ardour.exe

Ardour Digital Audio Workstation

Application ProcessSafeAudio Production

CPU Usage

2-12%

Memory

150-600 MB

Location

C:\Program Files\Ardour

Publisher

Ardour Foundation

Quick Answer

ardour.exe is safe. It's the Windows executable for Ardour, a professional digital audio workstation used to record, edit, mix, and master audio projects.

Is it a Virus?

✔ NO - Safe

Must be in C:\Program Files\Ardour\ardour.exe

Warning

Multiple processes normal

Ardour runs a multi-threaded audio engine; Windows Task Manager may show several related threads/processes

Can I Disable?

✔ YES

Close Ardour when finished; disable startup in Task Manager if needed

What is ardour.exe?

ardour.exe is the Windows executable for Ardour, a professional digital audio workstation used for recording, editing, mixing, and mastering sound projects. It launches the Ardour engine, loads your project, and communicates with audio interfaces, drivers, and plugins. This article covers its purpose and safety.

The Ardour engine runs as a multi-threaded process that handles audio I/O, DSP, and plugin processing. On Windows, ardour.exe interacts with Windows audio subsystems (ASIO/DirectSound) or JACK for routing, while UI remains responsive in a separate thread.

Quick Fact: Ardour supports LV2 and VST plugins and uses a modular audio engine that can route through ASIO, DirectSound, or JACK on Windows.

Types of Ardour Processes

Main Process: UI, project management, and control surface interactions
Audio Engine: Real-time audio I/O, DSP, and plugin processing
Plugin/Bridge Threads: Worker threads for plugins and internal bridges
Background Tasks: Rendering, exporting, and autosave operations
Driver Interaction: Communication with audio drivers (ASIO/DirectSound/JACK)

Is ardour.exe Safe?

Yes, ardour.exe is safe when it's the legitimate file from the Ardour project downloaded from official sources (ardour.org) or installed by your distribution.

Is ardour.exe a Virus or Malware?

The real ardour.exe is NOT a virus. However, malware can masquerade with similar names. Always verify the file path and signature.

How to Tell if ardour.exe is Legitimate or Malware

File Location: Must be in C:\Program Files\Ardour\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\Ardour\. Any ardour.exe elsewhere is suspicious.
Digital Signature: Right-click the executable in File Explorer → Properties → Digital Signatures. Should show "Ardour Foundation".
Resource Usage: Normal usage is 2-12% CPU per thread, 100-600 MB total memory. Extremely high usage when the app is idle is suspicious.
Behavior: Ardour should only run when you start the DAW. Multiple instances when Ardour is closed indicates malware.

Red Flags: If ardour.exe is located in unusual folders (like Temp, AppData\Roaming, or System32), runs when Ardour isn't open, has no digital signature, or uses excessive resources constantly, scan your system with antivirus software immediately. Beware of similarly-named files like "ardour32.exe" or "ardour64.exe" from untrusted sources.

Why Is ardour.exe Running on My PC?

ardour.exe runs when you open Ardour, load a project, or perform audio tasks. It may stay active during playback, recording, or rendering as part of the real-time audio engine.

Reasons it's running:

Active Project Playback: You're actively recording or playing back audio; Ardour's audio engine processes multiple tracks and plugins in real time.
Background Audio Engine: Plugins, routing, and audio buses continue to process even if the UI is minimized.
Session Restore on Startup: Ardour may reopen the last session after a update or crash, causing the process to run briefly during restoration.
Driver/Interface Streaming: Windows ASIO or JACK drivers create threads to manage low-latency audio streams.
Plugin Scanning and Loading: LV2/VST plugins load at project or session load, spawning worker threads to host plugins.

Can I Disable or Remove ardour.exe?

Yes, you can disable ardour.exe. It's safe to close Ardour when not in use, and you can uninstall it completely if you prefer a different DAW.

How to Stop ardour.exe

Close Ardour: Exit the Ardour UI to stop the main process and audio engine.
End Background Tasks: In Task Manager, end any remaining ardour-related processes if they persist.
Prevent Startup: Task Manager → Startup tab → Disable Ardour.
Disable Background Audio: In Ardour Settings → Preferences → Audio, disable background rendering or set an appropriate buffer.
Stop Auto-Save: In Ardour, turn off automatic backups to reduce background activity when closed.

How to Uninstall Ardour

✔ Windows Settings → Apps → Apps & Features → Ardour → Uninstall
✔ Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program → Ardour → Uninstall
✔ Optionally remove remaining user settings from %APPDATA% and %LOCALAPPDATA% if you want a clean reinstall

Common Problems: Audio Dropouts, Cracks, or High CPU

If ardour.exe is misbehaving, try the following common issues and fixes.

Common Causes & Solutions

Too Many Plugins or Tracks: Reduce track count, disable unused plugins, or enable offline rendering for large mixes.
Latent or Heavy Plugins: Disable or replace CPU-heavy plugins; consider freezing tracks.
Incorrect Driver or Buffer Size: Set the correct audio driver (ASIO/WDM) and increase buffer size in Preferences.
Outdated Ardour Version: Update to the latest Ardour build from official sources.
High Latency Settings: Lower sample rate or adjust latency compensation and CPU affinity in OS settings.
Corrupted Project Files: Open a backup project or create a new one to isolate the issue.

Quick Fixes:
1. Close unused projects and disable unnecessary plugins
2. Increase audio buffer size in Ardour's Audio Preferences
3. Update Ardour to the latest version
4. Check audio interface drivers and reconnect the device
5. Restart Ardour and your computer if needed

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ardour.exe a virus?

No, the legitimate ardour.exe from the Ardour project is not a virus. Verify the file path at C:\Program Files\Ardour\ardour.exe and ensure the digital signature matches Ardour Foundation.

Why is ardour.exe using so much CPU?

High CPU is typically caused by many active plugins, large sample rates, or heavy processing in real-time. Reduce plugin count, enable offline rendering, or adjust buffer size in Preferences.

Can I delete ardour.exe?

Yes, you can uninstall Ardour via Windows Settings → Apps or Control Panel. Your projects remain in your user folders unless you delete them separately.

Can I disable ardour.exe?

Yes. Close Ardour to stop the process. To prevent it from starting at boot, disable it in Task Manager > Startup. To stop background processing, adjust Ardour's preferences.

Why does Ardour launch at startup on my PC?

Some setups auto-launch Ardour for quick access or resume the last session. Disable startup via Task Manager → Startup to prevent automatic launches.

How do I reduce Ardour's memory usage?

Close unused projects, disable unused plugins, increase buffer size, and consider installing 64-bit Ardour for better memory management.

Related Processes

jackd.exe

JACK Audio Connection Kit daemon used by Ardour for low-latency audio routing on Windows and other OSes.

audacity.exe

Audacity audio editor; commonly used in workflows alongside Ardour for quick edits.