How To Permanently Disable DWM.Exe

Have you ever wondered what DWM is and how to disable it permanently? This article shows you how!

An Introduction To Desktop Windows Manage

Dwm.exe or Desktop Windows Manager was introduced in Windows Vista, and it is now a feature included with Windows 7 as well. This application displays transparent and glossy effects in the form of 3D modules and controls the views of Windows themes and icons, in addition to providing previews of active window thumbnails. Although this feature is a welcome one for many users, it does have the disadvantage of taking up a lot of memory, and this can significantly bog down computers that do not have enough RAM installed.

Desktop Windows Manage Virus or not?

Before we go into the steps of reducing the memory usage of DWM and its permanent disabling, it is worthwhile to determine whether or not your insufficient memory issues are actually caused by the use of DWM or if it is in fact caused by a virus. Keep in mind that both issues may produce similar results, so you should do a thorough scan of your computer first. You should be aware that certain viruses may mimic the file name of a utility program, such as dwm.exe.

If you have had DWM onboard for a long period without any issues, therefore, this may be a sign that your computer has been infected with a computer virus. If you have determined that your computer is clean, you can then proceed in reducing the DWM load on your memory or disable it permanently.

Reducing Desktop Windows Manage Memory Usage

The easiest way to reduce the memory load of dwm.exe is to switch to the Windows Classic theme. To do this, open the Task Manager and go to the dwm.exe program, which you can find on the “Processes” menu tablet. This will allow you to see how much memory and CPU space DWM is using. Here’s how to switch to the Windows Classic theme:

Windows 7. Right-click on an open area on your desktop and choose the “Personalize” option. Select the “Windows Classic” theme on the menu listing that shows up. Click on the “Apply” and then “Ok” buttons.

Windows Vista. Right-click an open area on your desktop, and select the “Personalize” and “Windows Color and Appearances” options. Select “Open Classic Appearance,” and choose “Windows Classic” under “Color Schemes.” Click on the “Apply” and then “Ok” buttons.

How To Permanently Disable DWM.Exe

If the above steps don’t result in an appreciable improvement, you may opt to disable DWM permanently. Here’s how:

Switch to the Windows Classic theme following the steps outlined above.
Select the “Services” application in the “Start” menu or in the “Control Panel.”
Click the “Window Manager Session Manager” option and select the “Stop” menu button. This temporarily disables dwm.exe.

To disable DWM permanently, double click on dwm.exe in the “Services” window. In the following screen, choose the “Disabled” option from the drop down menu. Click “Stop” and “Apply.”

We hope that this article (How To Permanently Disable DWM.exe) would be helpful for you.