Erlang/OTP Runtime
erl.exe is safe. It is the Erlang/OTP runtime executable used to run BEAM-based applications and manage lightweight processes within the Erlang VM.
erl.exe is the Windows launcher for the BEAM virtual machine used by Erlang/OTP applications. When an Erlang application starts, erl.exe runs the BEAM runtime, loads OTP components, and manages the numerous lightweight processes that Erlang apps rely on for concurrency and fault tolerance.
The BEAM VM executes Erlang code inside erl.exe, spawning lightweight processes, handling message passing, and scheduling work across schedulers. It hosts OTP apps, supports hot code upgrades, and isolates failures to maintain system stability.
Quick Fact: Erlang's BEAM VM can run thousands of lightweight processes within a single erl.exe instance, enabling massive concurrency without a proportional OS-thread cost.
Yes, erlang.exe is safe when obtained from official Erlang/OTP distributions (erlang.org) or trusted package managers and installed in the standard Program Files path.
The real erlang.exe is NOT a virus. Malware can masquerade with similar names, so verify location and signature.
C:\Program Files\Erlang\OTP-XX\bin\erl.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\Erlang\OTP-XX\bin\erl.exe. Any erl.exe outside these folders is suspicious.Red Flags: erl.exe located outside typical Erlang install folders, lacks a valid digital signature, runs when no Erlang apps are active, or consistently uses abnormal resources. Scan with up-to-date antivirus and verify the installation source.
erlang.exe runs because an Erlang/OTP application or node is active, or a Windows service/app uses BEAM runtime. It may also start as part of development tooling or server software.
Reasons it's running:
Yes, you can disable erlang.exe. It’s safe to stop or uninstall Erlang/OTP if you don’t rely on Erlang-based apps, but doing so will affect any dependent software.
If erlang.exe is consuming excessive resources, identify the active Erlang application and review its code, processes, and OTP supervision trees.
Quick Fixes:
1. Use a task manager or BEAM observer to identify which Erlang process or app is heavy
2. Restart the Erlang-based service or application
3. Limit concurrency or worker pools in your OTP applications
4. Update Erlang/OTP to the latest stable release
5. Review and clear large ETS tables or caches if applicable
No, the legitimate erlang.exe from an official Erlang/OTP distribution is not a virus. Verify the file location is within C:\Program Files\Erlang\OTP-XX\bin\erl.exe and that the digital signature matches Ericsson AB or the official Erlang team.
High CPU can come from active Erlang processes, heavy I/O, or a misbehaving OTP application. Use an Erlang-aware task monitor to identify the culprit and optimize the code or restart the service.
You can uninstall Erlang/OTP if you no longer need it, but any Erlang-based applications will fail. Use Settings > Apps > Erlang/OTP > Uninstall and ensure you have backups of any important code.
Yes, by stopping the Erlang-based service or stopping the application; you can also disable startup of the service. This will prevent BEAM from running until you re-enable it.
If an Erlang-based service or app is configured to start with Windows, erl.exe will launch automatically. Disable the startup item in Task Manager or the Services panel to prevent this.
Erlang uses a multi-process model inside the BEAM VM; you may see many lightweight Erlang processes, but typically there is a single OS process (erl.exe) unless multiple independent Erlang runtimes are running.