Some .exe files, as you know, can be malicious, so let’s take a closer look at AppVShNotify and see whether you it should be disabled.
Although Microsoft has various programs and files which are real components, not all of them are useful and some can interfere with the way your computer runs.
AppVShNotify uses an .exe extension, meaning it is an executable file.
Some .exe files, as you know, can be malicious, so let’s take a closer look at AppVShNotify and see whether you it should be disabled.
What exactly is AppVShNotify.exe?
AppVShNotify was designed by Microsoft and it is a background service which is used by Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) Client when integrating a virtualized app.
The data for this app will be in a virtual application server.
This file should be around 339 MB in size and located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office.
Also read: What is spoolsv.exe?
Is AppVShNotify safe?
It is possible for files which look legitimate to actually be malware in disguise.
If you are seeing AppVShNotify in a file other than the one listed above, it might be a threat.
In this scenario you might see an error message such as one of these:
- AppVShNotify could not be installed
- Application Error
- Failed to initialize properly
- Bad Image
One of these error messages means the process can’t start and is therefore terminating. In order to fix this error, you will need to know where the file is located.
If it is not located in your PC’s program files, it is best to remove it because it is likely malware.
Should I Disable AppVShNotify.exe in Task Manager?
This file doesn’t need to be disabled since it isn’t causing any harm to your PC, although of course you can disable it if you wish to.
The important thing is to check whether the file is safe or whether it is malware pretending to be a legitimate executable system file.
You need to see whether it has a legitimate digital signature, which is something that verifies that an app is from a verified developer or publisher and not malware.
Check Whether AppVShNotify is Safe
Right click on Properties then click on Digital Signatures to view the information about the file.
If there is no valid program name and/or the software publisher is unknown, this might be a red flag.
Most legitimate software will display all of following information:
Also read: What is QtWebEngineProcess.exe?
Fix #1: Uninstall AppVShNotify with Application Manager
You need to log in as an administrator before starting with this fix. Also bear in mind if you are using the virtualization service, you won’t be able to use it after uninstalling AppVShNotify.
If you want to go ahead, follow these steps:
- Press the Windows key and R to open the Run dialog
- Type this and then press Enter: appwiz.cpl
- When you see Microsoft Application Virtualization, right click and choose Uninstall
- Restart the PC and see whether the app has been deleted
Check there are no remnants of AppVShNotify on your computer.
You can do this by:
- Pressing the Windows key and R to open the Run dialog
- Type this then press Enter: regedit
- Look in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE for any Microsoft Application Virtualization or Appshnotify entries
- Delete any you find
Fix #2: Run a Scan for Malware
Although there are lots of antivirus programs you can use, they all work slightly differently.
Here we are going to use Microsoft Security Scanner which will scan your PC and then look for and fix any issues.
This tool has the latest updates but only runs when it is triggered, so it isn’t a substitute for your regular antivirus app.
You can download the program from here, choosing from 32-bit or 64-bit. The file is about 120 MB, so once you have downloaded it just simply need to click on it to run and complete the scan. You will be notified if any threats are found.