Quick Answer
whereby.exe is safe. It's Whereby's official desktop client that uses multiple processes for UI, media streams, and signaling to support video meetings.
What is whereby.exe?
whereby.exe is the Windows executable for the Whereby desktop client, a standalone video conferencing application. It launches when you start Whereby and may spawn multiple processes for the user interface, camera/video streams, and background synchronization to keep meetings active and notifications delivered.
The Whereby desktop client is built on Electron, combining Chromium and Node.js. It uses a multi-process model (UI, renderer, and media) to separate concerns, with background services handling signaling, updates, and room notifications.
Quick Fact: Whereby’s desktop app uses Electron’s multi-process architecture to keep video, UI, and signaling responsive during meetings.
Types of Whereby Processes
- Browser Process: Main Whereby window and user interface (1 instance)
- Renderer Process: Each meeting window and embedded content (multiple instances)
- GPU Process: Hardware acceleration and graphics rendering
- Extension Process: Each Whereby extension or plugin gets its own process
- Plugin Process: For media capture plugins or codecs
- Utility Process: Background tasks and network services
Is whereby.exe Safe?
Yes, whereby.exe is safe when it is the legitimate file from Whereby downloaded from official sources (whereby.com or installed via official app store).
Is whereby.exe a Virus or Malware?
The real whereby.exe is NOT a virus. However, malware may imitate names; always verify the file location and signature.
How to Tell if whereby.exe is Legitimate or Malware
- File Location: Must be in
C:\Program Files\Whereby\Whereby.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\Whereby\Whereby.exe. Any other location is suspicious.
- Digital Signature: Right-click the file in Explorer → Properties → Digital Signatures. Should show an issuer like "Whereby AB" or equivalent.
- Resource Usage: Normal usage is 2-15% CPU and 100-400 MB memory while idle. Persistently higher usage or unknown parents is a red flag.
- Behavior: The app should run when you start Whereby or join meetings. If it runs constantly without you launching it, scan for malware.
Red Flags: If whereby.exe is located in unusual folders (Temp, AppData, System32), runs when Whereby isn't open, has no valid digital signature, or uses excessive resources constantly, run a system antivirus scan. Beware of similarly-named files like "whereby.exe" in untrusted folders.
Why Is whereby.exe Running on My PC?
The Whereby desktop client runs when you start the application or when a meeting is active. It may also run background services to keep signaling and notifications functional.
Reasons it's running:
- Active Meeting Use: You're in a meeting or the app has recently joined a conference; multiple processes handle audio/video, screen sharing, and signaling.
- Background Apps: Background tasks for room presence, chat notifications, and lobby signaling may stay active to keep you connected.
- Startup Program: Whereby may be configured to launch on Windows startup for quick access to meetings.
- Background Sync: The client synchronizes meeting data, favorites, and settings with your Whereby account in the background.
- System Tray App: A system tray component may remain running to allow quick rejoin and status updates even when the main window is closed.
Can I Disable or Remove whereby.exe?
Yes, you can disable whereby.exe. You can close the app, disable startup, or uninstall it if you no longer need the Whereby desktop client.
How to Stop whereby.exe
- End Active Meetings: In the app, leave or end ongoing meetings to reduce active processes.
- Close the App: Quit Whereby from the system tray or main window.
- Prevent Startup: Task Manager → Startup tab → Disable Whereby
- Stop Background Tasks: In Whereby settings, disable background signaling or notifications if available.
- Update or Reinstall: If issues persist, update to the latest version or reinstall the app from the official source.
How to Uninstall Whereby
- ✔ Windows Settings → Apps → Apps & Features → Whereby → Uninstall
- ✔ Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program → Whereby → Uninstall
- ✔ Consider alternative meeting clients if you rely on conferencing software
Common Problems: High CPU or Memory Usage
If whereby.exe is consuming excessive resources:
Common Causes & Solutions
- Too Many Meetings/Windows Open: Each meeting window and media stream uses resources. Close unused windows or use tab management within the app.
- Background Extensions or Features: Disable unnecessary features or backgrounds in Whereby settings; review connected devices.
- Poor Network Conditions: Low bandwidth can cause retries and higher CPU to encode/decode video. Improve network or switch to a lower video quality.
- Outdated App: Update to the latest Whereby version to benefit from performance fixes.
- Hardware Acceleration Issues: Toggle hardware acceleration off/on in app settings or system GPU settings.
- Malicious Extensions: If installed extensions affect performance, disable or remove them from the app's extension list.
Quick Fixes:
1. Use Whereby Task Manager (if available) to identify high-usage meeting windows
2. Close unused meetings and disable nonessential features
3. Update Whereby to the latest version
4. Check network speed and switch to a stable connection
5. Disable hardware acceleration to test performance
Frequently Asked Questions
Is whereby.exe a virus?
No. The legitimate whereby.exe comes from Whereby AB and is installed from official sources. Verify the path is C:\Program Files\Whereby\Whereby.exe and that it has a valid signature.
Why is whereby.exe using so much CPU?
High CPU can be caused by active video streams, screen sharing, or background signaling. Use Whereby Task Manager to identify culprit windows or tabs, reduce video quality, or close unused meetings.
Can I delete or uninstall Whereby?
Yes. Uninstall through Windows Settings → Apps → Whereby → Uninstall. You can reinstall later from Whereby's official site if needed.
Can I disable whereby.exe from starting automatically?
Yes. Disable it in Task Manager → Startup tab, or adjust Whereby settings to stop launching on boot.
How do I update Whereby on Windows?
Open the app and check for updates in Settings → Help → Check for updates, or download the latest installer from the official Whereby site.
Where is whereby.exe installed on Windows?
Typically in C:\Program Files\Whereby\Whereby.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\Whereby\Whereby.exe, depending on system architecture and installation preferences.