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What’s Windows Live Essentials 2012.exe (Windows Essentials-Installationsprogramm)? Is it safe or a virus?

Windows Live Essentials 2012.exe is the installer for the Windows Essentials 2012 suite developed by Microsoft. This suite includes a collection of free programs such as Windows Movie Maker, Windows Photo Gallery, Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Writer, OneDrive, and Family Safety, designed to enhance productivity and media management for Windows users. The installer allows you to select and install any combination of these applications. It streamlines tasks like photo editing, email management, video creation, and parental controls. Although officially discontinued in 2017, many users continued using Windows Essentials due to its simplicity and functionality for everyday computing needs.

Below are 4 simple steps you can take to see if the Windows Live Essentials 2012.exe process is safe or malware.

  1. Scan the executable with Microsoft's built-in tech
  2. Find Windows Live Essentials 2012.exe's publisher
  3. Search the executable's hash with VirusTotal
  4. Monitor the executable's behavior

Researched by Carl @ SpyShelter Labs

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More about Windows Live Essentials 2012.exe on WINDOWS

Who makes Windows Live Essentials 2012.exe (Windows Essentials-Installationsprogramm)?

We’ve found Microsoft Corporation should be the publisher of Windows Live Essentials 2012.exe.

How do we know? Our SpyShelter cybersecurity labs focuses on monitoring different types of Windows PC executables and their behaviors for our popular SpyShelter Antispyware software. Learn more about us, and how our cybersecurity team studies Windows PC executables/processes.

What does it mean if someone is the publisher of a PC .exe (executable or process)?

The publisher of an executable is the entity responsible for its distribution and authenticity. Most processes/executables on your PC should be signed. The signature on the executable should have been verified through a third party whose job it is to make sure the entity is who it says it is. Find an unsigned executable? You should consider scanning any completely unsigned .exe on your PC.

Last updated: October 25, 2025

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Why should you trust us?

Our team at SpyShelter has been studying Windows PC executables for over 15 years, to help fight against spyware, malware, and other threats. SpyShelter has been featured in publications like The Register, PC Magazine, and many others. Now we’re working to share free, actionable, and easy to understand information about Windows executables (processes) with the world, to help as many people as possible keep their devices safe. Learn more about us on our "About SpyShelter” page.

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