Frequently Asked Questions

Process Hacker is an open-source system monitoring and process management tool for Windows. It provides advanced capabilities beyond Windows Task Manager, including detailed process inspection, system resource monitoring, network connection tracking, and service management. It's designed for developers, system administrators, and power users who need deeper insights into their system's operation.

Yes, Process Hacker is completely free and open-source. It's released under the GNU General Public License (GPL), which means you can use, modify, and distribute it freely. There are no hidden costs, subscriptions, or premium versions.

Process Hacker supports Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11. It requires a 32-bit or 64-bit Windows installation. Some features may require Windows 10 or later for optimal functionality.

Process Hacker offers significantly more features than Windows Task Manager, including:

• Detailed process inspection (threads, handles, modules, memory)
• Network connection monitoring per process
• Advanced filtering and search capabilities
• Service management with dependency viewing
• Handle inspection and management
• Plugin support for extensibility
• Export capabilities for analysis
• Open-source code for transparency

Yes, Process Hacker is completely safe to use. It's legitimate open-source software with publicly available source code that can be audited by anyone. Process Hacker contains no malware, spyware, or malicious code. The software is used by thousands of developers, system administrators, and security professionals worldwide.

This is a false positive. Antivirus software uses heuristic detection that flags programs using advanced Windows APIs for system monitoring. Process Hacker legitimately uses these APIs, which are sometimes also used by malware, causing false alarms. Process Hacker is 100% legitimate software. You can verify this by:

• Checking the SHA-256 checksum matches the official release
• Verifying the digital signature
• Reviewing the open-source code
• Adding Process Hacker to your antivirus exclusion list

See our antivirus guide for detailed instructions.

Yes, Process Hacker is fully open-source software released under the GNU General Public License (GPL). The complete source code is publicly available for inspection, modification, and distribution. This transparency ensures security and builds trust, as anyone can audit the code for malicious behavior.

You can verify the download in several ways:

1. SHA-256 Checksum: Calculate the SHA-256 hash of the downloaded file and compare it with the official checksum provided on the download page.
2. Digital Signature: Right-click the file, select Properties, and verify the digital signature in the Digital Signatures tab.
3. Download Source: Always download from official sources only. Never download from third-party sites or file-sharing services.
4. Source Code: Review the source code repository to ensure the binary matches the published source.

Process Hacker can run without administrator rights, but many features require elevated privileges to function properly. For full functionality, including:

• Terminating protected processes
• Viewing detailed process information
• Managing services
• Monitoring network connections
• Inspecting handles and threads

You should run Process Hacker as Administrator. Right-click the executable and select "Run as Administrator".

Yes, a portable version is available. The portable version doesn't require installation and can be run directly from a USB drive or folder. It's useful for system administrators who need to use Process Hacker on multiple systems without installing it. Download links for the portable version are available on the download page.

While Process Hacker can terminate system processes, you should exercise extreme caution. Terminating critical Windows system processes can cause system instability, data loss, or require a system restart. Always:

• Research what a process does before terminating it
• Avoid terminating processes you don't recognize
• Save your work before terminating processes
• Be aware that some processes are protected and cannot be terminated

Process Hacker is a powerful tool - use it responsibly.

To update Process Hacker:

1. Download the latest version from the download page
2. Close Process Hacker if it's running
3. Run the new installer (it will detect and update the existing installation)
4. Alternatively, uninstall the old version and install the new one

Always verify the SHA checksum and digital signature of new downloads before installing.

Yes, Process Hacker is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL), which allows commercial use. However, if you modify Process Hacker and distribute it, you must also release your modifications under the GPL. For specific licensing questions, review the GPL license terms or consult with a legal professional.

This depends on your jurisdiction and the specific circumstances. Generally:

• Your own computer: Legal to monitor processes on systems you own or have explicit permission to monitor
• Work computers: May be legal if you're an administrator with authorization, but check company policies
• Others' computers without permission: Likely illegal and may violate privacy laws

Always ensure you have proper authorization before monitoring systems you don't own. See our Trust & Security page for more information.

Process Hacker is provided "as-is" without any warranty, express or implied. This is standard for open-source software. The developers are not liable for any damage or loss resulting from the use or inability to use Process Hacker. Users assume all responsibility for their actions when using the software.

No, Process Hacker does not collect, transmit, or store any data. It operates entirely locally on your system. All monitoring and analysis happens on your computer, and no information is sent to external servers. You can verify this by reviewing the open-source code.

Yes, Process Hacker's source code is publicly available, and you can build it yourself. You'll need Visual Studio and the necessary build tools. Build instructions are available in the source code repository. Building from source allows you to verify the code and customize it for your needs.

Process Hacker works with Windows Defender, but Windows Defender may initially flag it as potentially unwanted. This is a false positive. You'll need to add Process Hacker to Windows Defender's exclusion list. Once added, Process Hacker will function normally alongside Windows Defender. See our antivirus guide for instructions.