Welcome to ProcessLibrary.com, winner of PCMAG’s Top 100 Classic Websites in the Tech: Download and DIY categories.

ProcessLibrary is a free resource that provides information about processes and DLLs running or found on Windows PCs. It features an extensive and regularly updated database with over 195,000 entries and counting.

To find more information about a computer process, you can use the Search facility found on the Homepage and on the right-hand menu or use the Process Directory to browse through our extensive listings.

Since 2004, we have been commited to being a reliable source of knowledge and expertise that will contribute to a safer, more enjoyable computing experience. ProcessLibrary.com is used and recommended by IT professionals around the world, including the PC World, the Washington Post and the New York Times.

To learn more about Process Library click here.


Understanding how and why certain processes run on Windows systems is crucial for the maintenance and security of your computer. Windows operating systems have a variety of background processes essential for the system's proper functioning. These range from processes that manage user sessions to those responsible for security and network management, and those supporting various services and applications.


Some key processes are:

  • smss.exe: Initiates user sessions and system services.
  • csrss.exe: Important for creating and managing threads and processes.
  • wininit.exe and services.exe: Initiate and monitor system services.
  • lsass.exe: Manages local security policy and user logins.
  • svchost.exe: Hosts various Windows services.

These processes are essential for the stability and security of your system. Some, like lsass.exe and svchost.exe, are common targets for malware due to their importance in the system. Therefore, it is important to know the normal functions of these processes to quickly identify unusual or potentially harmful activities.


A deep understanding of these processes also helps optimize system performance. Certain processes can unnecessarily consume resources and thus impair performance, especially if they are outdated or faulty. By monitoring and managing these processes, you can ensure that your system runs efficiently and securely.


Continuous monitoring and analysis of these Windows processes are therefore an important part of system maintenance and should not be neglected.


PC Magazine

Process Library is the unique and indispensable process listing database since 2004 Now counting 140,000 processes and 55,000 DLLs.

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