Most windows users are skeptical about what the ielowutil.exe program is that appears to be running quite frequently under the task manager. Some people are even reporting the file as a security threat . What is this file and why do I need to know what it does? Read on for some answers.
This post will discuss what the ielowutil.exe file is and how it runs on windows. It will also highlight the process that it performs for users, allowing people to see how it is useful. The first thing that you will notice about the ielowutil.exe file is that it appears to consume a lot of memory, which is a bit strange because this decision was made by Microsoft to allow the tasks on your computer run smoothly.
What is ielowutil.exe?
A genuine internet low mic utility (ielowutil.exe) is published by Microsoft and acts as a process breaker for operations that require processing at low integrity levels. This occurs because the internet explorer and other Windows applications may require to check the web for updates. The process has been labeled as a medium integrity cookie and is called into action when users open the internet explorer. The file makes browsing be easy and secure when one is visiting sites that use third party cookies. While the process may be stopped from the task manager it will most likely auto start on its own considering that Microsoft have developed internet explorer as an integrated part of windows.
Is ielowutil.exe a virus or malware?
No. ielowutil.exe is an essential process that runs on your computer. It has a vital task of stopping any third party cookies from being used which means that it stops you from being able to be tracked by advertisers. The file was created by Microsoft and is part of the windows system.
Where is it located?
In most computers the file will be located in the C:Program Files (x86)Internet Explorer to verify the legitimacy of the file you can open and run the task manager and check the verified signature of the file. If the verified signature is from Microsoft then the file is legitimate if you are unable to verify the file then it may be a malware.
How to remove & uninstall ielowutil.exe
There are two main factors that you should consider when uninstalling the file. First if it is a part of another program or if it was installed independently.
If it is a part of the internet explorer program then it cannot be removed and the only way to disable it is by disabling the parent application internet explorer from running. To do this you may follow these steps:
1. press Windows + R to open the dialog box and then search for the term “inetcpl.cpl” if the computer prompts you to gain administrative control press yes
2. Once you are on the internet properties screen select the content tab and then select the settings sections and then the feed and web slices section.
3. Under the feed and web slices section disable automatic check for updates
4. Next select the advanced section and unmark the automatically mark feed as read when reading a feed also turn of the reading view
5. Now close the feed and web slices settings and click apply to save changes
6. Restart your computer to see if the changes have worked
alternatively you may disable the internet explorer although this will limit you from using the app completely
NB: If you regularly use the internet explorer then disabling the program will be ill advised as it may cause your browser to malfunction or leave you open to threats from other websites.
Method 2.
If the ielowutil.exe file was installed using the windows installer then go to the app settings and select add or remove programs and then select the remove file program option for the program
How do you stop ielowutil.exe processes?
Most of the time the ielowutil.exe process will auto start with the internet explorer to stop the process completely you have to disable the IE browser.
How to check if ielowutil.exe has high CPU usage
Step 1: Right click on the taskbar and select start Task Manager from the list of options.
Step 2: Go to the Processes tab.
Step 3: Scroll down to look for executable processes that start with ielowutil or have ielowutil at the end of their name.
Step 4: Check the CPU usage percentage of the process this way you will see if the usage percentage is high.
Most of the time when the CPU usage of the process is high it is because the internet explorer is running in the background.
How to check if ielowutil.exe is causing high disk usage
Step 1: open the task manager
Step 2: Go to the Performance tab
Step 3: Find out the Total Disk Reads and Total Disk Writes.
Step 4: If they are high it is likely that the process is spamming your hard drive
How to check if ielowutil.exe has high network usage
Step 1: Open the task manager
Step 2: Go to the process tab and locate ielowutil.exe
Step 3: Check the network percentage of the process
If it is high then you should check your internet explorer settings and see if it is set to use automatic detection of updates.
ielowutil.exe is basically a process that is meant for your internet explorer to run and perform better. The process is not malware or a virus and in case it is slowing down your machine then you may disable it with zero repercussions if internet explorer is not your primary browser.