What is Alcxmntr.exe? Should I remove it?

Alcxmntr.exe – a Realtek background process designed for monitoring purposes

Alcxmntr.exe is an executable file that runs in the background and can be found in the Task Manager of a Windows operating system under the name of AlcxMonitor. It is related to Realtek audio driver and is used to monitor background events. You can usually find it in the following locations:

• C:\Windows
• C:\Windows\System32
• C:\WINNT\

It is worth mentioning that it is not unusual for drivers to be installed in Windows main folder for them to operate properly. If the location of the file is different, you should check your system for malware.

The file has been known as a necessary part of the Realtek drivers, as it monitors various events and helps the audio to operate normally. In order to avoid problems with sound, you shouldn't terminate this process. If you have already deleted it, you might receive the following error as well as find that your sound is missing:

Alcxmntr.exe was not found

Despite this, many users were concerned about the functionality of the file itself. Many processes of a similar kind are used for various components within Windows environment, and most of them are used to monitor technical side of the functionality the drivers are use for. For example, anonymous crash reports can often be useful in resolving various problems that users might face with the software.

However, this particular process was criticized and even called spyware due its ability to monitor user behavior on their computers. It is not used to harvest any personal data such as passwords or other details, but it might engage in actions that could be considered as a breach of privacy.

Note that you may find this on your computer even if you didn't install RealTek audio driver on it because this company has been making built-in sound processing hardware for other companies as well. If you feel that the process is initiating problems on your computer, you can terminate it. It's not an essentially Windows process.

Any malware can be named anything, so beware that ALCXMNTR.EXE may also be involved in malicious activity. Hackers may decide to use the name of this file in order to hide their viruses. If you want to check the trustworthiness of the file and make sure that it's not malicious, perform a scan with SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner security software. FortectIntego can also be used to resolve any system-related issues automatically.

Known names are sometimes used to disguise malware on Windows

Malware authors are usually sophisticated individuals, and they do everything to ensure that their malicious creations run on the infected systems without being noticed for as long as possible. This is why it is so common to see malicious processes being named as legitimate ones – it may trick some primitive anti-malware tools and users themselves (if they don't know how to check the legitimacy of the file).

On the other hand, you should not instantly shut down or disable every process you do not recognize, as there are hundreds of background processes that are essential for Windows operating systems. While the most vital ones are protected, and the operating system will simply not allow you to shut them down, others can be disabled very easily. This action can cause a negative impact on the system; for example, Windows updates might not be downloaded automatically.

Thus, if you have doubts about a process that is running in the background, research it online and scan your PC with anti-malware software. If no infections were found, it is likely that the process is safe and is needed by an application or Windows.

If you consider whether to remove Alcxmntr.exe process or not – here's the answer

Essentially, there is no need to remove the file if it does not interfere with your day-to-day computer usage. For example, you might experience high resource usage by the process and might want to get rid of it. While it is possible to do it, you should keep in mind that your might lose your sound. If that happens, you need to reinstall your sound drivers.

Another case when you would want to remove Alcxmntr.exe is if it actually malicious and you are not using the RealTek audio suite. In such a case, perform a full system scan with SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or another reputable anti-malware and then fix virus damage with a repair tool FortectIntego.