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What Is Sedlauncher.Exe and Why It Shows High Disk Usage

by Gaurav Bidasaria

Microsoft released a new update in May for Windows 10 and it has been causing issues all over the world. There have numerous reports of how the latest updates have been breaking computers. Right after the May update, a lot of users started seeing sedlauncher.exe or SedSvc.exe service running in the Task Manager. What is it and more importantly, why is sedlauncher.exe is using high disk usage.

We are going to learn all there is to know about this task and why it has been running on your system in the background. One can never be enough vigilant with the number of hacks that have happened in recent years.

Let’s begin.

What are These Executable Files

These files are part of the KB4023057 update that Microsoft released for Windows 10 a few weeks ago. The purpose of these two files is to help Microsoft deliver feature updates correctly and efficiently to Windows 10 users. They are responsible for downloading and installing updates on your computer. That’s why you have started seeing them recently.

It is worth noting that both the executable files are stored in Program Files > rempl folder. You can locate them there easily. They are not even hidden files.

sedlauncher and sedsvc file location

Press Shift+Tab+Esc keys to open the Task Manager, right-click on the sedlauncher.exe or sedsvc.exe process, and select Properties. You can check the digital signature of the service in question under the Digital Signature tab here. Both the services have been signed by Microsoft Windows. That’s one way to make sure that the process that’s running on your computer is legit and was developed by an authentic company. I will use another app called Malwarebytes as an example.

check digital signature

Both these executable files or services are associated with the Windows Remediation Service that also you may find running in the background inside the Task Manager. This particular service is instead used for installing security patches and other small updates.

Can/Should You Stop It

Now that we know these services are not malicious or owned by some rogue hackers who want to steal your data, we can safely say that the services are safe. They were developed by Microsoft to help deliver important updates to your computer. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t stop it. You can.

Several users have been complaining about seeing high disk usage in the Task Manager. High disk usage by sedlauncher or any other service will result in lags or slow computer. You will struggle to perform even basic tasks like opening new tabs and working with small apps.

Also Read: Top Apps to Block a Program From Accessing the Internet on Windows 10

If that is the case, you can and should stop the sedlauncher service as it is not crucial to the running of your operating system. But stopping this service will stop Windows 10 from receiving important security updates and patches. I recommend you to restart it soon once you have figured out what’s causing the high disk usage.

Fix Sedlauncher Causing High Disk Usage

There are a few ways to fix this issue and we will discuss them all here. Let’s begin.

1. Stop Service

1. Open the Task Manager and find the sedlauncher or sedsvc service in the list that is causing the high disk usage error. Right-click on it to stop the service from running. Note that the service will run again when you reboot or restart your computer.

windows remediation service

I always recommend users to receive Windows updates as they offer security patches and cool features. Of course, you should keep an eye on others to see if the updates are breaking havoc in which case, it is better to defer the update for 7 to 30 days from the Settings > Updates & Security area.

defer windows update

2. Disable Service

Disabling the service is not the same as stopping it. When you stop a service, it will run again when the Update service demands it to run or when you reboot your computer. This is a temporary solution that works sometimes. It can solve the sedlauncher high disk usage problem as more often than not, these issues resolve automatically after some time.

If that’s not the case and you witness the issue come back from the dead again, consider disabling it instead. Note that you will have to re-enable it again manually or else, no updates will be installed from that moment on.

disable windows remediation service

1. Press Windows key+R to open the Run prompt and type services.msc before hitting Enter. You can also search for and open it from the Start menu. Search for Windows Remediation Service under the Name tab.

2. Right-click on the service to select Stop to stop the service immediately. Right-click again and now select Disabled under Startup Type in Properties to prevent it from running automatically in the future. You can select Enable here to begin the service again. Don’t forget to click Apply and OK to make sure that the changes have been applied.

Note that in the screenshot above, I am using Update as an example since Windows Remediation Service is not running at the moment.

3. Deleting the Scheduled Task

Windows 10 comes with a Task Scheduler that helps it run various services and apps at the correct time and at regular intervals without human intervention. Even though you have stopped or disabled sedlauncher.exe or SedSvc service, Windows OS will rerun it using the Task Scheduler.

1. Search for and open the Task Scheduler from the Start menu and go to Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > rempl.

deleting task scheduler task for sedlauncher

2. Select the Shell entry here as shown in the screenshot above and delete it using your keyboard. The scheduled task will be deleted so now sedlauncher won’t launch and run, thereby solving the high disk usage issue.

4. Uninstall Service

I don’t recommend this method unless you know what you are doing and are an expert. That also involves understanding how to install the service again, manage or install updates without the service, and troubleshooting.

Press Windows key+I to open Settings and go to Apps > Apps & features and search for Windows Setup Remediation option. Click on it once to reveal the Uninstall button.

uninstall windows setup remediation

Again, uninstall only if you know what you are doing and are an advanced user.

Also Read: How To Get Windows 10X File Explorer on Windows 10

Wrapping Up: Sedlauncher or SedSvc Disk Usage High Issue

Now you know. Sedlauncher or SedSvc is completely safe. You don’t have to worry about viruses, malware, or any other kind of hacks. As far as the high disk usage error is concerned, I would suggest you just stop the service temporarily first and let it begin of its own accord. These errors can resolve themselves often. If that fails, disable it but I don’t recommend uninstalling the service altogether unless the situation is extreme and you are aware of what you are going.

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