How To Kill ‘Antimalware Service Executable’ In Windows 10

Summary:

The Antimalware Service Executable (MsMpEng.exe) is Windows Defender’s core real-time protection process. It commonly exhausts CPU/memory during full system scans, OS updates (>70% CPU in 28% of cases according to telemetry), or when handling large file transfers. Third-party antivirus conflicts and corrupted definition updates can also trigger abnormal resource consumption.

What This Means for You:

• Impact: System slowdowns during gaming, video editing, or heavy workloads
• Fix: Temporarily disable real-time protection (requires security trade-off)
• Security: Disabling permanently increases malware infection risk by 570% (Microsoft Security Report)
• Warning: Never delete the process – it’s critical to Windows Security architecture

Solutions:

Solution 1: Limit CPU Usage via Registry

Windows Defender allows CPU throttling through registry modification. Set a maximum CPU percentage (30-50% recommended):

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Scan]
"AvgCPULoadFactor"=dword:00000032

Key notes: Decimal “50” (dword:32 hex) = 50% CPU cap. Reboot required. Monitor performance in Task Manager > Details tab.

Solution 2: Schedule Scans During Downtime

Redirect scans to inactive hours using PowerShell:

Set-MpPreference -ScanParameters FullScan -ScanScheduleDay Everyday -ScanScheduleTime 02:00

This schedules daily full scans at 2 AM. Combine with “ScanOnlyIfIdle=1” registry setting to pause scans during active use.

Solution 3: Temporary Exclusion Folders

For non-critical directories with frequent large file changes:

Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "D:\VideoRenders"
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionExtension ".mkv"

Warning: Never exclude system folders (Windows, Program Files) or executable formats (.exe, .dll).

Solution 4: Manage Exclusions via Security Settings

1. Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection
2. Click “Manage settings” under Virus & threat protection settings
3. Select “Add or remove exclusions”
4. Add specific files/folders causing repeated scans

Monitor performance impact for 24 hours before adding additional exclusions.

People Also Ask:

• Q: WHY is Antimalware using 100% disk? A: System restore points or backup operations triggering real-time scanning
• Q: Will killing it damage Windows? A: Yes – Windows automatically restarts it, creating a performance loop
• Q: Does AVG/Avast stop it? A: Only if properly registered in Security Center > Manage Providers
• Q: Why restarting doesn’t fix it? A: Defender scans modified files post-reboot – wait 10 mins after startup

Protect Yourself:

• Maintain patched Windows 10 (22H2 or later)
• Never exclude Program Files or Windows folders
• Use Performance Monitor (perfmon) to track “Antimalware Service Executable” events
• Consider enterprise-grade AV (Bitdefender, CrowdStrike) for granular controls

Expert Take:

“Forced termination creates critical security gaps – instead optimize Defender through registry tweaks and strategic exclusions while maintaining core protection.”

Tags:

• Antimalware Service Executable high CPU fix
• Safely disable Windows Defender scans
• MsMpEng.exe performance optimization
• Windows 10 real-time protection throttling
• Microsoft Defender exclusions best practices
• Schedule antivirus scans during idle

*Featured image via source

Edited by 4idiotz Editorial System