What causes multiple "plugin-container.exe" to run simultaneously?

I sometimes have up to four "plugin-containers" running simultaneously. What causes that AND what are the possible ramifications of that?

plugins like flash & java etc that are currently running on sites are outsourced into the plugin-container.exe-process that you've discovered for performance and stability reasons - you can have a look at your currently installed plugins in tools > addons > plugins & disable those you don't need.
in one of the upcoming releases firefox will ship with a feature that allows you to enable plugins on vistited sites on a per-demand basis, [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Opt-in_activation_for_plugins]
''edit - also see [[What is plugin-container]]''

Similar Messages

Firfox slowing way down or hanging and task manager has multiple sessions of "plugin-container.exe *32" running.

I'm running Win 7, Firefox 10.0.2 and all my plug-ins are up to date. I'm having issues with Firfox slowing way down or hanging, let say like when going to Youtube or site that just has a picture that uses Flash. I go to task manager and have multiple sessions of “plugin-container.exe *32" running at anywhere from 2,000k to over 300,000k (only one at the larger amount and most at 2m to 8m). I have to kill the multiple processes to get it running right again.

Hi kb11,
Have you looked at our [https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/firefox-slow-or-takes-too-long-start performance troubleshooting section]? There is a lot of good information in there that should help.
Hopefully this helps!

Firefox 7.0.1 multiple plugin-container.exe's open when private data is cleared.

<blockquote>Locking duplicate thread. 
Please continue here: [[/questions/823728]]</blockquote>
Once again it's happening, although it's not causing me any serious problems it's a bug none the less. Occasionally when I clear my private data multiple plugin-container.exe's will open. Although this time for the most part the maximum I've seen is 4 or 5. Unlike the max of 9 that occurred with version 4. In addition I noticed that it was either with version 5 or 6 that this issue was solved. As when I cleared private data only 1 plugin-container.exe opened.

I can't believe this is still happening. For a while there with version 6.0 I think it was fixed. Now however that I've updated to 7.0.1 it's once again a regular occurrence.

What is the plugin-container.exe file? How do I get rid of it?I keep getting a 70% usage message about this plugin. I tried to delete it but then Firefox won't work.

What is the plugin-container.exe file? It seems to be using 70% of usage of my computer's memory. How do I get rid of it?

Plugin-container is an "out-of-process plugins" crash protection, see for more info the link, and if you want to disable try the analytical info :
[http://kb.mozillazine.org/Plugin-container_and_out-of-process_plugins Plugin-container and out-of-process plugins]
thank you
Please mark "Solved" the answer that really solve the problem, to help others with a similar problem.

FF 6.0 does not terminates itself, "plugin-container.exe" keeps running which does not allow termination of process

After up-graduation to FF 6.0, FF fails to terminate when closed via X button or through Exit options in Menu. It was found that ''plugin-container.exe'' does not terminate causing failure to terminate ''firefox.exe''. ''plugin-container.exe'' runs as a sub-process to ''firefox.exe''

After up-graduation to FF 6.0, FF fails to terminate when closed via X button or through Exit options in Menu. It was found that ''plugin-container.exe'' does not terminate causing failure to terminate ''firefox.exe''. ''plugin-container.exe'' runs as a sub-process to ''firefox.exe''

How can I disable the plugin-container.exe that, runs in the background?

Every time I click on a url, the browser freezes up momentarily and then loads the page and this is constant and I have the feeling is because of plugin-container.exe running in the background. Please advice. Thanks!!
[email protected]

That process is from firefox, firefox now loads the plugins in another proccess.
Try to start firefox in safe mode to check if that process runs again.

Sometimes a plugin-container.exe instance starts hogging a ton of memory -- I would like to know which plugin is running inside that plugin-container without having to one-by-one disable the plugins. Which process called plugin-container.exe?

As described above, I have several instances of plugin-container.exe running, which is OK. It would make me feel safer to know which plugins are running inside each of these, since I would be better able to know whether there is malware running inside one of them, or which website might have made the process start hogging memory.
I am a power user, I usually have 80-100 tabs open, and of course it is hard to track the website or plugin down without having to waste a lot of time.
Could you provide in future releases this information?
Is it already available under one of the about: pages (e.g. config, plugins, memory, etc?)

