wininit.exe

Windows ProcessMicrosoft Corporation

Also called wininit, windows start-up application, windows startup application

WindowsSystem Component

Windows Start-up Application. In session 0 it starts Service Control Manager and LSASS.

What you need to know

This starts services.exe and lsass.exe. It is not optional chrome.

wininit.exe runs in session 0 and launches the Service Control Manager and LSASS. Ending it takes the PC down. It is not a Startup Apps checkbox.

Safe?: Yes, in System32
Should I end it?: No. The machine will fail
User app?: No. Session 0 system start

Feex says

I treat wininit like a load-bearing wall. If it is the name in Task Manager, I check the path and then I leave it alone.

What is wininit.exe?

wininit.exe is the Windows Start-up Application. After Session Manager creates session 0, wininit starts services.exe and lsass.exe.

What does it do?

It is the parent of the service stack. It does not draw the desktop and it does not host your browser tabs.

Why is it running?

Boot created session 0. You see wininit because the kernel finished the first user-mode hand-off. It is not launched from a shortcut.

Is it safe?

Usually safe

One signed copy in System32 is expected. A second wininit.exe under a user profile is not the session 0 starter.

A legitimate copy normally runs from:

C:\Windows\System32\wininit.exe

Expected publisher: Microsoft Corporation
Runs in session 0
Parent of services.exe and lsass.exe

Can I end it?

Ending wininit.exe is treated as a critical system failure. Windows will not keep a usable session.

Can I remove it?

Do not delete wininit.exe. The machine cannot start the service stack without it.

Should it start with Windows?

The kernel and smss.exe start wininit. You cannot turn it off in Settings > Apps > Startup.

Normal resource behavior

These are contextual labels, not universal averages.

CPU: Idle after boot
Memory: Small
Disk: Low
Network: None by itself

File information

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

Common problems

Confused with winlogon

wininit is session 0 startup. winlogon is your interactive sign-in. They are not interchangeable names.

Critical process died

If Windows reports wininit terminated, that is a crash investigation, not a cleanup task.

Troubleshooting

Diagnose before you change anything destructive.

Check the parent chain

smss starts wininit. wininit starts services.exe. If that chain is missing, the boot did not finish.

Leave it out of process killers

Tools that offer to end "Windows Start-up Application" are unsafe. Close the tool.

Technical details

wininit.exe technical details
Image name	wininit.exe
Session	Session 0

Sources and verification

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

Microsoft Learn: Windows initialization · Session startup context
Microsoft Learn: Windows · Primary Windows documentation
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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