Microsoft Photos exe is the application that runs Microsoft Photos, the default Windows photo application that allows you to conduct basic photo edits, apply photo filters, etc. However, many users have reported that sometimes photos apps consume too much of the CPU.
We have a blog post on the Outbyte.com page dedicated to Fixing the high CPU usage of the Photos app:
If you’ve encountered these issues with the photo app, check out the blog post and bookmark it for future reference.
In this post, you’ll learn what Microsoft Photos Exe is, whether it is a safe application and if you should disable it.
What is Microsoft Photos Exe?
Microsoft photos exe (or photos.exe) is an executable file that launches Microsoft Photos. It is a legitimate program developed and distributed by Microsoft Corporation.
Microsoft Photos is a Windows built-in application for basic photo and video viewing, editing, and sharing apps. It’s included in Microsoft Windows 10 and 8 Operating Systems. Photos app also allows you to upload and share photos to OneDrive, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It further allows users to arrange and organize their digital photo collection into a gallery view.
Microsoft Photos.exe File Information
Microsoft Corporation developed and distributed Microsoft Photos.exe. This makes it a legitimate file. It is also an essential component of Windows systems for photo viewing and editing.
Here’s the file information of Microsoft Photos.exe:
● Application Name: Microsoft Photos
● File Name: Microsoft Photos.exe
● Developer: Microsoft Corporation
● Location: subfolder of the “C:\Program Files\WindowsApps” folder or C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.Windows.Photos_16.722.10060.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
● Known file size: 470KB ( smaller than 500KB)
Note:
The file size and location of photos.exe can vary depending on the Windows version you’re using. However, if you notice any file name with Microsoft Photos.exe located outside of “C:\Program Files\WindowsApps,” you should treat it as malware.
Is Microsoft photos exe Safe?
Microsoft photos exe is a safe program that runs on your PC background and launches Photos App. You will notice it on the Task Manager running in the background when you open the Photos App.
However, Microsoft Photos.exe is digitally signed and doesn’t have a visible window or file information, including its developer’s information. It also appears as a compressed file, which can raise questions about its safety as an application in your PC.
Besides, Microsoft Photos.exe has the .exe extension in its filename, which denotes that it is executable. Executable files can sometimes cause PC harm. They’re also high-risk files owing to their file type, which malware creators can deliberately create and insert your PC camouflaged as a genuine app to evade detection.
In addition, many third-party security tools have flagged Microsoft Photos.exe as malware or virus because of the nature of its activities in the PC. It sometimes demonstrates high CPU usage of the computer and causes PC problems such as your PC slowing down. When this happens, you need to scrutinize it further to check if it is malware.
Note:
If you notice that Microsoft Photos.exe is causing high PC usage, you can disable or remove it to save your PC’s performance.
Bottom Line
Microsoft Photos exe is a genuine Microsoft application and an essential Windows file. For Windows 10, it is available in Windows Store App and follows the Windows Store Policies. However, it has sometimes been associated with high CPU usage, causing problems like PC unresponsiveness and reduced performance. If you notice the application causing problems or issues, you can disable or remove it.
Read more about Microsoft Photos: