Antimalware Service is available in Windows OS to protect the system from malware attacks. But, it also has some negative impacts on the processor like other antimalware programs. That’s why many users try to uninstall it. 

But, it is not an easy task, as there can be hidden files running in the background. If you observe, the Antimalware Service Executable or MsMpEng.exe runs even after removing the associated tools from the computer. It often leads to high usage of the CPU. 

This article will help to solve this issue in minutes by providing some simple and easy troubleshooting hacks. So, you are recommended to follow them, if experiencing this particular error. 

Easy Hacks to Kill Antimalware Service Executable High CPU Usage

There are several ways to solve this issue. But, you can try all the fixes described below to pick the best. 

Fix 1: Disable Windows Defender from Registry Editor

To know how to fix Antimalware Service Executable High CPU, start with disabling the Windows Defender to get rid of this error. To do this, try the steps mentioned below: 

1. Hit the Win key and R, both at the same time to launch the Run dialog box. 
2. Type “regedit” in the box and press the Enter key to proceed further. 
3. Now, navigate to the “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows Defender.”
4. Next, right-click on Windows Defender. Choose the ‘New’ and then ‘DWORD’ option from the list.
5. Click twice on the DWORD button. Name it ‘DisableAntiSpyware.’ 
6. Lastly, you have to set the value to 1. 

Some users report facing certain problems while performing the above-mentioned steps. If you are on the same list, you can use Command Prompt. To perform this, take a glance at the steps given below: 

• Hit the X and Windows key simultaneously and choose the ‘PowerShell (Admin)’ or ‘Command Prompt (Admin)’ from the list. 
• Now, type “REG ADD “hklmsoftwarepoliciesmicrosoftwindows defender” /v DisableAntiSpyware /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f” in the command line. 
• Hit the Enter key to execute the command. 

Once you complete the above steps, the registry will be modified and the Windows Defender will be deactivated. 

Note:

Using the Command Prompt to deactivate Windows Defender is a faster way. Also, if you are using the latest version of Windows 10, then this is the option for you.  

Fix 2: Use Group Policy Editor

You can solve the ‘Antimalware Service Executable’ issue by changing the group policy of the system. It is quite simple to perform and you can do this by following the steps stated below: 

Step 1: 

Open the Run dialog box and type “gpedit.msc” in it. Next, tap on the OK button to navigate to the Group Policy Editor. Else, you can also press the Enter key to execute the command. 

Step 2: 

Navigate to the “Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/ Windows Components/ Windows Defender Antivirus/Real-time Protection.” You will find this at the left pane of the window.  

Step 3: 

Now, navigate to the right pane of the screen and click twice on the ‘Turn off real-time protection’ option. Then, choose the “Enabled” option from the next page. Click on the Apply button and then “OK” to save the changes. 

After changing the group policy editor, you can check if the issue is resolved. Otherwise, you can move ahead with further solutions provided below. 

Fix 3: Reschedule Windows Defender

You can also solve the ‘Antimalware Service Executable’ issue by rescheduling Windows Defender. 

How to Reschedule the Windows Defender? 

Follow the below-discussed steps to reschedule Windows Defender: 

Navigate to the Start menu and type “Administrative Tools” in the search bar. Hit the Enter key to open this. Now, choose Windows Explorer from the Administrative Tools. Click twice on the ‘Task Scheduler’ option. Afterward, navigate to the path “Library/Microsoft/Windows/Windows defender” from the left pane of the Task Scheduler window.  

Once it opens the Windows Defender folder, search for the ‘Windows Defender Scheduled Scan’ option and click it. Now, choose the ‘Properties’ option from the list. Thereafter, you have to reschedule it. Tap on the Properties button from the right pane of the window. Now, navigate to the Triggers tab and choose the New option from the list. 

Next, select the Weekly option. Otherwise, you can also click on the ‘Monthly’ option (Depending on your specific needs). Select the Day option and tap on the OK button to make sure that it is turned On. 

It will now re-schedule Windows Defender and allow it to work depending on your preferences. If the scanning process in Windows Defender is running, wait for a few minutes to finish it. Also, you will see the result after completing the scanning process.   

After performing the above steps, if the ‘High CPU Usage’ alert appears, you can repeat the same steps for the other three schedules. They are Windows Defender verification, Windows Defender Cleanup, and Windows Defender Cache Maintenance. 

Now, you can turn off the Conditions and set the trigger to run once a week. 

Fix 4: Delete Corrupted or Bad Updates

Sometimes, you may face the ‘Antimalware Service Executable’ error due to the corrupted or bad updates. Henceforth, in this solution, we will remove such updates using Command Prompt. To proceed with this method, you can perform the step as follows: 

1. First and foremost, invoke the Run dialog box by following the steps as mentioned above. 
2. Next, type “command prompt” in the box and press the Enter key by holding the Ctrl and Shift key simultaneously. It will open the Command Prompt with Admin’s privilege. 
3. Tap on the Yes button from the pop-up box. 
4. Type the command “%PROGRAMFILES%\Windows Defender\MPCMDRUN.exe -RemoveDefinitions -All” in the command line. Execute this by pressing the Enter key. 
5. Afterward, type the command “%PROGRAMFILES%\Windows Defender\ MPCMDRUN.exe -SignatureUpdate” and again hit the Enter key. 

Wait for a few seconds until the process completes. Now, check if the error has been solved. 

Concluding Remarks

So, these were the recommended solutions to fix the ‘Antimalware Service Executable’ error. We hope, after executing the above-discussed procedure, it will surely help you to get rid of this error. 

If you face any kind of trouble while performing them, you can share that in the comment section. You can also post your solution requirements by entering the details regarding Windows