Quick Answer
brother-helper.exe is safe. It's Brother's official helper utility that manages printer tasks, updates, and background communications to support printing and scanning.
What is brother-helper.exe?
brother-helper.exe is the executable for Brother's printer utility that runs in the background to manage printer tasks, scan workflows, and driver communications. It may start with Windows to ensure printers are ready when you print or scan.
This lightweight process communicates with printers and drivers, handles job queuing, status reporting, and background tasks like driver updates. It uses a small, isolated set of threads to avoid interfering with user apps while maintaining quick print/scan responses.
Quick Fact: Brother's helper runs to keep printers ready; it can monitor status and push updates without user interaction.
Types of Brother Helper Processes
- Main Helper Process: Coordinates printing tasks and driver communications
- Printer Status Monitor: Keeps printer status in sync with the PC
- Update Service: Checks for and applies driver or utility updates
- Scan Handler: Manages scanning sessions for connected devices
- Background Task Runner: Executes routine background maintenance jobs
Is brother-helper.exe Safe?
Yes, brother-helper.exe is safe when it's the legitimate file from Brother downloaded from official sources or bundled with Brother software.
Is brother-helper.exe a Virus or Malware?
The real file is NOT a virus. Malware may disguise itself with similar names. Verify location and signature.
How to Tell if brother-helper.exe is Legitimate or Malware
- File Location: Must be in
C:\Program Files\Brother\Printer Utilities\brother-helper.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\Brother\Printer Utilities\brother-helper.exe. Any other location is suspicious.
- Digital Signature: Right-click the file in Explorer → Properties → Digital Signatures. Should show "Brother Industries, Ltd." as signer.
- Resource Usage: Normal usage is 0.5-4% CPU, 15-90 MB memory. Constant high resource usage when idle is suspicious.
- Behavior: Brother helper should run when printing or checking status. If it runs constantly without a task, investigate.
Red Flags: If brother-helper.exe is located in unusual folders (like Temp or AppData), runs when no printing occurs, has no valid signature, or uses unusual network activity, scan with antivirus. Be wary of similarly named files.
Why Is brother-helper.exe Running on My PC?
brother-helper.exe runs to support printing, scanning, updates, and status monitoring. It may start with Windows or run in the background to provide quick printer responsiveness.
Reasons it's running:
- Active Print or Scan Job: A document is queued or being scanned; the helper coordinates task execution and driver communication.
- Background Updates: The utility checks for driver or firmware updates and applies them as needed.
- Status Synchronization: Keeps printer status in sync with the operating system and Brother software.
- Driver/Utility Initialization: Starting up related Brother utilities during system boot or login.
- Monitoring and Health Checks: Continuously monitors device health and prints queue status to avoid missed tasks.
Can I Disable or Remove brother-helper.exe?
Yes, you can disable or stop it. It's safe to close unnecessary printing tasks, and you can uninstall the Brother software if you prefer a different solution.
How to Stop brother-helper.exe
- End Printing Tasks: In the Brother Utilities interface, end active print or scan jobs.
- Close Brother Utilities: Exit all Brother Utilities programs (Control Center, BRScan, etc.).
- End Process: Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), select brother-helper.exe, and End Task.
- Disable Startup: Open Task Manager → Startup tab → Disable Brother Utilities startup entry.
- Stop Background Tasks: In Brother software settings, disable 'Start with Windows' or 'Run in background' options.
How to Uninstall Brother Software
- ✔ Windows Settings → Apps → Apps & Features → Brother Utilities → Uninstall
- ✔ Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program → Brother Utilities → Uninstall
- ✔ Restart your PC and consider another printer solution if needed
Common Problems: High CPU or Memory Usage
If brother-helper.exe is consuming excessive resources:
Common Causes & Solutions
- Active Job Backlog: Too many queued print/scans can spike usage. Pause or cancel tasks; restart the printer utilities.
- Background Updates: Update process can run each time; ensure settings allow updates during idle times, or update manually.
- Outdated Driver: Update Brother printer drivers via the official Brother support site or the bundled updater.
- Conflicting Utilities: Terminate conflicting Brother utilities; ensure only one control center is active.
- Malware Masquerading: Run a full antivirus/malware scan and verify signatures; remove suspicious items.
- Corrupted Preferences: Reset Brother Utilities to default settings or reinstall the software.
Quick Fixes:
1. Open Task Manager to identify high-usage tasks
2. Pause or cancel stuck print jobs
3. Check for updates in Brother Utilities
4. Restart Brother services or the computer
5. Run a security scan to rule out malware
Frequently Asked Questions
What is brother-helper.exe?
brother-helper.exe is Brother's background printer helper that coordinates printing, scanning, status updates, and driver communications as part of the Brother Utilities suite.
Is brother-helper.exe safe to run on Windows?
Yes, when obtained from Brother's official software distribution or bundled with Brother Utilities. Verify location: C:\Program Files\Brother\Printer Utilities\brother-helper.exe.
Why does brother-helper.exe run even when I'm not printing?
It may monitor printer status, check for updates, or keep connections alive for faster printing when needed.
Can I safely disable or remove brother-helper.exe?
You can disable startup or close the helper when not needed, but some printer features may be affected. Uninstall Brother Utilities if you remove the software.
I found brother-helper.exe in a weird folder. Is that safe?
Only trust the file if it resides in the official Brother Utilities folder. If not, scan with antivirus and consider removing.
How do I fix high CPU usage by brother-helper.exe?
Identify the task causing load via Task Manager, close unnecessary jobs, update drivers, and disable background tasks if appropriate.