What Is ShareX? Is It Safe to Disable at Startup?
ShareX is a free open-source screenshot and screen recording tool for Windows. It is usually safe and optional at startup unless you rely on hotkeys.
- Verdict
- Optional at startupShareX is generally safe, but it does not need to start with Windows unless you want instant capture hotkeys, tray access or background uploads.
- File name
- sharex.exe
- Publisher
- ShareX Team
- Platforms
- Windows
- Reviewed
What Is ShareX?
ShareX is a free, open-source screen capture and productivity tool for Windows. It can take screenshots, record parts of the screen, capture scrolling windows, upload files, shorten links and automate post-capture actions.
Many people keep it installed for global hotkeys and quick access from the system tray. If ShareX is not running, those hotkeys and tray features usually will not work until you open the app manually.
Is It Safe?
Usually yes. ShareX from the ShareX Team is a legitimate and widely used utility, not a Windows component.
That said, safety depends on where you got it from and what it is doing. ShareX can upload screenshots and files to services you configure, so review its destinations if you use automatic upload actions. If you did not install it, or it is behaving oddly, check the file location and signature.
On a normal install, sharex.exe should be in the ShareX program folder under Program Files or your user profile's app install location. In Task Manager, right-click ShareX > Open file location. Then open Properties > Digital Signatures and confirm the signer matches ShareX Team. If the file is in a strange folder, or there is no valid signature, investigate further.
Should I Disable It at Startup?
Usually yes, if you do not use it every day. ShareX is optional at startup.
Leave it enabled if you want:
- screenshot hotkeys to work immediately after sign-in
- automatic background captures or upload workflows
- quick tray access without opening the app first
Disable it at startup if you only launch it occasionally. The app should still work normally when you open it manually.
Why Is It Using High CPU or Memory?
ShareX may use more CPU or memory while it is:
- recording the screen or encoding a capture
- creating GIFs or processing large images
- running OCR, image effects or post-capture tasks
- uploading large files or many screenshots
- scanning for hotkeys or waiting in the tray with multiple tools enabled
Short spikes during capture or recording are normal. Constant high usage when idle is less normal. If that happens, stop any active recording, check its task settings, and see whether a stuck upload or image processing task is running. Restarting ShareX often clears temporary hangs.
How to Disable or Remove It
If ShareX starts with Windows, you can usually disable it from either Windows or the app itself.
- Task Manager: Press
Ctrl+Shift+Esc> Startup apps > select ShareX > Disable. - ShareX settings: Open ShareX and look for its startup or Windows integration option if you want to turn off auto-start from inside the app.
- Uninstall: Go to Settings > Apps > installed apps, select ShareX, then uninstall it.
If you are unsure whether an entry really belongs to ShareX, check that it points to sharex.exe and that the publisher is ShareX Team.
Where Kudu Helps
Kudu can show whether ShareX is set to launch at sign-in and let you disable or remove the startup entry without uninstalling the app. On Windows, Startup Manager checks common startup locations and can show startup impact where Windows provides it.
If ShareX seems busy in the background, Kudu's Performance Monitor can confirm whether sharex.exe is actually using CPU or memory, and link the running process back to its startup item. If the entry looks suspicious, Kudu's Malware Scanner can help check for persistence or other red flags.
Frequently asked questions
- Will ShareX still work if I disable it at startup?
- Yes. You can still open ShareX manually whenever you need it. Only always-on features like global hotkeys and tray access may be unavailable until it is running.
- Is ShareX a virus or spyware?
- The real ShareX app is not malware. But because it can capture the screen and upload files, you should verify the file location and digital signature if you did not install it yourself.
- Why does ShareX run in the background?
- It often stays in the system tray so screenshot hotkeys and quick actions are ready. That background presence is normal if you enabled startup or tray behavior.
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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