What is DismHost.exe & How to Get Rid of It

There is contradictory information regarding the authenticity of Windows’s DismHost.exe, and many are worried that it might be malware. In today’s guide, we’ll examine this file closely and see what it does.

What is the Dismhost EXE file?

The DismHost.exe file belongs to Microsoft Corporation’s Microsoft Deployment Image Servicing and Management software component. It can be found in the following locations:

How do I get rid of DismHost.exe?

1. Verify the DismHost.exe authenticity

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
2. Click on any DISM process and select Properties.
   
3. Navigate to the Digital Signatures tab and verify that the Name of the Signer is Microsoft Windows. It is a virus if it has a different signer, and you must remove it.
   

2. Uninstall DismHost.exe

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type control and hit Enter.
   
3. Click on Uninstall a program.
   
4. If there is a DismHost application, click on it and select Uninstall.
   

In most cases, if the app shows up in the Control Panel, it may be malware and should be removed, which means you will have to run a malware scan after uninstalling it.

3. Remove from Task Manager

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
2. Click on any DISM process and select End task. You must do this for all the running DISM processes.
   
3. Right-click on a DISM process and select Open file location.
   
4. Alternatively, to get the location of DismHost.exe, go to the path below:
   C:\Windows\System32\Dism
5. Right-click on DismHost and click the Delete icon.
   

4. Disabling the service from the Command Prompt

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open an elevated Command Prompt.
   
3. Type the script below in the Command Prompt and hit Enter to disable the running DismHost.exe service.
   sc config DismHost start= disabled
   
4. Navigate to the path where the DismHost is located and delete the file (This may be bundled in the same directory as a specific program if the process is malware).

What does DISM host do?

This service can fix corrupted system files and update your drivers. It is also used for enabling or disabling Windows features.

Is DismHost a virus?

By default, DismHost is a legitimate Windows system process and not a virus. Some of our readers have found this file in the Temp folder, but this only means that Windows Defender could not complete a scheduled scan.

Lastly, it is crucial to understand that deleting the genuine DismHost.exe process may lead to issues such as DISM failed error message.

You may want to look at this article if you encounter a DISM error 87 on your devices. To learn more about DISM, our guide on DISM commands should be able to answer all your questions.

That is all we will cover in this guide. Let us know if you have any questions using the comments section below.