What is the process wuauclt exe. Programmer Free programs for your computer, useful tips for Windows. How to recognize suspicious processes

By optimizing or studying Windows processes, users have repeatedly encountered unknown application names. As part of this publication, you will learn about wuauclt.exe - what kind of process it is, whether it is needed to work in the operating system and whether it can be disabled.

About the process

Wuauclt.exe is an executable file for working in Windows environment. Full title - Windows Update AutoUpdate Client. The process is systemic and implements the Windows auto-update function. Works in standby mode, does not have GUI(background mode only), sometimes accesses the Microsoft website to check for updates. If any are found by the program, the system will prompt the user to download them to the device and install them.

Could this be a virus?

Wuauclt.exe is a legitimate Operating System process. It is located along the path C:\Windows\System32. The file is digitally signed by Microsoft. Although the application is not visible to users, it is trusted by Windows and has an 85% security rating.

If you find that the application heavily loads the system, but does not perform any work with OS updates, check:

1. In which directory is the file located? In Task Manager, right-click wuauclt.exe and select "Open file location."
   1. If the file is located on system disk V Windows folder, but not in the System32 folder, reliability rating this application 28%.
   2. If the file is located in the C:\Users\User_Name\ directory, it is definitely a virus file.
2. Viruses can load the system and record data input. Scan your system using Dr.Web CureIt! or Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool.

Is it possible to disable a process?

The process can be disabled. So that he no longer looks for OS updates:

Sometimes wuauclt.exe and other errors system errors EXE may be related to problems in the Windows registry. Several programs can use the wuauclt.exe file, but when those programs are uninstalled or modified, sometimes "orphaned" (incorrect) EXE registry entries are left behind.

Basically, this means that while the actual path of the file may have changed, its incorrect former location is still recorded in the Windows Registry. When Windows tries to look up these incorrect file references (file locations on your PC), wuauclt.exe errors can occur. Additionally, a malware infection may have corrupted Windows-related registry entries. Thus, these corrupt EXE registry entries need to be fixed to fix the problem at the root.

Manually editing the Windows registry to remove invalid wuauclt.exe keys is not recommended unless you are PC service professional. Mistakes made when editing the registry can render your PC inoperable and cause irreparable damage to your operating system. In fact, even one comma placed in the wrong place can prevent your computer from booting!

Because of this risk, we highly recommend using a trusted registry cleaner such as %%product%% (Developed by Microsoft Gold Certified Partner) to scan and repair any wuauclt.exe-related registry problems. Using a registry cleaner, you can automate the process of finding damaged registry entries, missing file references (like the one causing the wuauclt.exe error), and broken links within the registry. Before each scan, a backup copy, which allows you to undo any changes with one click and protects you from possible damage to your computer. The best part is that eliminating registry errors can dramatically improve system speed and performance.

Warning: If you are not experienced user PC, we DO NOT recommend manually editing the Windows registry. Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems and require Windows reinstallation. We do not guarantee that problems resulting from incorrect use of Registry Editor can be corrected. You use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Before manually restoring Windows registry, you need to create a backup by exporting a portion of the registry associated with wuauclt.exe (eg. Windows):

1. Click on the button Begin.
2. Enter " command" V search bar... DON'T CLICK YET ENTER!
3. While holding down the keys CTRL-Shift on your keyboard, press ENTER.
4. A dialog box for access will be displayed.
5. Click Yes.
6. The black box opens with a blinking cursor.
7. Enter " regedit" and press ENTER.
8. In the Registry Editor, select the wuauclt.exe-related key (eg. Windows) you want to back up.
9. On the menu File select Export.
10. On the list Save to select the folder where you want to save the backup Windows key.
11. In field File name Enter a name for the backup file, for example "Windows backup".
12. Make sure the field Export range value selected Selected branch.
13. Click Save.
14. The file will be saved with extension .reg.
15. You now have a backup of your wuauclt.exe-related registry entry.

The following steps for manually editing the registry will not be described in this article, as they are likely to damage your system. If you would like more information about editing the registry manually, please check out the links below.

→ How to disable automatic Windows update

How to disable automatic Windows updates

In order to disable automatic windows updates, you must first disable Windows Update service(Windows Update Service).

To do this you need to run the following commands:

• “Start” → “Control Panel” → “Security Center” → “Automatic Updates” → select the “Turn off automatic updates” radio button → “OK”.

You can limit yourself to this step, since updates will not be received from Microsoft. But to fully disable this service, you also need disable the wuauclt.exe process as well, which periodically checks the Microsoft Web site for the latest updates for operating system(sometimes you can see it in the Task Manager).

To do this, run the commands:

• “Start” → “Control Panel” → “Performance and Maintenance” → “Administrative Tools” → “Computer Management” (double-click with the left mouse button).
• In the “Computer Management” window that opens, on the left, open the “Services and Applications” node by clicking on the cross. Select Services.
• In the right pane, find "Automatic Updates" (or "Windows Update"). Open it by double-clicking the left mouse button.

• In the Automatic Updates dialog box that appears, on the General tab, in the Status section, click the Stop button. Under Startup Type, select Disabled. Click "OK".

• Restart your computer.

Note
What is wuauclt.exe?
Program wuauclt.exe periodically connects to the server Microsoft updates to check availability latest updates for the operating system, applications and drivers.
Works in the background.
Terminating the wuauclt.exe process does not affect system stability, but the computer will not be able to quickly install new Microsoft Windows security updates.
If you terminate the wuauclt.exe process only in the Application Manager, it will automatically start again if the system is turned on automatic update.
The process runs under the SYSTEM user, but it can also be run under the current user name.
The wuauclt.exe file can only be located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder and in the C:\Windows\prefetch folder.
If the file is located in a different directory (for example, in the TEMP folder), then your system is infected with a virus.

(www.microsoft.com).

Description: wuauclt.exe is a process that implements Microsoft's AutoUpdate feature for various Windows versions. It runs in the background, usually in standby mode, but periodically polls the Microsoft website to check for updates that may need to be installed. When updates and security patches are detected, it will prompt you to install them. To disable it, disable automatic updates in System Properties in Control Panel.

Detailed analysis: wuauclt.exe often causes problems and is essential for Windows. The wuauclt.exe file is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder. The following file sizes are known for Windows 10/8/7/XP 53,784 bytes (37% of all cases), 53,472 bytes and .
The file has digital signature. The application is not visible to users. This is a trustworthy file from Microsoft. Therefore, the technical reliability rating 20% danger.

How to recognize suspicious processes?

• If wuauclt.exe is located in a subfolder of the C:\ drive, then the reliability rating 100% danger. File size 24,064 bytes. There is no information about the creator of the file. The application is not visible to users. The process starts running with Windows (See registry key: RunOnce, Run, MACHINE\Run). Is not system process Windows. Wuauclt.exe is capable of recording input.
• If wuauclt.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Users\USERNAME", then the reliability rating 100% danger. File size 77,824 bytes. The application is not visible to users. Some people think it's dangerous. Is not system file Windows. Wuauclt.exe is capable of recording input. wuauclt.exe appears to be a compressed file.

Important: Some malware disguise themselves as wuauclt.exe. Therefore, you should check the wuauclt.exe file on your PC to see if it is a threat. We recommend checking the security of your computer.

Total: Average rating of site users about the file wuauclt.exe: - based on 51 votes with 42 reviews.

83 users asked about this file. 13 users did not give a rating (“I don’t know”). 10 users rated it as not dangerous. 10 users rated it as not dangerous. 9 users rated it as neutral. 11 users rated it as dangerous. 11 users rated it as dangerous.