CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess Issue

Let's make sure we'll be able to fix the application error, Nagakambing.

CefSharp is a tool that allows you to embed chrome-lite browser functions into something. For example, QuickBooks lets you log into your Intuit account on the internet and not local to the computer system, that is a browser window. Usually, this tool is required in a specific program or device installed on your PC.

Under normal circumstances, this .exe file doesn't cause errors. However, some Trojan horse programs or files may also pretend to be CefSharp BrowserSubprocess and cause problems. Thus, if the file causes a high CPU issue, you can remove the CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe.

The first and simplest way is to end the CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe in the Task Manager. To do so, follow the steps below:
 

1. Right-click the Startup menu and select Task Manager from the context menu.
2. Right-click the CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe from the list of processes and select End Task from the pop-up menu.
3. If the CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe-related process runs in the background, you can disable it. Go to the Startup tab, right-click the CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe from the list of installed programs and select Disabled.
    

The first method can fix the high CPU usage problem temporarily. If you find the CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe file outside the C:\Windows\system32 folder, you'll want to delete it by following the steps below:
 

1. Press the Win + E keys to open the File Explorer, and then find the CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe file.
2. Right-click the file and select Open file location. Then select all the CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe files and click on Delete. Don’t delete the files located in the C:\Windows\system32 folder.

However, if the issue persists, I suggest reaching out to an IT Guy so they'll be to guide you on the best solution for that specific error. Furthermore, you may also experience issues and getting errors related to the company file and install issues, networking errors, etc. . . learn from this article on how you can fix them: Fix Common Problems And Errors With The QuickBooks Desktop Tool Hub.

Reach out to us if you have any questions about CefSharp or if you've got issues when using QuickBooks. We're here to make sure everything is covered.

"If you find the CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe file outside the C:\Windows\system32 folder, you'll want to delete it "

In my Quickbooks desktop 2021 Pro, CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe is located within the Quickbooks installtion folder, and it is a bad idea to delete it from there, just saying

The CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe is located within Program Files (x86)\Intuit\Quick Books 2022\. 

Is it safe to delete this or rename it? 

Thanks for coming back. I appreciate all the troubleshooting steps you've tried to fix this error, Nagakambing. 

If you are not using any of the programs which use the cefsharp browsersubprocess file, it is safe to remove it in case of high CPU usage. However, it would be best to consult your IT Guy about this one if you need to delete it or rename the file. If the CefSharp. BrowserSubprocess.exe-related process runs in the background, we can end it in the Task Manager. Here's how:

1. Right-click the Startup menu and select Task Manager from the context menu.
2. Right-click the CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe from the list of processes and select End Task from the pop-up menu.
3. Go to the Startup tab, right-click the CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe from the list of installed programs and select Disabled.

We can follow the steps and details provided by my colleague MariaSoledadG if your IT guy suggests deleting the file. On the other hand, we can improve your software performance by optimizing your server and workstations. For the detailed process, you may check it here: Resolve QuickBooks Desktop performance issues - Manage your computers.

For tips and related articles on "How Do I" questions, feel free to visit this article: QuickBooks Community help website.

Please don't hesitate to drop a comment below if there's anything else I can help with while you're managing your QuickBooks. Take care always.

We've been killing the task using PowerShell script remotely. We would like to get rid of it. Only QuickBooks is using this process. As we mentioned, the server was running fine until we upgraded to version 2022. 

Can you tell us what QuickBooks programs use this program so we can decide if we need it or not?

Hi @Jabba513, thanks for joining the thread. 

The CefSharp tool is required in a specific program or device such as Razer Cortex or Razer Synapse installed on your PC. It is usually safe but can be used by hackers to mask malware such as viruses, worms, and Trojans deliberately giving their processes the same file names to escape detection. This is the reason why so many users would elect to remove it from their computers.

That said, it's not necessary to use this exe file for any of the QuickBooks programs. If you notice that these tool is running with your QuickBooks Desktop exe as a subprocess, you can end it in the Task Manager. You may utilize the steps shared above. 

To find out what your computer needs for the best experience in Quickbooks Desktop 2023, see this article: System requirements for QuickBooks Desktop 2023. 

If you have other questions about QuickBooks-related concerns, don't hesitate to reply below. We'd be glad to answer them for you. Have a nice day!

Removing it is not an option.  When you remove it, QuickBooks no longer works.  Unrecoverable error after logging in, before anything loads.

When using QuickBooks I will end up with over 70 instances as a subprocess of QuickBooks.  Just opening QuickBooks will result in 7 instances.  Yes you can go through and end them 1 by 1 under task manager, but doing anything in QuickBooks opens up more.  This is very frustrating.

We are having this same issue. The CEF has to be there or QuickBooks will not open the file due to the requirement of signing into the Intuit Account but it is broken and has WAY too many instances. How can we fix this?

Let's work together to resolve this, maccwatson. 

Let's proceed with some troubleshooting steps to fix the CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess problem in QuickBooks Desktop.

First, make sure your QuickBooks Desktop is the most recent version. We always release updates on a regular basis to address known issues and improve the software's performance. Here's how:

1. Open QuickBooks Desktop
2. Go to the Help menu.
3. Select Update QuickBooks Desktop.
4. Click on the Get Updates button to start the download process. The time it takes to download updates will depend on your internet speed and the size of the update.
5. Once the updates are downloaded, close and reopen QuickBooks Desktop. This will install the updates.
6. After the updates are installed, restart your computer to ensure the updates are properly integrated.

If the problem persists, you can repair QuickBooks Desktop by following the detailed steps in this article: Repair your QuickBooks Desktop for Windows.

I've also added this resource if ran into some common issues or errors in QuickBooks Desktop: Fix common problems and errors with the QuickBooks Desktop Tool Hub.

Leave a comment if you have any further questions or concerns about QuickBooks Desktop. I'll be glad to assist you.

The program was updated and nothing changed. I will run the QB repair however, your QB Tool Hub does not install the File Doctor correctly so I need a separate installation. 

Last year when we started this thread, we thought we have the issue resolved by blocking CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe via local Group Policy as well from antivirus. The response from our initial question was that CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess.exe was not part of Quickbooks. So we went ahead to block it. 

Then we upgraded to QuickBooks Desktop Premier 2023, this is when the issue resurfaced and Quickbooks will not launch at all with "unrecoverable error". 

It's ended up costing us more than $10K to work around it. We migrated our QB 2023 to a new physical server with dual Xeon 24 cores CPU and 128 GB of RAM. With the amount of cores, we had to purchase 3x of Windows Server 2022 licenses. CefSharp.BrowserSubprocess still use up lots of resources, but physical server has enough resources to handle for 5 users at the same time.