What is Vssvc.exe & Should You Disable It

Restart the Vssvc if it is causing performance issues

5 min. read

Updated onMarch 4, 2024

updated onMarch 4, 2024

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Key notes

The Vssvc.exe program is a process that runs in the background on your computer and uses resources. It is an essential service in Windows as it helps restore data in case it becomes corrupted. However, you may experience some issues with the file or process.

WhereasVSS errorsmay be common, this is not enough to disable the service permanently. You have to find the problem’s root cause before disabling it. However, if you want to, we show you how in this article.

Vssvc.exe is essential for running the Windows operating system, so you can’t uninstall it without affecting your PC’s performance. However, you can disable it temporarily if you don’t need its functions.

How can I disable the Vssvc service?

1. Restart the Volume Shadow Copy service

If restarting the service does not improve your PC’s performance, then consider disabling the service. Follow the same steps above. Only this time, set the startup type to disabled.

2. Increase VSS space

If your main issue washigh CPU disk usage, increasing more storage space for VSS can help offload the undue pressure. This, in turn, will have a ripple effect by fixing any performance issues.

3. Scan for viruses

Perform this step if you suspect the vssvc.exe process is a virus or is consuming an abnormal amount of CPU.

As a practical note, we suggest you use a more reliable antivirus tool for scanning your PC and stopping any dangerous threats from infecting your Windows OS.

⇒Get ESET HOME Security Essential

Is Vssvc exe safe?

Vssvc.exe is associated with Microsoft’s Volume Shadow Copy service for its backup and restore features. As long as this file is located in its default location, there’s no reason to worry about it being dangerous:C:\Windows\System32 directory

However, if you see this file somewhere strange, it might be malicious software trying to steal your information or installing other malware on your system.

Note that vssvc.exe stands for Volume Shadow Copy Service. This Windows feature allows you to create point-in-time snapshots of your physical volumes. As such, you can revert to any previous snapshot.

Vssvc is used to coordinate with other services, such as System Restore, to create point-in-time copies of data stored on local and networked disks. It runs as a background process whenever Windows starts up. Some of its common roles include:

While there are no known problems with the Vssvc.exe file, it is important to note that any time you download a new program from the Internet or install software from an unknown source, your computer could risk becoming infected with malware and other viruses.

It is safe to have this process running on your computer unless it is causing problems, such asslowing down your systemor interfering with other programs.

And that’s a wrap from us, but be sure to check out our other articles related to the topic, such as theVSS error 0x80042302, for a quick fix. You can alsolearn about VSServer.exe and how to remove itin one of our other guides.

To learn more about similar processes, ourUnderstanding Vsmain.exe: Should you delete itguide is a great place to start.

Any other comments are welcome, so leave them down below.

What is Vssvc.exe & Should You Disable It#

How can I disable the Vssvc service?#

1. Restart the Volume Shadow Copy service#

2. Increase VSS space#

3. Scan for viruses#

Is Vssvc exe safe?#