What’s PresentationFontCache.exe (PresentationFontCache.exe)? Is it safe or a virus?

Here at SpyShelter's cybersecurity labs in Austin, Texas, it's my job to look at different executables and what they do. I'm often writing documents and reports about new Windows executables our team finds. Therefore, I am always using different Windows fonts. For that reason, like most Windows users, I'm very familiar with PresentationFontCache.exe running on my own PC. It's a safe process to see in the Task Manager, as long as it's signed by Microsoft.

This common process is responsible for caching fonts used in WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) applications. This caching helps to improve the performance of WPF applications by reducing the time required for font rendering.

The process runs in the background and automatically updates the font cache as new fonts are installed or removed. By keeping a cache of commonly used fonts, PresentationFontCache.exe ensures that WPF applications can quickly access and display their required fonts. This process is a major component of the WPF framework and helps optimize the performance of font rendering in Windows applications.

If you're seeing PresentationFontCache.exe and you're sure it's signed by Microsoft, then it's definitely a safe process that's running on your PC. If you're unsure, try checking it with our free SpyShelter Antispyware app.

Researched by Jon @ SpyShelter Labs