Thanks Efreak! 
Maybe I was not clear. I usually have 4-5 plugin-container.exe processes running. I know now that the large one that hogs is the Adobe Flash player, but, for example I don't know which plug-in initiated the other plugin-container.exe instances. 
One of them actually says "googletalkplugin.exe" if you dig deep, which is OK. At least I know why the plugin-container.exe was started. But there are other instances that are just there and there is no way to figure out which plug-in initiated it. 
This would of course also help figure out if it is really the Adobe Flash plug in that is hogging all the memory, OR even if within Firefox in the about: pages one could figure out which TABS are using which plug-ins.
Like that you could freely choose to terminate the process directly, or close the TAB. 
1) What I am looking for is a way to determine which plug-in is running under which instance of plugin-container.exe 
2) Additionally it would be great to have a summary of which TABS are using which plugins (e.g. in the about:plugins page or yet another about: page)
 
Thank you

Plugin-container.exe using 40% of cpu

== Issue
==
Firefox is having problems with certain web sites
== Description
==
FYI, (thanks to all developers)
I rarely go to porn sites but the popunder-windows they generate caused the plugin-container.exe to use 40% of cpus (2 cpu). This is after I had closed all tabs and left my computer unattended. This popunder-window might have very-very-unusually slipped my attention due to my errand.
Thanks again
== URL of affected sites
==
""Removed by a moderator -FF4L''
== Troubleshooting information
==
Application Basics
Name
Firefox
Version
3.6.4
Profile Directory
Open Containing Folder
Installed Plugins
about:plugins
Build Configuration
about:buildconfig
Extensions
Name
Version
Enabled
ID
Skype extension for Firefox
3.3.0.3971
false
Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant
1.2.1
true
{20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b}
Google Gears
0.5.36.0
true
{000a9d1c-beef-4f90-9363-039d445309b8}
FEBE
6.3.3.2
true
{4BBDD651-70CF-4821-84F8-2B918CF89CA3}
Adblock Plus
1.2.1
true
All-in-One Sidebar
0.7.11
true
{097d3191-e6fa-4728-9826-b533d755359d}
Auto Copy
1.0.1
true
{0FED7D55-65D4-47b6-A6DE-9A4ADB55355F}
CoolPreviews
3.1.0625
true
DownloadHelper
4.7.4
true
Download Statusbar
0.9.7
true
FabTabs
1.3.5
true
[email protected]
Firefox Showcase
0.9.5.5
true
{89506680-e3f4-484c-a2c0-ed711d481eda}
Flashblock
1.5.13
true
{3d7eb24f-2740-49df-8937-200b1cc08f8a}
FoxTab
1.3
true
History Submenus
2.10
true
{7102aba3-045c-4ec2-b921-46d87636d84b}
Image Zoom
0.4.4
true
{1A2D0EC4-75F5-4c91-89C4-3656F6E44B68}
Personal Menu
4.3.2
true
[email protected]
QuickRestart
1.1.6
true
Session Manager
0.6.7.4
true
{1280606b-2510-4fe0-97ef-9b5a22eafe30}
SearchPreview
4.5
true
Tab Progress Bar
0.6
true
[email protected]
Tab Scope
0.3.2
true
[email protected]
Toolbar Buttons
0.6.0.8
true
{03B08592-E5B4-45ff-A0BE-C1D975458688}
United States English Dictionary
4.0.0
true
[email protected]
WebMail Notifier
2.5
true
{37fa1426-b82d-11db-8314-0800200c9a66}
CacheViewer
0.6.3
true
{71328583-3CA7-4809-B4BA-570A85818FBB}
CookieCuller
1.4
true
{99B98C2C-7274-45a3-A640-D9DF1A1C8460}
Dictionnaire français «Réforme 1990»
3.5
true
[email protected]
Extension List Dumper
1.14.8
true
[email protected]
Firebug
1.5.4
true
[email protected]
FlashGot
1.2.1.27
true
{19503e42-ca3c-4c27-b1e2-9cdb2170ee34}
Fast Dial
2.23b1
true
[email protected]
QuickJava
1.7.2
true
CLEO
4.3
true
[email protected]
OPIE
1.2.3
true
[email protected]
Java Console
6.0.20
true
Tab Mix Plus
0.3.8.4
true
Tree Style Tab
0.10.2010043001
true
[email protected]
Mozilla Archive Format
0.19.3
true
{7f57cf46-4467-4c2d-adfa-0cba7c507e54}
MR Tech Toolkit
6.0.4
true
{9669CC8F-B388-42FE-86F4-CB5E7F5A8BDC}
Modified Preferences
Name
Value
accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar
0
browser.history_expire_days.mirror
180
browser.history_expire_days_min
89
browser.link.open_newwindow.restriction
0
browser.link.open_newwindow.restriction.backup
2
browser.places.importBookmarksHTML
false
browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion
2
browser.startup.homepage
chrome://fastdial/content/fastdial.html
browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone
rv:1.9.2.4
browser.tabs.closeWindowWithLastTab
false
browser.tabs.insertRelatedAfterCurrent.backup
true
browser.tabs.insertRelatedAfterCurrent.override
true
browser.tabs.loadFolderAndReplace.backup
true
browser.tabs.loadFolderAndReplace.override
true
browser.tabs.warnOnClose
false
dom.disable_window_move_resize
true
dom.event.contextmenu.enabled
false
dom.max_script_run_time
1800
extensions.checkCompatibility.3.6
true
extensions.lastAppVersion
3.6.4
general.useragent.extra.microsoftdotnet
( .NET CLR 3.5.30729; .NET4.0C)
javascript.options.showInConsole
true
javascript.options.strict
true
network.cookie.prefsMigrated
true
places.last_vacuum
1275329041
print.print_printer
HP Deskjet 3900 Series (Copy 1)
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_bgcolor
false
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_bgimages
false
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_command
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_downloadfonts
false
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_edge_bottom
0
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_edge_left
0
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_edge_right
0
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_edge_top
0
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_evenpages
true
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_footercenter
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_footerleft
&PT
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_footerright
&D
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_headercenter
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_headerleft
&T
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_headerright
&U
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_in_color
true
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_margin_bottom
0.5
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_margin_left
0.5
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_margin_right
0.5
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_margin_top
0.5
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_oddpages
true
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_orientation
0
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_pagedelay
500
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_paper_data
1
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_paper_height
11.00
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_paper_size_type
0
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_paper_size_unit
0
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_paper_width
8.50
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_reversed
false
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_scaling
1.00
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_shrink_to_fit
true
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_to_file
false
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_unwriteable_margin_bottom
0
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_unwriteable_margin_left
0
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_unwriteable_margin_right
0
print.printer_HP_Deskjet_3900_Series_(Copy_1).print_unwriteable_margin_top
0
privacy.sanitize.migrateFx3Prefs
true
security.dialog_enable_delay
0
security.warn_viewing_mixed
false
== Firefox version
==
3.6.4
== Operating system
==
Windows Vista
== User Agent
==
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.0; en-US; rv:1.9.2.4) Gecko/20100611 Firefox/3.6.4 ( .NET CLR 3.5.30729; .NET4.0C)
== Plugins installed
==
*-Shockwave Flash 10.1 r53
*npRLCT4Player
*np-mswmp
*1.7.0069.3
*6.0.12.69
*RealPlayer(tm) LiveConnect-Enabled Plug-In
*RealJukebox Netscape Plugin
*The QuickTime Plugin allows you to view a wide variety of multimedia content in Web pages. For more information, visit the QuickTime Web site.
*NPRuntime Script Plug-in Library for Java(TM) Deploy
*Adobe PDF Plug-In For Firefox and Netscape "9.3.3"
*Default Plug-in
*Adobe Shockwave for Director Netscape plug-in, version 11.5
*iTunes Detector Plug-in
*GEPlugin
*Picasa plugin
*NPWLPG
*Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) plug-in for Mozilla browsers
*Version 1.0.5, copyright 1996-2010 The VideoLAN Teamhttp://www.videolan.org/
*Next Generation Java Plug-in 1.6.0_20 for Mozilla browsers

