CompatTelRunner.exe

What is CompatTelRunner.exe?

CompatTelRunner.exe file is created by Microsoft as a software component of the Windows operating systems. It is a part of the Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser software, also known as Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry, and is considered a Windows system file.

Is CompatTelRunner.exe a Legit File?

CompatTelRunner.exe is a legitimate Windows file developed and distributed by Microsoft Corporation.The genuine CompatTelRunner.exe file is installed and located in the C:\Windows\System32 disk folder. Its main function is to perform system diagnostics in the Windows platform usually after a fresh installation or the installation of upgrades or updates. It technically determines compatibility issues.

Described as a component of the Customer Experience Improvement Program for PCs, it also collects and relays program telemetry information to Microsoft servers, if a user chooses to perform that action. This is meant to help Microsoft ensure compatibility when installing updates or upgrades to the latest Windows OS versions.

Is CompatTelRunner.exe a Virus?

The CompatTelRunner.exe process is not a virus, a form of Trojan, or malware. It is a safe process and an essential Windows file, created and signed by Microsoft.

However, it has a .exe extension, which means it is an executable file. Sometimes, executable files may harm your PC. Malware creators can develop programs and name them CompatTelRunner.exe. By using the same executable file name, they can camouflage malware entities. If a malware entity disguises as such and successfully infiltrates your PC, it will be difficult to identify it from a genuine one.

Unless the genuine CompatTelRunner.exe has become infected by a virus or other malware entity, it is then that it may appear suspicious. Suspicions may arise because it may start using a large amount of CPU and disk processing resources at startup, which slows down the PC.

Should CompatTelRunner.exe Be Removed?

You need to scrutinize the CompatTelRunner.exe process, and carefully check its location and components to determine if it is a virus or malware.

Note: The CompatTelRunner.exe process is not an essential or required app for the Windows OS to run properly. You can always stop or delete it if you suspect that it is causing problems in the smooth running of Windows OS. However, we don’t recommend removing it if it is functioning normally because it will help Microsoft to diagnose your PC system and enable the compatible updates.

How to Remove CompatTelRunner.exe?

Here is a CompatTelRunner.exe removal guide. We’ve put together this guide to elaborate on how to stop (disable) the malicious CompatTelRunner.exe process at startup, delete it, and fix any associated problems, as well as keep your computer safe from infections and threats.

To delete CompatTelRunner.exe from your device, follow the steps below:

Step 1. Remove CompatTelRunner.exe from Windows

Step 2. Delete CompatTelRunner.exe from Mac OS X

Step 3. Get rid of CompatTelRunner.exe from Internet Explorer

Step 4. Uninstall CompatTelRunner.exe from Microsoft Edge

Step 5. Delete CompatTelRunner.exe from Mozilla Firefox

Step 6. Remove CompatTelRunner.exe from Google Chrome

Step 7. Get rid of CompatTelRunner.exe from Safari

How to Remove CompatTelRunner.exe from Windows

One of the common traits of CompatTelRunner.exe is that they like to pose as legitimate programs or can be bundled with legitimate programs in order to infect your computer. The first thing you need to do when faced with the risk of a CompatTelRunner.exe is to uninstall the program that came with it.

To remove potentially malicious and unwanted programs from Windows and get rid of the CompatTelRunner.exe permanently, follow these instructions:

1. Uninstall malicious programs.

Click on Start, then type in Control Panel in the search box. Click Control Panel from the search results, then click on the Uninstall a program link under Program. The Control Panel looks the same for Windows 7 computers, but for Windows XP users, click on Add/Remove Programs instead.

For Windows 10/11 users, you can also uninstall programs by navigating to Start > Settings > Apps > Apps & features.

2. Uninstall the CompatTelRunner.exe and other related programs.

In the list of programs on your computer, look for recently installed or suspicious programs that you suspect to be malware.

Uninstall them by clicking (or right-clicking if you’re in the Control Panel), then choose Uninstall. Click Uninstall once again to confirm the action. Wait for the uninstallation process to be completed.

3. Remove CompatTelRunner.exe from Windows shortcuts.

To do this, right-click on the shortcut of the program you uninstalled, then select Properties.

It should automatically open the Shortcut tab. Look at the Target field and delete the target URL that is related to the malware. This URL points to the installation folder of the malicious program you uninstalled.

