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Control your PC apps and their behaviors.What’s that .exe?
Is that executable safe, or a threat?SpyShelter PC Protection
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Learn how to prevent unauthorized Screenshots.Executable Directory
Our ultimate directory of Windows PC executables.The Microsoft Learn official website says that WindowsCopilotRuntimeActions.exe is a legitimate system process developed by Microsoft itself. It is part of the Windows Copilot Runtime, a framework introduced in Windows 11 to support AI-powered features and applications.
This process is responsible for managing and executing "actions," which are discrete units of functionality that can be invoked by the Windows Copilot Runtime. These actions enable various AI-driven capabilities, such as text summaries, image recognition, and other tasks that enhance user productivity and system functionality.
The Windows Copilot Runtime includes a suite of APIs and on-device AI models, like Phi Silica, designed to run efficiently on hardware equipped with Neural Processing Units (NPUs). These components allow for real-time AI processing directly on the device, reducing the need for cloud-based computations and enhancing privacy and responsiveness.
If you find WindowsCopilotRuntimeActions.exe running on your system, it's likely due to the presence of Windows Copilot features that leverage AI to assist with tasks and improve user experience. This process is an integral part of the system's AI infrastructure and is not indicative of any security issue.
However, if you prefer not to use Windows Copilot features, you can disable them through the system settings. Navigate to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, and toggle off the Copilot option.
Below are 4 simple steps you can take to see if the WindowsCopilotRuntimeActions.exe process is safe or malware.
Researched by Laura @ SpyShelter Labs
A Trojan is a harmful software that pretends to be a legitimate program or file to deceive users into downloading it. It can steal personal information, damage files, or give hackers control over the infected device.
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Recently Viewed Executables We’ve found Microsoft Windows should be the publisher of WindowsCopilotRuntimeActions.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.
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.
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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