Quick Answer
softmaker-office-exe is safe. It's SoftMaker's official office-suite executable (smoffice.exe) that launches Writer, PlanMaker, and Presentations components on demand.
Is it a Virus?
✔ NO - Safe
Must be in C:\Program Files\SoftMaker Software\Office\smoffice.exe
Warning
Multiple processes normal
Each module (Writer/Calc/Presentations) can run as separate process
Can I Disable?
✔ YES
Close apps or disable startup to stop automatic launching
What is smoffice.exe?
softmaker-office-exe is the executable that launches SoftMaker Office components (Writer for word processing, PlanMaker for spreadsheets, and Presentations for slides). It starts on demand when you open any SoftMaker app and may spawn separate processes for each module to improve stability and responsiveness.
SoftMaker Office uses a modular, multi-process model where smoffice.exe orchestrates the main UI while individual modules run as separate child processes, communicating via IPC. This design improves crash containment and allows background tasks like autosave and PDF export to run efficiently.
Quick Fact: SoftMaker Office isolates major components to reduce cross-impact; if one module crashes, others remain accessible.
Types of SoftMaker Processes
- Main Launcher Process: UI and orchestration for Writer/PlanMaker/Presentations (single instance)
- Writer Process: Document editing engine for Writer documents
- PlanMaker Process: Spreadsheet editing engine for Calc-style operations
- Presentations Process: Presentation authoring and rendering
- PDF/Import Helper: PDF import and rendering tasks
- Background Services: Auto-save, syncing, and updater interactions
Is softmaker-office-exe Safe?
Yes, softmaker-office-exe is safe when it's the legitimate file from SoftMaker Software GmbH downloaded from official sources (softmaker.com or the official installer).
Is softmaker-office-exe a Virus or Malware?
The real smoffice.exe is NOT a virus. However, malware may imitate names to trick users.
How to Tell if softmaker-office-exe is Legitimate or Malware
- File Location: Must be in
C:\Program Files\SoftMaker Software\Office\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\SoftMaker Software\Office\. Any smoffice.exe elsewhere is suspicious.
- Digital Signature: Right-click the executable → Properties → Digital Signatures. Should show signer as "SoftMaker Software GmbH".
- Resource Usage: Normal usage is variable; multiple processes may appear when opening documents. Abnormally high consumption when idle is suspicious.
- Behavior: SoftMaker Office should launch when you start an app or open a document; unseen background activity may indicate malware.
Red Flags: If smoffice.exe is in an unusual folder (Temp, AppData), runs without launching an Office app, lacks a valid signature, or uses unusual network activity, scan with antivirus.
Why Is softmaker-office-exe Running on My PC?
smoffice.exe runs when you launch SoftMaker Office applications or when background services such as autosave, cloud sync, or updater components are active.
Reasons it's running:
- Active Office Use: You have Writer, PlanMaker, or Presentations open; each module may spawn its own process for responsiveness.
- Background Tasks: Autosave, recent document indexing, and cloud sync operations keep smoffice.exe active in the background.
- Startup Program: SoftMaker Office may be configured to launch at Windows startup, causing smoffice.exe to be present after boot.
- Update and Updater: The updater service may run in the background to check for new versions or patches.
- File Associations & Rendering: Opening or rendering complex documents (e.g., large spreadsheets or multimedia presentations) can spawn additional processes for performance.
Can I Disable or Remove softmaker-office-exe?
Yes, you can disable softmaker-office-exe. It's safe to close Office apps when not in use, and you can uninstall it completely if you prefer a different office suite.
How to Stop softmaker-office-exe
- End Individual Documents: Close open Writer/PlanMaker/Presentations documents or use File → Exit to close the app.
- Close All Instances: Use Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and end smoffice.exe and related processes.
- Prevent Startup: Task Manager → Startup tab → Disable SoftMaker Office
- Stop Background Apps: SoftMaker Office Settings → General → Disable autosave and cloud sync options if available
- Pause Updater: In the SoftMaker Update tool, set updates to manual or disable the updater service
How to Uninstall SoftMaker Office
- ✔ Windows Settings → Apps → Apps & Features → SoftMaker Office → Uninstall
- ✔ Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program → SoftMaker Office → Uninstall
- ✔ Consider alternative suites: LibreOffice, WPS Office, or Microsoft 365
Common Problems: High CPU or Memory Usage
If softmaker-office-exe is consuming excessive resources:
Common Causes & Solutions
- Too many documents or complex files open: Close unused documents; consider splitting large work into smaller files
- Background updates or autosave: Disable automatic updates or autosave in Settings; perform manual saves
- Heavy macros or add-ins: Disable or remove macros/add-ins; run Office in Safe Mode to test
- Outdated version: Update SoftMaker Office to the latest version
- Corrupted templates or user profile: Reset user profile or replace corrupted templates
- Hardware acceleration issues: Disable hardware acceleration in Settings → General or Performance
Quick Fixes:
1. Close unnecessary documents and use smoffice Task Manager to identify heavy processes
2. Restart SoftMaker Office or the entire system to clear memory
3. Check for updates and install the latest SoftMaker Office version
4. Disable unnecessary add-ins/macros
5. Disable hardware acceleration in Settings → General → Performance
Frequently Asked Questions
Is softmaker-office-exe a virus?
No, the legitimate softmaker-office-exe (smoffice.exe) from SoftMaker Software GmbH is not a virus. Verify the path is C:\Program Files\SoftMaker Software\Office and that the digital signature matches SoftMaker Software GmbH.
Why is smoffice.exe using multiple processes?
SoftMaker Office uses modular processes to isolate Writer, PlanMaker, and Presentations tasks. This improves stability and crash containment; one module crashing won't derail others.
Can I delete smoffice.exe?
You can uninstall SoftMaker Office from Windows Settings → Apps, but deleting the executable file while the suite is installed is not recommended and may break the software.
Can I disable smoffice.exe at startup?
Yes. Use Task Manager → Startup to disable SoftMaker Office from launching at boot. This won't remove the software, just prevents automatic startup.
How do I uninstall SoftMaker Office?
Open Windows Settings → Apps → Apps & Features, select SoftMaker Office, and choose Uninstall. You can also use the Control Panel uninstall option for older Windows versions.
Why is SoftMaker Office slow to start?
Slow startup can be caused by large templates, many add-ins, background indexing, or insufficient system resources. Update to the latest version, disable unused add-ins, and ensure adequate RAM.