How can I disable background processes and services

[garyc78841338]

Hi, I have photoshop/lightroom creative cloud but I only use it occasionally.

I have noticed that the software installs and runs many services and background porocesses, I would like to know how to disable these as they are numerous and I do not wish to have them permanently active for software that is only used once a month. For example I do not want update services, genuine software verification, helper services etc active on what is primarily a gaming machine where additional processes are highly undesirable.

Of course I know how to disable these services through management of windows services however this then requires me to manually go through this process every time I open and close the software. Is there a more suitable and less brute force method of disabling the masses of adobe processes that clog up my machine?

I do not find it acceptable to have anything from 5 to 15 background processes running for software that is not currently in use, regardless of how many percieved benefits it may bring when the software is in use.

Failing any direct way to stop this happening, which of the processes and services would be possible to permanently disable while retaining functional use of the software?

[John T Smith]

How to disable a program in Windows startup
-Right click the 'window pane' in the very bottom left corner of the Windows desktop
-Select Task Manager in the pop up option window
-Click More details if you don't see startup
-Select the Startup tab inside Task Manager
-Select the program you want to disable
-Click Disable in the bottom right corner
-BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU DISABLE SO YOU DON'T STOP WINDOWS FROM RUNNING

[simionoff]

Of course this was the first thing that I tried. I see 3 processes in task manager in startup tab that are linked with Creative Cloud software: CCX Process, CCX Process.exe and Creative Coud Desktop. I can only disable the first one, while CCX Process.exe and Creative Cloud Desktop cannot be disabled. Also, I have disabled from the app, in the General Tab, "Launch creative cloud at login" and "Always keep Creative Cloud up to date", but nothing happens, it still starts and runs in background.

[brandybl0ndy]

I have the same issue, please how to stop these from running, I really want to just remove creative cloud all together!

Can I somehow do that and keep photoshop, I never use the cloud at all ever so I don't want it taking so much away from my system. Photoshop works fine even after I have ended all the CC processes from the task manager, so it seems that CC is not really required.

Can someone guide me here or explain what is it that is used by CC to force me to keep it if I have a stand alone photoshop

[Peru Bob]

The CC app is needed to occasionally connect to the internet and verify your subscription.

https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/internet-connection-creative-cloud-apps.html

[s50bb]

Sure, but can it check only when I run Creative Cloud or any Adobe app? After closing everything, it would be nice if no Adobe services were running.

[kglad · Accepted solution]

@s50bb 

yes, it can check in the background.  

info: https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/adobe-background-processes.html

update: https://community.adobe.com/t5/creative-cloud-desktop-discussions/adobe-background-processes/m-p/142... 

[brandybl0ndy]

The CC app yes does run in the background, but it runs in the background all the time, why? I want to set it only to run when I open one of their Apps and then to close when I close those Apps rather than just running at system start..... I understand it will require a 30 day check, and that some tools need it, but all of this is only needed if you are using one of the Apps. the need for this to run all the time is crazy, I really would like to know what it is being collected by them and what they do with that data. Is that not a realistic concern knowing the value and power gained with data it is clearly being quietly collected by every digitial product. 

I really just want to use my system without having it run all the time and only run after I open one of the Apps.

[kglad]

then remove it from your startup apps and manually manage it.

[Brimsburg]

I don't have it in my startup apps and I completely manage it manually. But the process and services sill show up in the task manager.

[Tarun Saini]

Hi @Brimsburg,

Welcome to the community! Thanks for reaching out! Adobe background processes run behind the scenes and perform several important tasks that make your Adobe apps run seamlessly. 

Please check this article which will give you the information on why these are important- https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/adobe-background-processes.html

Regards,

Tarun

[Brimsburg]

Please keep the discussion relevant to the post to avoid any confusion in the thread for the community members and visitors with the original issue.

[TwistedRealm]

"Adobe background processes run behind the scenes and perform several important tasks that make your Adobe apps run seamlessly. "

Important to who? Not to me.

My computer is more than capable of launching adobe products from the cold (e.g without any Adobe background poop running beforehand)

What YOU mean is "important" to Adobe. 

I'm glad this topic came back up - I just figured out where you are spawning your bloatware from every single time (this was after I wrote this response, so this is an update).

RUN "TASK SCHEDULER":

Three Adobe tasks set for periodic run:
Launch Adobe CCXProcess - SET TO RUN EVERY DAY AT 04.42am !!!!

Adobe Acrobat Update Task - SET TO RUN EVERY DAY AT 00.00am AND on any LOGIN.
Adobe Uninstaller (only triggers when you uninstall).

THERE YOU GO = HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT - I SHOULD HAVE CHECKED BEFORE!

YOU CAN SAFELY DELETE THE FIRST 2 IF YOU WANT TO.

I've been using your software for decades. I have full CC subscription.
Every single time I reboot my PC I have to disable your background junk.

Even after disabling start-up items for ALL adobe items.
Even after disabling Adobe services in "Services". Stopping the task and Setting their "startup" to manual.

Even AFTER going into registry and deleting the startup keys in:
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

And these extra hidden ones: - Under the WOW6432Node:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

YOU CAN SAFELY DELETE THESE KEYS IF YOU WANT TO. THEY DO NOT AFFECT YOUR COMPUTER, JUST ADOBE. YOU CAN ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR REGISTRY FIRST IF NOT SURE.

Even with this, Adobe still manages to somehow automatically launch itself?!

I hate you for this Adobe.

I'm sick and tired of disabling your bloatware and background tasks, to only have them spawn again on reboot. - when I figure out what you have installed that is undoing my actions, I will script it and make it a startup item of my own - that disables your junk.

Thankfully Task Manager is better these days and I can just type in a search "ADobe" and spam kill all your junk processes,

At one point you had 17 background processes running, from reboot.... doing absolutely NOTHING for me, unless I launched CC.

The ONLY analogy I can think of here is Motherboard drivers and bloatware they ship.... (or with a laptop etc)
No one else but Adobe and these bloatware spammers install so much unnecessary poop that you have to waste time disabling.

[MrGoHunter]

Hi brandybl0ndy and others with this problem,

Here's a quick and dirty fix. It's a bit of a "brute force" approach, but Adobe shouldn't be running a load of background tasks on our machines, when we're not using their apps.

Go to C: Program Files and rename the Adobe folder to something else. I renamed mine OAdobe. This stops the folder being found by the registry entries that Adobe put in. You can then go to Task Manager and use End Process on them one by one and they won't restart as they process can't be found. Alternatively, you can just reboot and the Adobe tasks wont run.

When you actually want to run Adobe programs, then first rename the folder  in Program Files back to Adobe and everything will work fine.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL! Don't run a Registry cleaner like CCleaner, etc as it will want to delete the entries that point to wrong locations!

[TwistedRealm]

Try what I've posted above to see if you can purge yourself of this issue.

I have had good success keeping them repressed in the past, but now you need to remove thier settings from Four locations:

Start-Up items: In task Manager (or via MsConfig for old versions of windows like xp/7 etc.)

Registry start-up keys: in three different nodes.

Task Scheduler: to disable automatic respawning

Services: to disable Acrobat and Adobe updaters. (WindowsKey+R and type: services.msc)

But - keep in mind that after updates Adobe will most likely reinstall and reset some of these, such as the Task Scheduler - so you may have re-do this occasionally.

[MrGoHunter]

I think that my fix is better and more foolproof. Even if Adobe updates reinstall stuff, then it still stops them from running in the background, because they cannot be found due to the directory rename, so no having to do things again in the registry.