Quick Answer
pdfxedit.exe is safe. It's the main executable for PDF-XChange Editor by Tracker Software. It uses multiple helper processes for rendering, editing, and background tasks to maintain stability.
Is it a Virus?
NO - Safe
Must be in C:\Program Files\Tracker Software\PDF-XChange Editor\PDFXEdit.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\Tracker Software\PDF-XChange Editor\PDFXEdit.exe
Warning
Multiple processes normal
Each document tab or tool can spawn its own process
Can I Disable?
YES
Close PDFs or exit Editor to reduce resource usage; disable startup if desired
What is PDFXEdit.exe?
pdfxedit.exe is the executable that launches PDF-XChange Editor, a feature-rich PDF viewer and editor from Tracker Software. The program runs as a collection of processes to render, edit, and manage PDFs with high performance and reliability.
PDF-XChange Editor employs a multi-process architecture: a main GUI process coordinates, separate renderer processes handle page drawing, and background tasks cover printing, OCR, and sync features. This separation improves stability and security.
Quick Fact: PDF-XChange Editor was among early Windows editors to implement layered rendering, improving responsiveness on large PDFs.
Types of PDF-XChange Editor Processes
- GUI Process: Main window, menus, and user interaction
- Renderer Process: Renders PDF pages for viewing and navigation
- Print/Spooler Process: Handles printing requests and print jobs
- OCR/Content Processing: Background OCR and text recognition tasks
- Background/Update Process: Auto-update checks and background maintenance
- Plugin/Feature Modules: Optional modules and plugins loaded by the editor
Is pdfxedit.exe Safe?
Yes, pdfxedit.exe is safe when it's the legitimate file from Tracker Software downloaded from official sources or installed by the manufacturer.
Is pdfxedit.exe a Virus or Malware?
The real pdfxedit.exe is NOT a virus. However, malware sometimes disguises itself using similar names to trick users.
How to Tell if pdfxedit.exe is Legitimate or Malware
- File Location: Must be in
C:\Program Files\Tracker Software\PDF-XChange Editor\PDFXEdit.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\Tracker Software\PDF-XChange Editor\PDFXEdit.exe. Any pdfxedit.exe elsewhere is suspicious.
- Digital Signature: Right-click the process in Task Manager -> Open file location -> Right-click PDFXEdit.exe -> Properties -> Digital Signatures. Should show "Tracker Software Products Ltd".
- Resource Usage: Normal usage is 3-12% CPU per process, 80-400 MB total memory. Extremely high usage when idle is suspicious.
- Behavior: PDF-XChange Editor should only run when you open the editor or a PDF task. If pdfxedit.exe runs constantly without UI, investigate for malware.
Red Flags: If pdfxedit.exe is located in unusual folders (e.g., AppData, Temp), runs without launching the Editor, lacks a valid digital signature, or uses resources constantly, scan with your antivirus. Watch for similarly named files like pdfxedit32.exe.
Why Is pdfxedit.exe Running on My PC?
pdfxedit.exe runs when you open PDF-XChange Editor or when the editor is configured to run background tasks.
Reasons it's running:
- Active Editor Use: You are editing or viewing a PDF; the GUI and renderer processes are active, spawning per-document runners.
- Background Tasks: OCR, indexing, or autosave tasks run in the background to keep documents searchable and up to date.
- Auto-Update Checks: PDF-XChange Editor periodically checks for updates and may start helper processes during checks.
- Background Printing: Print jobs may initiate background processes for rendering and spooling.
- Cloud/Sync Features: If you use cloud storage or document sync, background services may run to sync changes.
Can I Disable or Remove pdfxedit.exe?
Yes, you can disable pdfxedit.exe. It's safe to close the editor when not in use, and you can uninstall it completely if you prefer a different PDF editor.
How to Stop pdfxedit.exe
- Close All Documents: Close the editor window or use File > Exit to terminate GUI and renderer tasks
- Quit Editor: From the system tray, right-click PDF-XChange Editor and choose Quit
- End All Editor Processes: Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), locate pdfxedit.exe, and End Task
- Prevent Startup: Task Manager > Startup tab > Disable PDF-XChange Editor
- Stop Background Tasks: In Editor settings, disable background tasks like autosave or OCR
How to Uninstall PDF-XChange Editor
- ✔ Windows Settings → Apps → Apps & Features → PDF-XChange Editor → Uninstall
- ✔ Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program → PDF-XChange Editor → Uninstall
- ✔ Consider alternative editors: Foxit PDF Editor, Adobe Acrobat, Nitro Pro
Common Problems: High CPU or Memory Usage
If pdfxedit.exe is consuming excessive resources:
Common Causes & Solutions
- Large or Complex PDFs: Close large PDFs or disable some rendering features; use thumbnail previews to reduce CPU
- Background OCR or Indexing: Pause or disable OCR/indexing tasks in Settings; run OCR only when needed
- Outdated Version: Update to the latest PDF-XChange Editor release from tracker-software.com
- Background Plugins: Disable unnecessary plugins via Preferences > Plugins
- Corrupted Preferences: Reset preferences by renaming the AppData folder and restarting the editor
- Antivirus Interference: Ensure antivirus whitelists PDF-XChange Editor executable; run full scan
Quick Fixes:
1. Close unneeded PDFs or suspend rendering for idle tabs
2. Pause OCR/indexing tasks in Settings
3. Clear editor cache or reset preferences
4. Update to the latest version
5. Disable unnecessary plugins in Preferences
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pdfxedit.exe safe?
Yes, the legitimate pdfxedit.exe from Tracker Software is safe when downloaded from tracker-software.com or installed via official channels. Verify the file path and digital signature.
Why is pdfxedit.exe using CPU?
CPU usage rises with rendering large PDFs, running OCR, or performing background tasks like autosave. Use Task Manager to identify the component causing the spike.
Can I delete pdfxedit.exe?
You can uninstall PDF-XChange Editor through Windows Settings if you no longer need it. Your documents stay on disk or in cloud if synced.
Can I disable pdfxedit.exe?
Yes, close the editor or end the pdfxedit.exe process in Task Manager. To stop startup, disable the app in Task Manager > Startup.
How do I update PDF-XChange Editor?
Open the editor and go to Help > Check for Updates, or download the latest version from tracker-software.com.
Why are there multiple pdfxedit.exe processes?
PDF-XChange Editor uses a multi-process architecture where the GUI, renderer, and background tasks run in separate processes for stability and performance.