What Is FACEIT Anti-Cheat? Is It Safe to Disable at Startup?
FACEIT Anti-Cheat is FACEIT's kernel-level anti-cheat for competitive games. Safe if installed by you, but not something most PCs need at startup.
- Verdict
- Optional at startupKeep it only if you regularly play FACEIT-protected games; otherwise it does not need to start with Windows.
- File name
- faceit.exe
- Publisher
- FACEIT Ltd
- Platforms
- Windows
- Reviewed
What Is FACEIT Anti-Cheat?
FACEIT Anti-Cheat is the anti-cheat software used by the FACEIT competitive gaming platform. It is meant to detect cheats, tampering and other tools that could affect fair play in supported online matches.
On Windows, anti-cheat tools like this may include a background service or driver so they can check the system before and during play. That is normal for this type of software. It is not a Windows component, and it is not required for your PC to boot or for most games to run.
Is It Safe?
Usually, yes — if you installed it yourself to play on FACEIT and it is published by FACEIT Ltd. It is legitimate software, but it runs with high privileges, so you should only keep it if you actually use the service.
If you do not recognize it, verify the file before trusting it. In Task Manager, right-click the process and open the file location. Then check the file's Digital Signatures tab in Properties and confirm the signer is FACEIT Ltd. If the file is in an unusual folder, has no valid signature, or appeared without you installing FACEIT, treat it as suspicious and investigate further.
Should I Disable It at Startup?
For most people, yes. FACEIT Anti-Cheat does not need to run all the time unless you regularly launch FACEIT-protected matches. Disabling its startup entry can reduce background activity when you are not gaming.
Do not disable it if you actively use FACEIT and expect anti-cheat checks to be ready when you launch a match. In that case, the software may prompt you to start it again, or matchmaking may not work until it is running.
Why Is It Using High CPU or Memory?
Higher usage is most common when it starts, updates, scans for conflicts, or when a protected game is launching. Short spikes can be normal.
If usage stays high for a long time, try these checks:
- Restart the PC and launch the game again.
- Make sure FACEIT Anti-Cheat is fully updated.
- Close overlays, macro tools, debuggers, RGB utilities, or other software that may conflict with anti-cheat.
- Check whether another security tool is scanning it heavily.
- If the process is still consuming a lot of CPU or memory while you are not using FACEIT, disable it at startup or uninstall it.
Avoid force-ending anti-cheat components while you are in a match. That can cause the game or platform to fail its checks.
How to Disable or Remove It
If FACEIT Anti-Cheat appears in startup, you can disable that entry and re-enable it later when needed. On Windows, you can also uninstall it from Settings > Apps if you no longer use FACEIT.
If there is no visible startup entry, it may be starting through a service or another launcher component. In that case, uninstalling it is the cleaner option if you are done with it. Do not delete program files by hand unless the normal uninstall fails.
Where Kudu Helps
Kudu can show whether FACEIT Anti-Cheat is linked to a startup item and let you disable that item safely. Use Performance Monitor to see its CPU and memory use, and jump from the process to the related startup entry when available.
If you no longer use FACEIT, Kudu can help you review leftover startup items after uninstalling it. If the file location or signature looks wrong, run Malware Scanner to check for suspicious persistence or impersonation.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need FACEIT Anti-Cheat if I am not playing FACEIT?
- No. It is only needed for FACEIT-protected matches and is not required by Windows.
- Is it normal for anti-cheat software to run with high privileges?
- Yes, many anti-cheat tools use elevated privileges, services or drivers to detect tampering. That is one reason to keep them installed only if you use them.
- Should I end faceit.exe in Task Manager?
- Only if you are not in a match and the software is stuck or using too many resources. Do not force-close it during a protected game session.
See every app that starts with your computer
Kudu’s Startup Manager lists Run keys, Startup folder entries, scheduled tasks, Launch Agents, and XDG autostart items in one place. On Windows it also shows each item’s boot time impact.
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