whereby.exe

What is whereby.exe?

Whereby.exe is the executable for the Whereby desktop video conferencing client. Built on Electron, it runs as a separate process to manage the user interface, audio/video capture, signaling, and network communication, enabling smooth calls and screen sharing beyond the browser.

Whereby uses a multi-process Electron architecture: the main process coordinates windows, a renderer process handles UI rendering, and dedicated processes manage media streams and network signaling.

Types of Whereby Processes

• Main Process: Controls the Whereby window and core logic
• Renderer Process: Renders the UI and in-app content
• GPU Process: Handles hardware-accelerated rendering
• Extension/Plugin Process: Contains optional components or plugins
• Utility Process: Background tasks like updates and networking
• Crash Handler: Monitors and reports crashes

Is whereby.exe Safe?

Yes, whereby.exe is safe when sourced from the official Whereby installer or the official website and signed by Whereby Ltd.

Is whereby.exe a Virus or Malware?

The legitimate whereby.exe is not a virus. Malware may masquerade with similar names. Verify the file location and signature.

How to Tell if whereby.exe is Legitimate or Malware

1. File Location:: Must be in C:\Program Files\Whereby\Whereby.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\Whereby\Whereby.exe. Any whereby.exe elsewhere is suspicious.
2. Digital Signature:: Right-click the file in Explorer → Properties → Digital Signatures. Should show "Whereby Ltd".
3. Resource Usage:: Normal usage is 2-15% CPU per process, 120-350 MB total memory. Extremely high usage when not in a meeting is suspicious.
4. Behavior:: Whereby should only run when the app is started by you. Unexpected background activity or startup without action warrants a scan.

Why Is whereby.exe Running on My PC?

The Whereby desktop client runs when you start a meeting, join a video conference, or when the app is configured to launch at Windows startup. It may also run in the background to maintain presence and notifications.

Reasons it's running:

• Active Conference Use: You are in a meeting or have a meeting scheduled; the app initializes media streams and signaling in real time.
• Background Notifications: The client maintains presence, chat alerts, and meeting invites even when the window isn’t in the foreground.
• Startup Launch: Whereby is set to start when Windows boots, so the process runs automatically.
• Background Signaling: Background signaling for room join/leave, ringing, and screen sharing checks can keep a small subset of processes active.
• Automatic Updates: Updater or background services check for new versions to keep the app secure and up to date.

Can I Disable or Remove whereby.exe?

Yes, you can disable whereby.exe. It’s safe to close the app when not in use, and you can uninstall it completely if you prefer a different conferencing solution.

How to Stop whereby.exe

• End Active Meetings: In the Whereby app, leave or end the meeting, then close the window.
• Close Application: Click the X button or use Alt+F4 to close the desktop client.
• End All Processes: Open Windows Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), find whereby.exe, right-click → End Task.
• Prevent Startup: Task Manager → Startup tab → Disable Whereby Desktop Client.
• Stop Background Apps: Within Whereby Settings → Advanced → System, disable 'Continue running background apps when Whereby is closed'.

How to Uninstall Whereby Desktop Client

• ✔ Windows Settings → Apps → Apps & Features → Whereby Desktop Client → Uninstall
• ✔ Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program → Whereby Desktop Client → Uninstall
• ✔ Optionally remove leftover data: delete the Whereby folder in C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Roaming\Whereby and clear related registry entries if you know what you’re doing

Common Problems: High CPU or Memory Usage

If whereby.exe is consuming excessive resources:

Common Causes & Solutions

• Too Many Meetings or Video Streams: Each active call or screen share consumes CPU and memory. Reduce concurrent streams or disable HD video in settings.
• Resource-Heavy Extensions or Features: Disable unnecessary features within the app or check for updates; remove unused add-ons.
• Poor Network Quality: Unstable network increases CPU due to retries. Switch to wired Ethernet or improve Wi‑Fi stability.
• Outdated Version: Update Whereby to the latest version via Settings → Help → Check for updates.
• Hardware Acceleration: Disable hardware acceleration: Settings → Performance → Use hardware acceleration when available (turn off).
• Malicious Extensions: Review and remove suspicious extensions that might interact with the app; use chrome://extensions in the underlying browser runtime.

Related Processes