consent.exe

Windows ProcessMicrosoft Corporation

Also called consent, uac, user account control prompt

WindowsSystem Component

The User Account Control consent UI. It is the dimmed prompt that asks Yes or No, not the app that needed elevation.

What you need to know

This is the UAC Yes/No window. The app that triggered it is a different process.

consent.exe draws the secure-desktop elevation prompt. Ending it cancels UAC. It does not uninstall the program that asked for admin.

Safe?: Yes, in System32
Why did it appear?: Something asked to elevate
Should I end it?: The prompt dies. The app stays unelevated

Feex says

If consent.exe is on screen, I would read the publisher on the prompt. Ending consent is Cancel, not a malware scan.

What is consent.exe?

consent.exe is the User Account Control consent executable. It appears on the secure desktop so other windows cannot click Yes for you.

What does it do?

It shows the program name, publisher, and Yes / No. It is not SmartScreen reputation and it is not Windows Hello.

Why is it running?

An installer, an admin tool, or a script requested elevation. A consent.exe that stays after you already clicked is stuck UI, not a second UAC service.

Is it safe?

Usually safe

System32 consent.exe is UAC. A consent.exe in AppData is using the name. The prompt publisher still matters more than the host filename.

A legitimate copy normally runs from:

C:\Windows\System32\consent.exe

Secure desktop prompt
Triggered by elevation
Not the elevated app itself

Can I end it?

Same as clicking No

Ending consent.exe dismisses UAC. The requesting app stays without admin. That is fine if you did not mean to elevate.

Can I remove it?

Do not delete consent.exe. Disabling UAC is a policy setting, not an Explorer delete.

Should it start with Windows?

It starts when elevation is requested. It should not sit in Startup Apps.

Normal resource behavior

These are contextual labels, not universal averages.

CPU: Low while the dimmed desktop is up
Memory: Small
Disk: None
Network: None

File information

consent.exe file information
Executable name	consent.exe
Common legitimate path	C:\Windows\System32\consent.exe
Publisher	Microsoft Corporation
Signature expectation	Signed by Microsoft Windows

Common problems

UAC loop

An installer that relaunches itself will keep spawning consent.exe. Cancel the installer, not System32.

People turn UAC off to stop consent

That removes the secure prompt for every elevate. Use a standard account if you want fewer prompts.

Troubleshooting

Diagnose before you change anything destructive.

Read the program name on the prompt

That is the caller. consent.exe is only the dialog.

Do not run a UAC "crack"

Those replace consent.exe. That is the opposite of safer.

Technical details

consent.exe technical details
Image name	consent.exe
Role	UAC consent UI

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Microsoft Learn: UAC · Consent UI
Microsoft Support: Windows · Public support naming
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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