Only if i have 2 sites open i.e. http://www.youtube.com and http://www.mobileman.com (or any other site), i have trouble opening a third page i.e. http://www.google.com. Is it possible, that firefox is using a lot of CPU (i.e. plugin-container)??

How do I remove plugin-container.exe safely and be sure it doesn't return?

plugin-container.exe keeps running in my Windows task manager slowing or sometimes freezing my computer. How do I eliminate this problem? I am running Firefox 4.0.1., which I will have to stay with for now as the update will not accept my Logitech product.

Thank you for the detailed information. I'm confused, however, as to which is the best way to go: leave the plugin-container.exe to keep me from crashing even though it slows ... sometimes freezes ... my computer (especially since I use Adobe Flash; or, disable/remove it and continue with Firefox crashes as I did before the plugin-container.exe was added to Firefox. Such a mind-boggling problem for one who is close to being computer illiterate.

Plugin-container.exe brought my PC to its knees. How to stop this?

I had absolutely no response from my computer for several minutes. After repeatedly trying to open the task manager, I finally succeeded. I noticed that plugin-container.exe was running at over 50%. I attempted to close all the running processes, but they were hung. I finally had to shut off my PC. One of your background processes should not be hijacking my computer for minutes! Please fix this!!!!!!
Also, your submit feedback is not working.

