been installed can help to fix the issue.

1. Press the Windows key + I to open the settings.
2. Select “Update & Security”.
3. Click on “Check for updates” and wait for the process to complete.

Method 5: Check for Malware

Malware can cause high disk usage by running multiple processes in the background. You can use known anti-virus software to stop this from happening. 

1. Use a reputable antivirus program to scan your computer for malware.
2. Run a full scan.
3. If your antivirus program finds malware, follow the instructions provided to remove it.

Method 6: Run Windows Troubleshooter

Windows has a built-in tool called troubleshooter that can help fix common problems, including high disk usage caused by the process. If you haven’t been able to fix the problem with the other methods, this one might help you identify and fix the issue.

1. First, press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Next, type “control” and press Enter to open the Control Panel.
3. Then, in the Control Panel, click on “System and Security”.
4. After that, under “Security and Maintenance,” click on “Security”.
5. Next, click on “Windows Security” to open the Windows Security app.
6. Then, click on “Virus & threat protection”.
7. Select “Manage settings” under “Virus & threat protection settings”.
8. Next, under “Troubleshoot” select “Additional troubleshooters”.
9. Finally, select “High disk usage” and run the troubleshooter.

It’s important to follow the steps carefully and make sure you understand what you are doing before making any changes. You may create a system restore point before making any changes. So that you can go back if something goes wrong.

Conclusion

The Antimalware Service Executable is a program that helps keep your computer safe from viruses and malware. But sometimes, it can use up too much of your computer’s power and make it run slow. If you’re having this problem, check out the instructions in this article to fix it.

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