Quick Answer
medal.exe is safe. Medal.tv's desktop client handles clip capture, editing, and cloud uploads; it can run in the background while you use Medal features.
Is it a Virus?
✔ NO - Safe
Must be in Program Files\Medal\Medal.exe or Program Files (x86)\Medal\Medal.exe
Warning
Process may run in background
Background tasks for capture, encoding, and syncing occur when Medal features are in use
Can I Disable?
✔ YES
Close Medal from the system tray or disable startup in Task Manager
What is medal.exe?
medal.exe is the Medal.tv desktop client that enables clipping, recording, and sharing gameplay. It runs in the background to capture moments, encode videos, and sync clips to your Medal library with overlay support and library indexing.
Medal uses a lightweight multi-process design to separate UI, capture/encoding, and cloud syncing. It hooks game windows for clips, uses GPU encoding when available, and stores temporary data under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Medal for performance.
Quick Fact: Medal.tv popularized in-game clipping and overlays; the desktop client coordinates capture, encoding, and cloud upload for your clip library.
Types of Medal Processes
- Main UI Process: User interface and settings control for Medal
- Capture/Encoder Process: Video capture and GPU encoding during clip creation
- Background Sync Process: Uploads clips and metadata to Medal cloud
- Overlay/Hook Process: In-game overlay hooks for quick clipping
- Library/Indexing Process: Indexes local clips for search and thumbnails
Is medal.exe Safe?
Yes, medal.exe is safe when downloaded from Medal.tv official sources.
Is medal.exe a Virus or Malware?
The real medal.exe is NOT a virus. Malware can masquerade as Medal; always verify location and signature.
How to Tell if medal.exe is Legitimate or Malware
- File Location:: Must be in
C:\Program Files\Medal\Medal.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\Medal\Medal.exe. Any medal.exe elsewhere is suspicious.
- Digital Signature:: Right-click Medal.exe → Properties → Digital Signatures. Should show "Medal LLC" as the signer.
- Resource Usage:: Normal usage is modest CPU and memory during clipping; constant high usage or no UI suggests malware.
- Behavior:: Medal should operate with Medal UI open and only run active features. Unprompted network activity is suspicious.
Red Flags: If medal.exe is located in unusual folders (like Temp or System32), runs when Medal isn't open, has no signature, or uses excessive resources continuously, scan with reputable antivirus. Watch for similarly named files like "medal_old.exe".
Why Is medal.exe Running on My PC?
medal.exe runs to enable clip capture, processing, and cloud syncing for Medal.tv features. It may stay active in the background to support hotkeys and overlays.
Reasons it's running:
- Active Clip Capture: You are recording/clipping or preparing a clip; the process handles capture and encoding.
- Background Sync: Clips and metadata upload to Medal cloud even when the Medal UI is closed.
- Overlay and In-Game Hooks: Medal injects overlays or hooks to allow quick clipping during gameplay.
- Startup or Service: Medal can be configured to launch at Windows startup or run as a background service.
- Library and Thumbnails: Indexing local clips and generating thumbnails for the Medal library.
Can I Disable or Remove medal.exe?
Yes, you can disable medal.exe. You can stop clipping, close Medal, or uninstall if you no longer use Medal.
How to Stop medal.exe
- Exit from System Tray: Right-click Medal icon in the system tray and choose Quit
- Close Medal: Use the Medal UI to exit, or File → Exit
- Disable Startup: Task Manager → Startup tab → Disable Medal Launcher
- Pause Background Sync: Medal Settings → General → Disable automatic uploads
- Uninstall Medal: Windows Settings → Apps → Medal → Uninstall
How to Uninstall Medal
- ✔ Windows Settings → Apps → Medal → Uninstall
- ✔ Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program → Medal
- ✔ Restart your PC to complete cleanup
Common Problems: High CPU or Memory Usage
If medal.exe is consuming excessive resources, try the following fixes:
Common Causes & Solutions
- Background clip processing: Disable automatic clipping or reduce clip length in Medal settings.
- GPU encoding load: Update GPU drivers and lower resolution/frame rate in Medal encoding settings.
- Many clips in library: Archive or delete old clips; limit automatic thumbnails.
- Conflicting overlay software: Disable other overlays (Discord overlay, GeForce Experience) to prevent conflicts.
- Outdated Medal version: Check for updates in Medal → Help → Check for updates and install the latest version.
- Insufficient disk space: Free up disk space or move Medal cache to a larger drive.
Quick Fixes:
1. Quick Fixes:
2. 1. Open Medal Task Manager to identify active clips and overlays
3. Pause or disable automatic uploads in Medal settings
4. Update Medal to latest version
5. Lower clip resolution in capture settings
6. Clear Medal cache and restart the app
Frequently Asked Questions
Is medal.exe a virus?
No, the legitimate medal.exe from Medal.tv is not a virus. Verify the file path C:\Program Files\Medal\Medal.exe and ensure a signed certificate from Medal LLC.
Why is medal.exe using so much CPU?
High CPU can be caused by active clipping of complex scenes, overlay rendering, or a faulty/overzealous shader. Use Medal Task Manager (Shift+Ctrl+Q) to identify the culprit and adjust encoding settings.
Can I delete medal.exe?
Yes, you can uninstall Medal from Windows Settings → Apps. This will remove the desktop client and clip history unless you export data first.
Can I disable medal.exe?
Yes. Close Medal or disable startup in Task Manager. To stop background uploads, disable automatic uploads in Medal Settings.
Why does Medal start at startup?
Medal may be configured to launch at Windows startup to allow immediate access to clipping features. Disable it in Task Manager → Startup or in Medal Settings.
Where are Medal clips stored on my PC?
Clips are stored in your Medal library folder, typically under C:\Users\Public\Documents\Medal\Clips or within the Medal cache in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Medal\Clips.