Quick Answer
gravit-designer.exe is the Gravit Designer desktop application. It runs as the dedicated design engine for vector graphics, canvas rendering, and asset export, operating as a standalone desktop process.
What is gravit-designer.exe?
gravit-designer.exe is the desktop executable for Gravit Designer, a cross‑platform vector graphics editor used to craft logos, icons, UI mockups, and illustrations. The application runs as a dedicated design engine that manages the UI, document canvases, and export tasks locally on your PC.
Gravit Designer utilizes a GPU‑accelerated canvas renderer and a modular process model to separate UI, rendering, and export tasks. gravit-designer.exe coordinates vector operations, file I/O, and asset exports while balancing performance on typical hardware.
Quick Fact: Gravit Designer started as a lightweight vector editor and now offers cloud sync and offline desktop operation, with multi‑threaded rendering to keep canvases responsive.
Types of Gravit Designer Processes
- Main Process: UI, menus, and app lifecycle (single instance)
- Canvas Renderer: Renders vector canvases and real‑time edits (per document)
- Export Worker: Handles exporting assets (SVG, PNG, PDF) asynchronously
- Cloud Sync Service: Synchronizes assets and preferences with Gravit Cloud when signed in
- Plugin/Extension Process: Runs installed plugins or extensions that extend Gravit Designer functionality
Is gravit-designer.exe Safe?
Yes, gravit-designer.exe is safe when it is the legitimate Gravit Designer desktop file downloaded from official sources (gravit designer website or trusted installers).
Is gravit-designer.exe a Virus or Malware?
The real file is NOT a virus. However, malware can masquerade with similar names. Always verify location and signature.
How to Tell if gravit-designer.exe is Legitimate or Malware
- File Location: Must be in
C:\Program Files\Gravit Designer\gravit-designer.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\Gravit Designer\gravit-designer.exe. Any gravit-designer.exe elsewhere is suspicious.
- Digital Signature: Right-click the process in Task Manager → Open file location → Right-click gravit-designer.exe → Properties → Digital Signatures. Should show "Gravit GmbH".
- Resource Usage: Normal usage is 3-25% CPU per document, 150-700 MB total memory. Extremely high usage when the app is not actively used is suspicious.
- Behavior: Gravit Designer should launch when you start the app and run normally. If you see persistent background activity without launching Gravit Designer, scan for malware.
Red Flags: If gravit-designer.exe is located in unusual folders (like Temp or AppData), runs when Gravit Designer isn't open, has no valid signature, or uses resources constantly, run antivirus scans and verify from Gravit's official download source.
Why Is gravit-designer.exe Running on My PC?
gravit-designer.exe runs when you open Gravit Designer or when cloud sync, autosave, or background rendering tasks are active. Some processes may stay resident to keep the UI responsive and export tasks ready.
Reasons it's running:
- Active Design Session: You're editing a document; the app renders changes in real time and maintains a responsive UI for your canvas.
- Background Sync: Gravit Cloud synchronization of assets, palettes, and preferences may keep a background process active.
- Autosave and History: Gravit Designer autosaves periodically, writing to a local cache or project file in the background.
- Startup Launch: Gravit Designer may be configured to start automatically on system boot, which keeps gravit-designer.exe alive after logon.
- Export and Import Tasks: Large export/import operations or background export queues run in separate threads to prevent UI freezes.
Can I Disable or Remove gravit-designer.exe?
Yes, you can disable gravit-designer.exe. It's safe to close Gravit Designer when not in use, and you can uninstall it completely if you prefer a different design tool.
How to Stop gravit-designer.exe
- End Active Sessions: In Gravit Designer, close all open documents and exit the app; or use Task Manager to End Task gravit-designer.exe
- Close App: Click the X button or use Alt+F4 to close Gravit Designer fully
- End All Processes: Open Windows Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), find gravit-designer.exe, right-click → End Task
- Prevent Startup: Task Manager → Startup tab → Disable Gravit Designer
- Stop Background Tasks: In Gravit Designer Settings → General → Disable cloud sync and background export
How to Uninstall Gravit Designer
- ✔ Windows Settings → Apps → Apps & Features → Gravit Designer → Uninstall
- ✔ Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program → Gravit Designer → Uninstall
- ✔ Download and install an alternative design tool if desired (e.g., Inkscape, Affinity Designer, Figma desktop app)
Common Problems: High CPU or Memory Usage
If gravit-designer.exe is consuming excessive resources:
Common Causes & Solutions
- Large or complex vector documents: Simplify paths, reduce anchor points, and break very large files into multiple documents when possible.
- Resource-heavy plugins or extensions: Disable unnecessary plugins or extensions in Gravit Designer and restart the app.
- Large image assets or embedded raster layers: Compress images before import or replace with lower-resolution placeholders during editing.
- Background cloud sync enabled: Pause or limit cloud sync in Settings → Cloud to reduce background activity.
- Outdated software: Update Gravit Designer to the latest version from the official site or app store.
- GPU acceleration issues: Disable hardware acceleration in Settings → System to improve stability; restart Gravit Designer.
Quick Fixes:
1. Use Task Manager to identify heavy canvases or exports (Ctrl+Shift+Esc).
2. Close large or unused documents to free memory.
3. Disable nonessential extensions in Gravit Designer.
4. Update Gravit Designer to the latest version.
5. Disable GPU acceleration in Settings → System and relaunch Gravit Designer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is gravit-designer.exe a virus?
No, the legitimate gravit-designer.exe from Gravit GmbH is not a virus. Verify the location is C:\Program Files\Gravit Designer\gravit-designer.exe and that the digital signature shows Gravit GmbH.
Why is gravit-designer.exe using so much CPU?
High CPU can result from very large or complex vector documents, active exports, or background cloud sync. Check the Gravit Task Manager and close or optimize resource-heavy canvases, then update to the latest version.
Can I delete gravit-designer.exe?
Yes, you can uninstall Gravit Designer via Windows Settings → Apps. Your local design files remain on disk unless you delete them separately or do a full reinstall.
Can I disable gravit-designer.exe?
Yes. Close the app to stop processes, disable startup in Task Manager → Startup, and turn off background cloud sync in Gravit Designer settings.
Why is gravit-designer.exe running at startup?
If Gravit Designer is set to start on login, gravit-designer.exe will run at startup to launch the app. Disable this in Task Manager → Startup or in Gravit Designer settings.
How do I reduce Gravit Designer's memory usage?
Close unused canvases, compress image assets, disable unnecessary extensions, and enable Memory Saver or performance options in Settings to trim RAM usage.