What does the winhlp32.exe file do?
The winhlp32.exe process is also known as Windows Winhlp32 Stub and is a part of Microsoft Windows Operating System. This software is produced by Microsoft (www.microsoft.com). An outdated or faulty version of winhlp32.exe can cause problems for your computer, ranging from slowness to error messages like these:
- Windows Winhlp32 Stub has stopped working. Windows is checking for a solution to the problem... (Windows 11, 10, 7)
- Windows Winhlp32 Stub has stopped working. A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available. (Windows 11, 10, 7)
- winhlp32.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close.
- Access violation at address FFFFFFFF in module winhlp32.exe. Read of address 00000000.
Free PC Check
Take advantage of our free computer check to identify problems with winhlp32.exe
Scan your computer for free with the Windows Repair Tool. This tool repairs Windows and improves its performance. Scans are free. A premium version is available for purchase.
What you should know about winhlp32.exe Windows Winhlp32 Stub
winhlp32.exe is a Windows system file. Winhlp32.exe is found in the C:\Windows directory.
Frequently occurring are file sizes such as 9,728 bytes (66% of all these files) or, as the case may be, 10,240 bytes.
The Windows operating system requires this file. It has been digitally signed by Microsoft itself to guarantee its authenticity. The program executes in the background, and can only be terminated using Windows Task Manager.
For this reason, 2% of all experts consider this file to be a possible threat. The probability that it can cause harm is high.
winhlp32.exe is a system file used by Microsoft Windows, and appears in Windows Task Manager as a process named "Windows Winhlp32 Stub." However, some viruses and Trojans use the same file name to avoid detection (e.g. Trojan.Gen.MBT (recognized by Symantec), as well as Trojan:Win32/Sabsik.FL.B!ml (recognized by Microsoft)).
For better security, scan your computer with two different antivirus engines. You can use free antivirus software for this purpose.
Objectionable files with the same file name have the following characteristics: A winhlp32.exe file has a 76% certainty of being dangerous if it is found in the Windows Temp directory. In this case, the file size is usually 189,440 bytes. This file was developed by a so-called third party provider - and not by Microsoft. This winhlp32.exe process does not appear as a visible window, but only in Task Manager. Winhlp32.exe is capable of track other applications.
If you see this file on your hard drive or in Windows Task Manager, please make sure that it is not a malicious variant. It's a fact that many trojans try to cloak their true identity by calling themselves winhlp32.exe. With the above information or by using tools like Security Task Manager you can determine if, in your case, the file is an undesirable variant.
What do other computer users say about winhlp32?
| Microsoft's Windows Help system Matt | |
| Microsoft's wanna' be help....NOT NEEDED. Quarantine and create a restore point. Melodyssey | |
| windows 7 winhlp32.exe is 10K. it is a stub file. Before vista: Program used to view .hlp files. (further information...) Some Guy | |
| WinHlp32.exe is required to display 32-bit Help files that have the ".hlp" file name extension. To view .hlp files on Windows Vista, you need to install this application. (further information...) Mike |
Summary: 3 users consider winhlp32.exe essential and should not be removed. One user considers it harmless. However, one user considers this to be a suspicious process and would like to get rid of it. For this reason, one user has already deleted winhlp32.exe. source: file.net
How to uninstall the program
To remove Windows Winhlp32 Stub from your computer, please follow the manual instructions below.
- Click the Windows Start Button. You can find it in the lower-left corner of the taskbar.
- Type 'uninstall'.
- Click Add or remove programs.
- Now locate the program in the list of displayed applications.
- Click the program, and then click Uninstall.
How to check if winhlp32.exe (Windows Winhlp32 Stub) was uninstalled completely
After uninstalling, restart your computer. Then open Windows Explorer and check if a folder with the software name still exists under C:\Program Files. Also, check the Registry for remnants of Windows Winhlp32 Stub. To do this, start Regedit, then look under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software for: Windows Winhlp32 Stub or the name of the producer. Keep in mind that only a computer professional should delete entries in the Windows Registry directly.
Last but not least
If Windows is not working properly, startup is slow, or winhlp32.exe is causing problems, a good Windows diagnostic tool may help. This is especially effective when it comes to older computers that have accumulated vast quantities of "garbage data" as the result of many software installs and uninstalls.
Users interested in winhlp32.exe have also searched for: host services 64.exe vchk.exe aquasnap.daemon.exe winhlp32.exe emsagent.exe wstdmessaging.exe fsx.exe casplitegent.exe [index]