Quick Answer
wps.exe is safe. It's the WPS Office executable powering Writer, Spreadsheets, and Presenter; it runs multiple processes for documents and features to improve stability and responsiveness.
What is wps.exe?
wps.exe is the core executable for the WPS Office suite (Writer, Spreadsheets, and Presentation). It coordinates the application’s user interface, document rendering, spell check, autosave, and cloud sync, while spawning separate child processes for each open document and feature to improve stability and responsiveness.
wps.exe uses a multi-process design where each document or feature runs in its own process to isolate crashes and preserve data. It handles rendering, printing, and UI coordination, communicating with components via inter-process communication.
Quick Fact: WPS Office adopted a modular, multi-process approach to keep documents isolated and the UI responsive during heavy edits or cloud sync.
Types of WPS Office Processes
- Main UI Process: Front-end window, menus, and toolbars for Writer/Spreadsheets/Presenter
- Document Renderer Process: Each open document uses a renderer for editing and display
- Cloud Sync Process: Background synchronization with WPS Cloud services
- Plugin/Add-in Process: Add-ins and optional components run in separate processes
- Print/Print Subsystem Process: Handles printing tasks and print previews
- Background Service: Update checks, background indexing, and non-UI tasks
Is wps.exe Safe?
Yes, wps.exe is safe when it's the legitimate file from Kingsoft downloaded from official sources.
Is wps.exe a Virus or Malware?
The real wps.exe is NOT a virus. However, malware sometimes disguises itself with similar names to trick users.
How to Tell if wps.exe is Legitimate or Malware
- File Location: Must be in
C:\Program Files\Kingsoft\WPS Office\wps.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\Kingsoft\WPS Office\wps.exe. Any wps.exe elsewhere is suspicious.
- Digital Signature: Right-click the file in Explorer → Properties → Digital Signatures. Should show "Kingsoft Office Software Co., Ltd.".
- Resource Usage: Normal usage is 3-20% CPU per process and 100-600 MB total memory. Extremely high usage when WPS is closed is suspicious.
- Behavior: WPS Office should only run when you open the suite. Multiple instances when WPS is closed indicates malware.
Red Flags: If wps.exe is located in unusual folders (like Temp, AppData\Roaming, or System32), runs when WPS isn't open, has no digital signature, or uses excessive resources constantly, run a full antivirus scan. Beware of similarly-named files like 'wps.exe' from untrusted sources.
Why Is wps.exe Running on My PC?
wps.exe runs when you open WPS Office or when WPS is set to run in the background for quick access to recently used documents and cloud sync.
Reasons it's running:
- Active Document Editing: You're actively editing a WPS document; each window or tab can spawn a separate process for stability.
- Background Cloud Sync: WPS Cloud services may run in the background to sync documents, settings, and templates.
- Startup Launch: WPS Office is configured to start with Windows or user login for quick access.
- Background Update Checks: WPS may run background update and component checks to ensure you have the latest features.
- Background Plugins/Components: Add-ins and embedded components may run to provide real-time spell check, fonts, or templates.
Can I Disable or Remove wps.exe?
Yes, you can disable wps.exe. It’s safe to close WPS Office when not in use, and you can uninstall it completely if you prefer a different office suite.
How to Stop wps.exe
- End Individual Documents: Close open WPS documents and use the Task Manager to end any remaining wpswriter.exe/wps.exe processes if needed.
- Close WPS Office: Exit all WPS Office windows via File → Exit or by closing the last window.
- End All Processes: Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), find wps.exe (and related components), right-click → End Task
- Prevent Startup: Task Manager → Startup tab → Disable Kingsoft WPS Office
- Stop Background Tasks: In WPS Office settings, disable options like 'Run in background' if available
How to Uninstall WPS Office
- ✔ Windows Settings → Apps → Apps & Features → Kingsoft WPS Office → Uninstall
- ✔ Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program → Kingsoft WPS Office → Uninstall
- ✔ Consider alternatives: Microsoft 365, LibreOffice, Google Docs
Common Problems: High CPU or Memory Usage
If wps.exe is consuming excessive resources:
Common Causes & Solutions
- Too many documents open: Close unused documents or use the built-in task manager to suspend background editors
- Resource-heavy features or plugins: Disable unnecessary plugins/add-ins in WPS Office settings
- Background cloud sync: Pause or limit cloud sync in WPS settings; sign out if needed
- Outdated version: Update WPS Office to the latest version from official site
- Malicious extension or corrupted profile: Reset profile or reinstall WPS Office; scan for malware
- Hardware acceleration issues: Toggle hardware acceleration in WPS settings or update graphics drivers
Quick Fixes:
1. Review and close unused documents in WPS Office
2. Disable unnecessary add-ins in WPS Office
3. Update WPS Office to the latest version
4. Check cloud sync settings and pause if needed
5. Run a malware scan and consider repairing or reinstalling WPS Office
Frequently Asked Questions
Is wps.exe a virus?
No, the legitimate wps.exe from Kingsoft is not a virus. Verify the file is located in C:\Program Files\Kingsoft\WPS Office\ and has a valid digital signature from Kingsoft Office Software Co., Ltd.
Why is wps.exe using so much CPU?
High CPU can occur when editing large documents, using complex templates, or due to malfunctioning add-ins. Use Task Manager to identify the culprit and update or disable the offending component.
Can I delete wps.exe?
You should not delete wps.exe directly. If you no longer need WPS Office, uninstall the entire suite via Windows Settings → Apps or Control Panel.
Can I disable wps.exe?
Yes. You can prevent WPS Office from running at startup and reduce background activity by adjusting settings and closing the app when not in use.
Why is wps.exe running at startup?
WPS Office can be configured to start with Windows for quick access. To disable, use Task Manager → Startup tab, and disable Kingsoft WPS Office.
Why are there multiple wps.exe processes?
WPS Office uses a multi-process architecture to isolate documents and features, improving stability. You can see which process handles which task in the WPS Task Manager or your system's Task Manager.