What is Taskhost.exe in Windows 10, 8 or 7 - [Fix Taskhost Errors]

You might have noticed Taskhost.exe process when you have opened up the Task Manager on your Windows 10, 8 or 7 pc/laptop.

You might be under confusion that what is taskhost.exe and some questions will arise in your mind like: Is it safe for your pc or not? Is it a virus or not? Why it is taking RAM space on your pc, etc.

In my earlier post I have mentioned about How to find Mac address of your computer. Today I will answers all such questions which arises in your mind related to what is Taskhost.exe and steps to fix task host errors on Windows 10, 8 and 7.

But before that let me tell you that this post is going to get updated in future based on latest technological updates. So don’t forget to subscribe to my email list and bookmark this post for future reference.

This post is a part of my series on several Windows processes located in Task Manager such as svchost.exe, dwm.exe, csrss.exe. If you are unaware of these processes then you can read all these posts to know more about it.

What is Taskhost.exe?

Taskhost.exe is a generic host process for windows tasks. It is also known as host protocol. It is responsible for running all .dll files (Dynamic link library files) on Windows 10, 8 and 7 operating systems.

It can be found under System32 folder. The path to locate task host file is C:\Windows\System32. Taskhost.exe is a hidden file which you won’t be able to see, but you can see it from Task Manager as taskhost process.

It runs multiple times on your pc and that’s why people think whether it’s a virus, whether it's safe or not. But the good thing is that it is safe and there is nothing to worry about it.

Functions of Taskhost.exe - What does it do?

Taskhost.exe is an exe file used by Windows 10, 8 and 7 operating system to run DLL (Dynamic Link Library) based services. It works as a host for all .dll extension files.

One important function of Taskhost.exe is to close all applications and programs properly which were previously opened while turning off your pc.

For example, open Microsoft Excel file and once the file gets opened up just give a shut down command to your pc or laptop. This will open up the Task Host window. If you don’t want this type of error to pop up while shutting down your pc try to make a habit to close all programs and applications before turning off your pc.

Common Causes of Taskhost.exe Errors

Some of the possible causes of taskhost.exe errors are as follows:-

1. Windows registry keys related to Taskhost.exe gets damaged.
2. Taskhost.exe files gets corrupted due to malicious virus attack.
3. There might be issues with the hardware device drivers.
4. Corrupt or partial installation of Windows Operating system.
5. Corrupt of partial installation of other applications & programs  installed on the OS.

Types of Taskhost.exe Errors you may Encounter

These are some common types of Taskhost.exe Error you may encounter as mentioned below:-

1. Taskhost.exe Application Error
2. Taskhost.exe is not a valid Win32 application
3. Cannot find taskhost.exe
4. Taskhost.exe not found
5. Error starting program: taskhost.exe
6. Taskhost.exe is not running
7. Taskhost.exe failed
8. Faulting Application Path: taskhost.exe

How to fix Taskhost.exe Errors in Windows 10, 8 or 7?

Step 1: Scan your PC with good Anti-Malware software

Sometimes it happens that the Taskhost.exe file gets affected due to some malwares. These malwares can damage the Taskhost.exe files or even delete it. There are also chances that you are experiencing the error of taskhost.exe due to some harmful programs.

So in this case, scanning your pc with good anti-malware software helps. This will scan your pc complete for malicious programs and fix the problem of Taskhost.exe errors.

Sometimes it happens that you may see a malware with same name as taskhost.exe in the Processes tab of your Task Manager. In this case, you have to use a good anti-malware software to remove this malware from your system.

Step 2: How to fix DLL related Taskhost.exe Errors?

It happens that sometimes DLL files get corrupted due to a malicious virus attack. Some DLL files consume more memory and CPU resources of your PC. You have to find the corrupted .dll files and repair them in order to fix Taskhost.exe errors. If these DLL files are not able to repair then you have to delete or remove them.

Sometimes you will experience Taskhost.exe errors while watching HD movies or while playing high graphics games on your pc. This is just because the .dll files related to your display drivers graphic driver and sound driver might have got corrupted or got damaged. So in this case updating the device driver or uninstalling it and reinstalling them again works.

Step 3: Run Windows System File Checker Tool on your Windows 10, 8 or 7 PC

Windows System file checker tool is an inbuilt tool which comes with your installation of Windows operating system. It scans your pc and restores corrupted system files. This method is useful to restore corrupted Taskhost.exe file.

To run Windows System File Checker Tool on your pc follow the steps given below:-

1. Click Start button in the bottom left corner of your screen.

2. You will see a search box, just type command in it.

3. After you have typed command in the search box don’t press the Enter key, simply follow the instruction given below.

4. Hold Ctrl+Shift button on your keyboard and press Enter key.

5. You will be prompted, "Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer?"

6. Click Yes and you will get an Administrator Command Prompt Screen like the one shown below.

7. Type sfc/scannow and this will begin system scan. This may take some time. It will scan for corrupt Taskhost.exe file and all corrupted files and automatically fix it.

8. When the scan is complete, follow the on-screen instructions.

Step 4: Try doing a System Restore of your PC

This is also an inbuilt utility tool which comes with the installation of your Operating system. It is a feature that allows user to revert their computer to a previous time point to recover from system related problems.

You can find the System Restore option by simply pressing the Start button and typing System Restore in the search box.

You can also type Recovery in the search box and get Advanced System Recovery options. Recovery option can also be found in the Control Panel.

Select the date of restore point when your pc was running normally without any problem and start the System Restore process.

Step 5: Turn on and install automatic updates

Turning on automatic updates is very essential to keep your pc protect from new threats. It is an inbuilt feature provided by Microsoft with every operating system.

Taskhost.exe errors can be resolved easily by turning on automatic updates. This will fix the Taskhost.exe error and install updated files and replace the corrupted ones.

Let me know through comments how this post has helped you in learning more about taskhost.exe errors.

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