What Is SearchApp.exe On Windows 10 PC? How To Disable It?

If you have noticed your Windows PC has become quite slow recently and have taken a peek in your Windows task manager you may have noticed this SearchApp.exe in there and taking up a considerable amount of CPU % which is causing your system to run slower than it should be.

In this article, we will be explaining what SearchApp.exe exactly is and how to disable it.

What Is SearchApp.exe?

SearchApp.exe is a windows 10 and 11 executable file that is associated with the built-in Windows search function and allows for faster folder and file indexing on your Windows operating system.

This SearchApp.exe can be a useful exe to have running as this will speed up all the searches you make using Windows to find any program or file easily without taking time to search for it without the SearchApp.exe running.

In previous versions of Windows and even on Windows 10 when Cortana was still a thing this specific exe used to be called SearchUI.exe.

After the Windows update 19H1, it was reworked by Mircosoft and then merged into the Windows search function which helps the newer version of Windows have much faster indexing and searchable throughout the operating system.

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What Does SearchApp.exe Do?

SearchApp.exe runs the whole search section in your bottom taskbar on your Windows Desktop to make sure your searches are run quickly and efficiently without needing to wait a long time for search results.

When the exe is running it generally is not known as a CPU hog so should use small CPU resources, there have been some reports in the past about how the SearchApp.exe is causing high CPU usage on some devices which will cause your Windows PC or laptop to operate slower which is never too good.

Is SearchApp.exe Harmful?

SearchApp.exe is not harmful as it’s a part of the built-in Windows search function on later Windows 10 operating systems.

So with the above being said there is nothing to worry about when you see SearchApp.exe in your task manager it’s perfectly normal and will not harm your Windows PC.

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Can SearchApp.exe Be A Virus?

Yes, sometimes a virus or malware can be disguised as the SearchApp.exe process in your task manager.

You may suspect it’s a virus if it starts to consume all your CPU percent and also your computer’s memory (RAM).

If you have suspicions of the SearchApp.exe being a virus or malware there is an easy check you can do to see if it is by matching its digital signature with the official Microsoft digital signature.

To verify SearchApp.exe digital signature you will need to follow the below steps.

1. Open File Explorer
2. Navigate to this folder location on your Windows PC C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy 
3. Scroll down to SearchApp.exe or SearchApp and right-click on it.
4. Now select properties and choose the Digital Signature tab at the top of the window.
5. Now select the certificate and click on the details button.
6. Click on the View certificate button.
7. You will want to check under the issued to: and issued by: to make sure it says Microsoft Windows.

Now if you do see Microsoft Windows as the issuer here that’s fine your SearchApp.exe is not a virus but if you do not see it say Microsoft Windows it’s a high chance that its a virus or malware so the next section will teach you how you can disable SearchApp.exe.

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How To Disable SearchApp.exe Using Task Manager

If you are getting trouble with the SearchApp.exe or you think it may be malicious such as a Virus or Malware it’s best to temporarily disable SearchApp.exe.

This below method will work on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 operating systems.

1. Open task manager inside your Windows 10 or 11.
2. Find the executable file SearchApp.exe you can go to the process tab and run this search searchapp.exe/Search.
3. Now on the tab which says Search simply right-click on it and choose End Task.

Doing the above will disable the SearchApp.exe so you can further troubleshoot or run any antivirus programs you need.

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How To Disable SearchApp.exe Using Windows Command Prompt (CMD)

For a faster way to disable SearchApp.exe, you can open windows cmd prompt and disable it this way if you have experience using windows command prompt or windows Powershell.

1. Search for CMD from your Windows search bar.
2. Right-click on the Command prompt icon and choose to run as administrator.
3. Once CMD is open run this command inside of the command prompt cd %windir%\SystemApps then press enter.
4. Now run this command below to kill the SearchApp.exe process taskkill /f /im SearchApp.exe.
5. Now you need to run one last command to remove this search function from your Windows PC so run this move Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy Microsoft.Windows.Search_cw5n1h2txyewy.old
6. Now close the command prompt window.

That’s it you will now of disabled and remove the SearchApp.exe from your Windows PC which will solve any malfunctions with this executable file.

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Run A Virus Scan To Remove SearchApp.exe

If you followed the early method before on how to detect if SearchApp.exe is a virus and it does not match Microsoft’s digital signature then you will want to remove this possible virus.

The best way to remove all viruses and malware is to use either free or paid Windows antivirus software such as Norton Antivirus or AVG Antivirus.

You will need to boot your laptop or PC in safe mode and then proceed to run a full antivirus scan of your system.

The reason why Safe Mode is the best to run a full scan is that with safe mode it only loads up drivers it needs that come from Microsoft.

So this means that being in safe mode your antivirus can scan and pick up any virus or malware you have and remove it so this is a perfect solution to remove any SearchApp.exe viruses.

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Final Thoughts

We have covered what SearchApp.exe is and how you can disable SearchApp.exe as well as many other related topics on SearchApp.exe.