4. Repeat all the steps listed above for all the program’s shortcuts.

Check all locations where these shortcuts might be saved, including the Desktop, Start Menu, and the Taskbar.

5. Empty the Recycle Bin.

Once you have deleted all the unwanted programs and files from Windows, clean up your Recycle Bin to completely get rid of the CompatTelRunner.exe. Right-click on the Recycle Bin on your Desktop, then choose Empty Recycle Bin. Click OK to confirm.

How to Delete CompatTelRunner.exe from macOS

macOS is more secure than Windows, but it is not impossible for malware to be present on Macs. Just like other operating systems, macOS is also vulnerable to malicious software. In fact, there have been several previous malware attacks targeting Mac users.

Deleting CompatTelRunner.exe from a Mac is a lot easier than other OS. Here’s the complete guide:

1. If you suspect a recently installed software to be malicious, uninstall it immediately from your Mac. On Finder, click the Go > Applications. You should see a list of all the apps currently installed on your Mac.
2. Find the app associated with CompatTelRunner.exe or other suspicious apps you want to delete. Right-click on the app, then choose Move to Trash.

To completely get rid of CompatTelRunner.exe, empty your Trash.

How to Get Rid of CompatTelRunner.exe from Internet Explorer

To ensure that the malware that hacked your browser is completely gone and that all unauthorized changes are reversed on Internet Explorer, follow the steps provided below:

1. Get rid of dangerous add-ons.

When malware hijacks your browser, one of the obvious signs is when you see add-ons or toolbars that suddenly appear on Internet Explorer without your knowledge. To uninstall these add-ons, launch Internet Explorer, click on the gear icon at the top-right corner of the browser to open the menu, then choose Manage Add-ons.

When you see the Manage Add-ons window, look for (name of malware) and other suspicious plugins/add-ons. You can disable these plugins/add-ons by clicking Disable.

2. Reverse any changes to your homepage caused by the malware.

If you suddenly have a different start page or your default search engine has been changed, you can change it back through the Internet Explorer's settings. To do this, click on the gear icon at the upper-right corner of the browser, then choose Internet Options.

Under the General tab, delete the homepage URL and enter your preferred homepage. Click Apply to save the new settings.

3. Reset Internet Explorer.

From the Internet Explorer menu (gear icon at the top), choose Internet Options. Click on the Advanced tab, then select Reset.

In the Reset window, tick off Delete personal settings and click the Reset button once again to confirm the action.

How to Uninstall CompatTelRunner.exe on Microsoft Edge

If you suspect your computer to have been infected by malware and you think that your Microsoft Edge browser has been affected, the best thing to do is to reset your browser.

There are two ways to reset your Microsoft Edge settings to completely remove all the traces of malware on your computer. Refer to the instructions below for more information.

Method 1: Resetting via Edge Settings

1. Open the Microsoft Edge app and click More or the three-dot menu located at the upper-right corner of the screen.
2. Click Settings to reveal more options.
3. In the Settings window, click Restore settings to their default values under Reset settings. Click the Reset button to confirm. This action will reset your browser’s startup page, the new tab page, default search engine, and pinned tabs. Your extensions will also be disabled and all temporary data like cookies will be deleted.
4. Afterwards, right-click on the Start menu or the Windows logo, then select Task Manager.
5. Click on the Processes tab and search for Microsoft Edge.
6. Right-click on the Microsoft Edge process and select Go to details. If you don't see the Go to details option, click More details instead.
7. Under the Details tab, look for all the entries with Microsoft Edge in their name. Right-click on each of these entries and choose End Task to quit those processes.
8. Once you have quit all those processes, open Microsoft Edge once again and you'll notice that all the previous settings have been reset.

Method 2: Resetting via Command

Another way to reset Microsoft Edge is by using commands. This is an advanced method that is extremely useful if your Microsoft Edge app keeps crashing or won't open at all. Make sure to back up your important data before using this method.

Here are the steps to do this:

1. Navigate to this folder on your computer: C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
2. Select everything inside the folder, right-click on the highlighted files, then click Delete from the options.
3. Search for Windows PowerShell using the search box beside the Start menu.
4. Right-click on the Windows PowerShell entry, then choose Run as administrator.
5. In the Windows PowerShell window, type in this command:

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml -Verbose}

6. Press Enter to execute the command.
7. Once the reset process has been completed, CompatTelRunner.exe should be completely deleted from your Microsoft Edge browser.

