How to Disable-Remove ‘ctfmon.exe’

If you are frustrated (like I was) with the ‘annoying’ ctfmon.exe process that just won’t stop opening no matter what you do. Here’s a simple way to disable/remove the service from your Windows XP so that it doesn’t reappear from time to time. Yeah, just removing Ctfmon.exe from MSConfig does not disable Ctfmon.exe.

What’s Ctfmon.exe anyway?
According to the official support page from Microsoft, Ctfmon.exe activates the Alternative User Input Text Input Processor (TIP) and the Microsoft Office Language Bar. This file monitors the active windows and provides text input service support for speech recognition, handwriting recognition, keyboard, translation, and other alternative user input technologies.

It starts the Language Bar component (in the Systray) and remains running in the background even after you quit an Office XP program. It also starts each time Windows is started and remains in the background, regardless of whether an Office XP program is started.

Actually, with this file you can control the computer via speech or a pen tablet, or using the onscreen keyboard inputs for Asian Languages. so…

WARNING/NOTE: If you are using any of these, you should leave it enabled.

BTW, If you choose >>> “Yes, I want to disable and remove it!“, or “I don’t need this annoying service/file“, or… “Hey! I’m really MAD bcoz of it”

Here’s the simple How-to for you! (DO BOTH Step A and B)
A. First, Remove it from ‘Startup’
0. Go to Start > Run, type ‘msconfig’

1. Choose ‘Startup’ and UNCHECK ‘ctfmon’ from the list, OK.

B. Then, Remove it from ‘Control Panel’
2. go to Control Panel > Regional and Language Options > Languages > Details > Advanced,

… check the box that says “Turn off advanced text services”

3. Done!

NOTE: Do “BOTH” option A. + B. as well. Last but not least, TAKE MY TIPS AT YOUR OWN RISK!

For my computer it really works! btw, IF for yours it still fails, You may try the ‘more complicated’ steps on Microsoft Support webpage here.

Good Luck!

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