Quick Answer
conduit.exe is a component of Conduit software. It can be legitimate when installed by bundled software, but it is often flagged as a potentially unwanted program depending on how it was installed. Verify source and manage via its control panel.
Is it a Virus?
NO - Potentially Unwanted Program
Should be located in C:\Program Files\Conduit\Conduit.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\Conduit\Conduit.exe
Warning
Many processes normal
Conduit may spawn multiple background tasks related to the toolbar and browser integration
Can I Disable?
YES
Disable via Conduit Control Panel or uninstall the component, and remove the browser extension
What is conduit.exe?
conduit.exe is the executable component of Conduit software that provides search and toolbar features integrated with supported browsers. It often runs as part of a bundled installation and can start multiple processes to manage UI, search results, and background tasks.
Conduit uses a multi-process approach: conduit.exe handles toolbar UI, search integration, and background updates. This design improves responsiveness but can increase resource usage and introduce ad-supported features if installed from certain bundles.
Quick Fact: Conduit popularized browser toolbars and search integrations in bundled software, leading to widespread presence across Windows systems.
Types of Conduit Processes
- UI/Toolbar Process: Manages the Conduit toolbar UI within supported browsers
- Renderer/Content Process: Renders Conduit UI content within web pages
- Background Sync Process: Handles data sync and update checks for Conduit components
- Update/Updater Process: Checks for and applies updates to Conduit components
- Extension/Plugin Process: Runs the Conduit extension/plugin logic in-browser
- Utility/Sandbox Process: Isolates tasks and network services related to Conduit
Is conduit.exe Safe?
Yes, conduit.exe is safe when installed from the official Conduit sources or bundled with trusted software; otherwise consider it a Potentially Unwanted Program and remove it if not needed.
Is conduit.exe a Virus or Malware?
The real conduit.exe is not a virus. However, Conduit software is frequently flagged as Potentially Unwanted due to ad-supported behavior. Verify the path and signature before keeping or removing.
How to Tell if conduit.exe is Legitimate or Malware
- File Location: Must be in
C:\Program Files\Conduit\Conduit.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\Conduit\Conduit.exe. Any conduit.exe elsewhere is suspicious.
- Digital Signature: Right-click conduit.exe in Task Manager or File Explorer → Properties → Digital Signatures. Should show signer "Conduit, LLC" or legitimate publisher.
- Resource Usage: Normal usage is 1-20% CPU and 50-200 MB memory. Consistently high usage when idle is a red flag.
- Behavior: Conduit components should not inject ads into browsers or modify core search results without user consent.
Red Flags: If conduit.exe is located in unusual folders (e.g., C:\Users\Public\Documents\Conduit or Temp directories), runs when browsers are closed, lacks a valid signature, or injects ads, scan with antivirus and consider removal. Beware of similarly named files like "conduitui.exe" from untrusted sources.
Why Is conduit.exe Running on My PC?
Conduit components may run to support the toolbar, browser integration, and background update checks. Running processes can continue while browsers are open or in the background.
Reasons it's running:
- Active Conduit UI or Toolbar Use: You have the Conduit toolbar or browser extension active, so related processes start to support UI and search features.
- Background Tasks: Conduit may perform background checks for updates or deliver notifications and search enhancements.
- Startup Launch: Conduit components can be configured to start automatically when Windows starts.
- Auto-Update/Telemetry: Background update tasks and telemetry may keep conduit.exe running to maintain features.
- Browser Integration: The Conduit extension loads within browsers; separate processes may run per task to isolate functionality.
Can I Disable or Remove conduit.exe?
Yes, you can disable conduit.exe. It's safe to disable Conduit components if you do not want the toolbar or search hijacking features; you can disable or remove it via its control panel, Windows Settings, or by uninstalling the bundled software.
How to Stop conduit.exe
- End UI/Background Tasks: Open the Conduit Control Panel (or the browser extension settings) and disable background tasks or the toolbar component
- Close Related Browsers: Exit all browsers that use the Conduit extension to stop related processes
- End All Conduit Processes: Open Windows Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), locate conduit.exe, right-click → End Task
- Disable Startup: Task Manager → Startup tab → Disable Conduit components
- Stop Background Apps: If the Conduit software offers a global toggle, disable "Continue running in background"; otherwise disable via the extension/settings
How to Uninstall Conduit
- ✔ Windows Settings \u2192 Apps \u2192 Apps & Features \u2192 Conduit \u2192 Uninstall
- ✔ Control Panel \u2192 Programs \u2192 Uninstall a program \u2192 Conduit \u2192 Uninstall
- ✔ After uninstall, reset browser settings: remove Conduit extension, and set default search provider back to your preferred option
Common Problems: High CPU or Memory Usage
If conduit.exe is consuming excessive resources:
Common Causes & Solutions
- Too Many Conduit Components Enabled: Disable unused Conduit components from the Conduit Control Panel or uninstall unused extensions to reduce per-task CPU/memory.
- Adware/PUA Behavior: Uninstall Conduit if you did not knowingly install it; reset browsers and remove the extension to reclaim performance.
- Outdated Version: Update Conduit to the latest version or remove and reinstall from a trusted source.
- Multiple Browsers: Disable or remove the Conduit extension from each browser you use; ensure only one integrated component runs.
- Background Updates: Temporarily disable auto-update features in the Conduit control panel or schedule updates to minimize impact.
- Conflicts with Antivirus: Ensure your security software allows Conduit components or temporarily quarantine and re-evaluate after update.
Quick Fixes:
1. Open Conduit Control Panel and identify high-usage components
2. Disable unused Conduit modules or extensions
3. Reset browser search settings and remove Conduit as a default search
4. Update Conduit to the latest version
5. Run a full antivirus/antimalware scan and clean any threats
Frequently Asked Questions
Is conduit.exe a virus?
Not inherently a virus if obtained from a legitimate Conduit source. It is often flagged as a Potentially Unwanted Program when bundled with other software. Verify the file path and signature before keeping.
Why is conduit.exe using so much CPU?
High CPU can happen when the Conduit toolbar or browser extension is actively injecting UI elements or updating content. Check the Conduit panel and browser extensions to disable heavy components.
Can I delete conduit.exe?
Yes, you can uninstall Conduit components via Windows Settings \u2192 Apps, or via the Conduit Control Panel. Deleting alone may leave traces in browsers; reset search settings afterward.
Can I disable conduit.exe?
Yes. Disable Conduit in the Control Panel, or uninstall the bundled software. You can also disable the extension in each browser to stop related activity.
Why is conduit.exe running at startup?
Conduit components can be configured to start with Windows to ensure toolbar availability. Disable via Task Manager › Startup to prevent automatic launch.
How do I remove conduit from my browser?
Remove the Conduit extension from each browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc.), reset the default search provider, and clean up any Conduit-related settings or shortcuts.