Foxit Reader
foxitreader.exe is safe. It's the main executable for Foxit Reader, a popular lightweight PDF reader and viewer that serves as an alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader.
foxitreader.exe is the main executable process for Foxit Reader, a popular free PDF reader and viewer application. It's a lightweight alternative to Adobe Acrobat Reader that provides comprehensive PDF viewing, annotation, and basic editing capabilities with significantly lower resource consumption.
Foxit Reader is developed by Foxit Software Inc., a company founded in 2001 that specializes in PDF technology. The software has gained worldwide popularity due to its fast performance, small installation size, and feature-rich interface while using considerably less RAM and CPU than Adobe's competing products. The foxitreader.exe process starts when you open a PDF file associated with Foxit Reader or launch the application directly.
Quick Fact: Foxit Reader is approximately 10-20 times smaller in download size than Adobe Acrobat Reader and typically uses 50-70% less memory when viewing the same PDF documents.
Yes, foxitreader.exe is safe when it's the legitimate Foxit Reader application from Foxit Software Inc. The genuine file is digitally signed and comes from an official installation of Foxit Reader.
The real foxitreader.exe is NOT a virus. It's a legitimate commercial application developed by Foxit Software Inc. However, malware can disguise itself using the same filename, so verification is important.
C:\Program Files (x86)\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\ or C:\Program Files\Foxit Software\Foxit PDF Reader\. Any foxitreader.exe in Windows, System32, Temp, or AppData folders is suspicious.Red Flags: Multiple foxitreader.exe processes running when no PDFs are open, file located outside the Foxit program folder, high network activity, missing digital signature, or automatic startup without permission are all warning signs of malware masquerading as Foxit Reader.
foxitreader.exe runs automatically because you have Foxit Reader installed as your default PDF viewer, or you've recently opened a PDF document using the application.
Reasons it's running:
Yes, you can disable or remove foxitreader.exe. Foxit Reader is third-party software that can be completely uninstalled without affecting your Windows system functionality. However, you'll need an alternative PDF viewer if you remove it.
Note: Removing Foxit Reader is completely safe and reversible. You can always reinstall it later if needed. Many users prefer it over Adobe Reader due to its lighter resource usage.
If foxitreader.exe is consuming excessive resources, here are the typical causes and solutions:
Quick Fixes:
1. Restart Foxit Reader: Close all PDFs and restart the application.
2. Disable Plugins: Go to Preferences → Add-Ons → disable unnecessary plugins.
3. Clear Cache: Preferences → Documents → Document Cache → Clear cache.
4. Reduce Visual Effects: Preferences → Page Display → disable smooth text and hardware acceleration.
5. Limit Startup Programs: Disable Foxit Quick Launch in Task Manager startup.
No, the legitimate foxitreader.exe is not a virus. It's a safe application from Foxit Software Inc. Verify it's located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\ and has a valid digital signature from "Foxit Software Incorporated." If it's located elsewhere or lacks a proper signature, scan it with antivirus software immediately.
High CPU usage usually occurs when viewing large/complex PDFs, having multiple PDF tabs open, or when hardware acceleration causes conflicts. Disable hardware acceleration in Preferences → Page Display, close unused PDF tabs, clear the document cache, or update to the latest version. If CPU remains high with no PDFs open, check for malware.
Yes, you can safely delete foxitreader.exe by uninstalling Foxit Reader through Windows Settings → Apps or Control Panel. This won't harm your system. However, you'll need an alternative PDF viewer like Adobe Reader, Microsoft Edge, or SumatraPDF to open PDF files afterward. Windows 10/11 has Edge built-in which can view PDFs without installing anything.
Yes, you can disable Foxit Reader from starting automatically. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), go to the Startup tab, find "Foxit Reader" or "Foxit Quick Launch," right-click it, and select Disable. Alternatively, in Foxit Reader go to File → Preferences → General and uncheck "Load Foxit Reader at Windows startup." This prevents the background process but still allows you to open PDFs normally.
Foxit Reader includes a "Quick Launch" feature that loads a lightweight version at startup for faster PDF opening. This is enabled by default during installation. You can disable it in Task Manager's Startup tab or within Foxit Reader's Preferences → General settings. Disabling startup won't prevent you from opening PDFs; the program will just start on-demand when you open a PDF file instead of staying in memory.
Foxit Reader is lighter and faster than Adobe Reader, using significantly less RAM (typically 50-200 MB vs 200-500 MB) and disk space (100 MB vs 500+ MB). It's better for basic PDF viewing and annotation. Adobe Reader has more advanced features and better compatibility with complex interactive PDFs. Choose Foxit for speed and efficiency, Adobe for advanced features and maximum compatibility.
Open Foxit Reader, click Help → Check for Updates, and follow the prompts to download and install the latest version. You can also download the latest installer from foxit.com. Regular updates include security patches, bug fixes, and performance improvements. It's recommended to keep Foxit Reader updated for optimal security and stability.
Multiple instances occur when you have several PDF files open simultaneously, each in its own tab or window. Foxit Reader uses a multi-process architecture for stability—if one PDF crashes, others remain open. However, if you see multiple processes with no PDFs open, this could indicate the cloud connector or plugin services running, which can be disabled in Preferences.