What’s Render.exe (Render)? Is it safe or a virus?

Render.exe is a command-line utility used by Autodesk software, primarily Maya, to process and generate 3D images and animations. While the main design software is for modeling and layout, this specific executable handles the "rendering" phase, where the computer calculates lighting, shadows, and textures to produce the final visual output.

You have this file because you have an Autodesk product like Maya installed on your computer. It is often used for "batch rendering," allowing you to render frames in the background or on a dedicated render farm without having to keep the full graphical interface of the design software open. It acts as the bridge between your 3D scene data and the final rendered image files.

Below are 4 simple steps you can take to see if the Render.exe process is safe or malware.

Researched by Carl @ SpyShelter Labs

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More about Render.exe on WINDOWS

Who makes Render.exe (Render)?

We’ve found Autodesk, Inc. should be the publisher of Render.exe.

How do we know? Our SpyShelter cybersecurity labs focuses on monitoring different types of Windows PC executables and their behaviors for our popular SpyShelter Antispyware software. Learn more about us, and how our cybersecurity team studies Windows PC executables/processes.

What does it mean if someone is the publisher of a PC .exe (executable or process)?

The publisher of an executable is the entity responsible for its distribution and authenticity. Most processes/executables on your PC should be signed. The signature on the executable should have been verified through a third party whose job it is to make sure the entity is who it says it is. Find an unsigned executable? You should consider scanning any completely unsigned .exe on your PC.

Last updated: January 29, 2026

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Why should you trust us?

Our team at SpyShelter has been studying Windows PC executables for over 15 years, to help fight against spyware, malware, and other threats. SpyShelter has been featured in publications like The Register, PC Magazine, and many others. Now we’re working to share free, actionable, and easy to understand information about Windows executables (processes) with the world, to help as many people as possible keep their devices safe. Learn more about us on our "About SpyShelter” page.

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