How to Delete CompatTelRunner.exe from Mozilla Firefox

Just like other browsers, malware tries to change the settings of Mozilla Firefox. You need to undo these changes to remove all traces of CompatTelRunner.exe. Follow the steps below to completely delete CompatTelRunner.exe from Firefox:

1. Uninstall dangerous or unfamiliar extensions.

Check Firefox for any unfamiliar extensions that you don't remember installing. There is a huge chance that these extensions were installed by the malware. To do this, launch Mozilla Firefox, click on the menu icon at the top-right corner, then select Add-ons > Extensions.

In the Extensions window, choose CompatTelRunner.exe and other suspicious plugins. Click the three-dot menu beside the extension, then choose Remove to delete these extensions.

2. Change your homepage back to default if it was affected by malware.

Click on the Firefox menu at the upper-right corner of the browser, then choose Options > General. Delete the malicious homepage and type in your preferred URL. Or you can click Restore to change to the default homepage. Click OK to save the new settings.

3. Reset Mozilla Firefox.

Go to the Firefox menu, then click on the question mark (Help). Choose Troubleshooting Information. Hit the Refresh Firefox button to give your browser a fresh start.

Once you’ve completed the steps above, CompatTelRunner.exe will be completely gone from your Mozilla Firefox browser.

How to Remove CompatTelRunner.exe from Google Chrome

To completely remove CompatTelRunner.exe from your computer, you need to reverse all of the changes on Google Chrome, uninstall suspicious extensions, plug-ins, and add-ons that were added without your permission.

Follow the instructions below to remove CompatTelRunner.exe from Google Chrome:

1. Delete malicious plugins.

Launch the Google Chrome app, then click on the menu icon at the upper-right corner. Choose More Tools > Extensions. Look for CompatTelRunner.exe and other malicious extensions. Highlight these extensions you want to uninstall, then click Remove to delete them.

2. Revert changes to your homepage and default search engine.

Click on Chrome's menu icon and select Settings. Click On Startup, then tick off Open a specific page or set of pages. You can either set up a new page or use existing pages as your homepage.

Go back to Google Chrome's menu icon and choose Settings > Search engine, then click Manage search engines. You'll see a list of default search engines that are available for Chrome. Delete any search engine that you think is suspicious. Click the three-dot menu beside the search engine and click Remove from list.

3. Reset Google Chrome.

Click on the menu icon located at the top right of your browser, and choose Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, then click on Restore settings to their original defaults under Reset and clean up. Click on the Reset Settings button to confirm the action.

This step will reset your startup page, new tab, search engines, pinned tabs, and extensions. However, your bookmarks, browser history, and saved passwords will be saved.

How to Get Rid of CompatTelRunner.exe from Safari

The computer’s browser is one of the major targets of malware — changing settings, adding new extensions, and changing the default search engine. So if you suspect your Safari to be infected with CompatTelRunner.exe, these are the steps you can take:

1. Delete suspicious extensions

Launch the Safari web browser and click on Safari from the top menu. Click Preferences from the drop-down menu.

Click on the Extensions tab at the top, then view the list of currently installed extensions on the left menu. Look for CompatTelRunner.exe or other extensions you don’t remember installing. Click the Uninstall button to remove the extension. Do this for all your suspected malicious extensions.

2. Revert changes to your homepage

Open Safari, then click Safari > Preferences. Click on General. Check out the Homepage field and see if this has been edited. If your homepage was changed by CompatTelRunner.exe, delete the URL and type in the homepage you want to use. Make sure to include the http:// before the address of the webpage.

3. Reset Safari

Open the Safari app and click on Safari from the menu at the upper-left of the screen. Click on Reset Safari. A dialog window will open where you can choose which elements you want to reset. Next, click the Reset button to complete the action.

Viruses and malware can infect the genuine CompatTelRunner.exe process/file and cause problems to your computer. Conduct a full system scan using quality Anti-Malware to detect and remove any malware on your PC, including those that camouflage as CompatTelRunner.exe.

Final Thoughts

The CompatTelRunner.exe process is important in helping Windows diagnostics. However, it is an essential Windows process.If you believe CompatTelRunner.exe is a malware entity hiding in your PC, don’t hesitate to remove it. Otherwise, keep it and leave it as is.

We believe this article was insightful, and you should now know about CompatTelRunner.exe, its function, and how to fix any problem related to this process.