showkeyplus.exe

ShowKeyPlus Keyboard Activity Viewer

Application ProcessSafeKeyboard Utility
CPU Usage
1-4%
Memory
8-64 MB
Location
C:\\Program Files\\ShowKeyPlus
Publisher
ShowKeyPlus Team

Quick Answer

showkeyplus.exe is safe. It's a lightweight Windows utility that displays keyboard scan codes and key press events for debugging and troubleshooting.

Is it a Virus?
✔ NO - Safe
Should reside in C:\\Program Files\\ShowKeyPlus\\ShowKeyPlus.exe and be digitally signed by the ShowKeyPlus Team
Warning
Possible false positives
Some antivirus suites may flag unknown keyboard utilities; ensure signature is valid
Can I Disable?
✔ YES
Close the app or remove the startup shortcut to prevent auto-launch

What is showkeyplus.exe?

showkeyplus.exe is a lightweight Windows utility that captures and displays low-level keyboard scan codes, virtual-key mappings, and pressed key events in real time. It helps developers, IT staff, and power users diagnose keyboard input issues, verify layout behavior, and troubleshoot driver or hardware problems.

showkeyplus.exe reads keyboard input at the system level, decodes scan codes to VK codes, and presents results in a window or log. It uses raw input APIs and keyboard hooks to capture events without sending them to apps, making it useful for debugging keyboard drivers and layout tests.

Quick Fact: ShowKeyPlus focuses on real-time key activity and keyboard events, helping verify hardware and driver behavior across Windows versions.

Types of ShowKeyPlus Processes

Is showkeyplus.exe Safe?

Yes, showkeyplus.exe is safe when it's the legitimate file from the ShowKeyPlus project downloaded from official sources or bundled with trusted installers.

Is showkeyplus.exe a Virus or Malware?

The real showkeyplus.exe is NOT a virus. However, malware sometimes masquerades with similar names to trick users.

How to Tell if showkeyplus.exe is Legitimate or Malware

  1. File Location: Must be in C:\\Program Files\\ShowKeyPlus\\ShowKeyPlus.exe or C:\\Program Files (x86)\\ShowKeyPlus\\ShowKeyPlus.exe depending on architecture. Any other path is suspicious.
  2. Digital Signature: Right-click the file in Explorer or Task Manager -> Open file location -> right-click ShowKeyPlus.exe -> Properties -> Digital Signatures. Should show a trustworthy signer like "ShowKeyPlus Team".
  3. Resource Usage: Normal usage is 1-4% CPU and 8-64 MB memory; abnormally high usage when idle is suspicious.
  4. Behavior: ShowKeyPlus should only run when invoked by the user. Continuous background activity without user action may indicate malware.

Red Flags: If showkeyplus.exe is located in unexpected folders (Temp, AppData, or System32), runs without user interaction, lacks a valid signature, or consumes resources constantly, scan with antivirus software. Be wary of similarly named files.

Why Is showkeyplus.exe Running on My PC?

showkeyplus.exe runs when you start ShowKeyPlus to monitor and display keyboard input, or when a capture session is active. It can also start from startup shortcuts or during automated testing.

Reasons it's running:

Can I Disable or Remove showkeyplus.exe?

Yes, you can disable showkeyplus.exe. Close the app when not in use, or remove startup shortcuts to prevent automatic launching. Uninstall if you no longer need the tool.

How to Stop showkeyplus.exe

How to Uninstall ShowKeyPlus

Common Problems: Keyboard Capture or Performance

If showkeyplus.exe is not behaving as expected or uses resources unexpectedly:

Common Causes & Solutions

Quick Fixes:
1. Open ShowKeyPlus and start a capture session to test
2. Restart the app or reboot the PC
3. Update to the latest version from the official site
4. Whitelist ShowKeyPlus in your antivirus
5. Check for related drivers and Windows updates

Frequently Asked Questions

Is showkeyplus.exe a virus?

No, the legitimate showkeyplus.exe from the official project is not a virus. Verify the path is C:\Program Files\ShowKeyPlus\ShowKeyPlus.exe and that the file is signed by the ShowKeyPlus Team.

What does ShowKeyPlus.exe do?

ShowKeyPlus.exe captures keyboard scan codes and displays pressed keys in real time to aid debugging keyboard input and layout testing.

How do I uninstall ShowKeyPlus?

Use Windows Settings -> Apps -> ShowKeyPlus -> Uninstall, then delete the folder C:\Program Files\ShowKeyPlus. Optionally remove startup shortcuts.

Can ShowKeyPlus read my keystrokes in the background?

ShowKeyPlus is designed to capture keystrokes during active capture sessions. It does not log keystrokes persistently unless you enable explicit logging in the app.

Why is ShowKeyPlus running at startup?

If installed with a startup shortcut, it may launch on login. Disable startup entry in Task Manager -> Startup to prevent automatic launching.

I don't see any output or capture on certain keyboards, what should I do?

Ensure the device is supported, run as Administrator, update keyboard drivers, and verify that capture is enabled in ShowKeyPlus settings.

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