Trend Micro

ApplicationTrend Micro

Also called trend micro maximum security, titanium, pccntmon

Trend MicroSecurity

A long-running consumer and OEM antivirus. PccNTMon.exe is a common monitor process. It is not Windows Security.

What you need to know

Trend Micro is the OEM and consumer suite. PccNTMon.exe is not MsMpEng.exe.

Trend Micro ships on many PCs as Maximum Security or an older Titanium name. PccNTMon.exe is a usual process. It should take the antivirus slot. Two live engines with Defender is the conflict.

What is it?: Consumer and OEM AV
Process?: PccNTMon.exe on many PCs
Same as Defender?: No. One live engine

Feex says

If PccNTMon.exe is the CPU hog after a new laptop setup, I would ask whether Trend Micro still owns the slot. I would not leave it live next to Defender, and I would not confuse it with Apex One at work.

What is Trend Micro?

Trend Micro is a consumer and OEM antivirus. PccNTMon.exe is a common Windows process. Work products such as Apex One are separate.

If you have never used it

If an OEM laptop shipped Trend Micro Maximum Security, that is this vendor, not Defender. Download from trendmicro.com. PccNTMon.exe is a usual monitor process. Titanium is an older consumer name. The suite should take the antivirus slot. PccNTMon.exe plus live MsMpEng.exe is the two-engine fight.

What is it used for?

Resident OEM antivirus

Preinstalls register as the active engine until the trial ends.

Maximum Security extras

Password and VPN extras sit in thicker SKUs. The monitor process can still be PccNTMon.exe.

Pay-as-you-go leftover

Some ISPs bundled Trend Micro. The bill and the exe are not Windows Security.

Who is it for?

People cleaning an OEM Trend Micro trial
Users who still search Titanium
Anyone with PccNTMon.exe next to live Defender

Current status

Actively sold. This article is consumer Trend Micro on Windows, not Apex One.

How old is it?

Trend Micro dates to 1988. PC-cillin and Titanium are older consumer names. Current storefronts say Maximum Security and similar SKUs. A 2005 Titanium CD is not the current installer.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Maximum Security

Titanium (older name)

Apex One (work, other product)

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	Windows 10 or Windows 11, per current Trend Micro consumer help
RAM	Trend Micro lists a 2 GB class minimum on many consumer SKUs

Resource profile

CPU demand: Monitor plus scans
RAM demand: Several Trend processes at idle

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
PccNTMon.exe	Trend Micro PC-cillin style monitor on many consumer builds
TmListen.exe	Listener service on many installs

Startup components

Trend Micro services start with Windows while the product owns protection.

File locations

Common Trend Micro locations
Typical install	C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\

Common problems

OEM trial plus live Defender

Expired Trend Micro can leave monitors running while Defender also scans. Remove the trial or finish the license.

Titanium help on a Maximum Security PC

Old article names do not match the current window. Use helpcenter.trendmicro.com for the SKU you have.

Getting unstuck

Uninstall from Settings > Apps if you want Defender back

Trend Micro documents a removal tool when Apps is not enough.

Check Windows Security for the owner

It should name Trend Micro after a successful register, or Microsoft Defender after a clean removal.

Install from trendmicro.com, not a toolbar host

Maximum Security has a vendor storefront. A "Titanium 2026" ad page is stale bait.

Alternatives

Windows Security after OEM removal. Do not stack Trend Micro on McAfee because both came preinstalled over the years.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	www.trendmicro.com/ Official installer or vendor page
Help	helpcenter.trendmicro.com/ Vendor support
Official site	www.trendmicro.com/ Start here, not a random exe host

Related hardware

OEM suites add idle RAM. Full scans follow the disk speed.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

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

Trend Micro official site · Vendor product page
Trend Micro help · Vendor support
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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