I found the way to stop using plugin-container.exe from somewhere and it works.
Steps to stop plugin-container.exe process:
* Open Firefox web browser.
* Type about:config in the address bar and press Enter key.
* A warning will appear. Ignore it and press the "I』ll be careful, I promise!" button.
* In the Filter field type dom.ipc. Six preferences will appear for the filter dom.ipc.
* Ignore first and last preferences. Toggle (double-click) each of the four remaining preferences to change the value from "true" to "false".
Explanation: The crash protection feature in Firefox 3.6 is enabled for certain plugins only. The four preferences that we modified here specifies four different out-of-process plugins. They are the the NPAPI test plugin, Adobe Flash, Apple QuickTime (Windows) and Microsoft Silverlight (Windows). These plugins are specified in a separate dom.ipc.plugins.enabled.<filename> preference by default is set to true. We can disable them by changing their value to false. And thus plugin-container.exe will not run. By default the preference dom.ipc.plugins.enabled is already set to "false". So, no need to touch it. The dom.ipc.plugins.timeoutSecs is also not important here as other values are false.

Firefox locks up and runs plugin-container.exe -- I don't start it and can't stop it. What does it do and can I stop it?

On some irregular intervals, plugin-container.exe suddenly starts, and takes command. Task Manager suddenly goes to 100% CPU usage and I am blocked from continuing. i.e., dead in the water for a few minutes.
Questions:
What does it do?
Why does it start?
Can I remove it?
Can I stop it?

Plugin_container.exe is an integral part of Firefox and acts like a kind of sandbox to isolate plugins which have crashed. See [[What is plugin-container]]
You mentioned in your system details that you're running Windows XP SP2. I'd recommend you install Service Pack 3 since Microsoft addressed a large number of issues in that service pack. You'll also need to have it installed to obtain current patches and Windows Silverlight which is similar to Flash. You can get SP3 from the Microsoft Windows Update site, link on your Start menu.

What is, how to fix, stop, small popup window from 'plugin-container.exe' with 3 digit number that won't stop re-appearing???

I get very small windows popping up on the screen on top of anything else I'm doing regardless of what apps I'm running or not running. If I R-click on the icon in the task bar, it's identified as "plugin-container.exe"
The window doesn't say why it's there, but only displays a 3 digit number (for example the on on the screen now says 587) and allows only the usual X to close, or an 'OK' button to close. But a short time later it pops up again.
I'm running Windows 7 64bit MS Security Essentials and Firefox, though it will pop up even if I just booted and haven't started Firefox yet.
It's really (really really) annoying. How can I fix it or disable it or whatever it takes to make it STOP.
Perhaps if I had some idea what it was I could attack it that way, but I haven't a clue. BTW, I've cleaned the registry, and done full scan's for virus and turned up nada.
Thanks.
D.

As per the web site:
There will be no update to Waterfox 25.0 as a bug causes Adobe Flash to crash on 64-Bit Windows 7 systems. Bug here. Although Firefox 25.0.1 is now available and we could build it, there would be no point of releasing a new version of Waterfox for only two weeks.
I mostly only use Waterfox and had no problem in the past. I suspect a flash problem may be at the root of my problem however.
As stated, I've performed (full) virus scans with MS Security Essentials. Also with Housecall, and also with HiJackThis. No problems detected.
Screen shot of popup window attached.

Plugin-container.exe : what is it, why is it necessary, can I delete it

Continued from the "plugin-container.exe : what is it, why is it necessary, can I delete it" thread:
1) When people say Firefox uses up a lot of CPU/Memory, they are telling the truth. Tools like Task Manager and Process Explorer show you how much CPU/Memory Firefox is using up. Stop calling people liars when they say Firefox is using up X Memory. Stop making baseless accusations like "you're running other programmes that are causing your CPU to skyrocket and Firefox to freeze". Task Manager and Process Explorer don't lie. Take yourself off the thread because you're not helping anyone, you're creating anger and hatred, you're basically trolling. If you have no valid advice to offer, keep your mouth shut and stay away instead of launching into the "you're a liar" nonsense.
2) Stop typing in caps
3) Refrain from using profanity and ad hominem attacks
4) If you claim you're abandoning Firefox for another browser, fine: now get off the board and go away instead of posting inflammatory hatred against Mozilla since you're no longer using Mozilla
5) Stop attacking and/or ignoring the advice of Mozilla representatives like Morbus
6) Morbus: the Firefox Safe-Mode advice you frequently dispense is the most rejected advice because most people do not want to mess with their browsers, especially people who are not not knowledgeable about safe-mode, add-ons, disabling, etc. I fully agree that people must learn how to diagnose the problems on their own and find solutions on their own, but not all people are capable of learning how to do that. Computers are easy for many people, but not all people. The Safe-Mode solution appeals to a '''minority '''of people who are comfortable with picking apart their browser and picking apart other things to find solutions, not the majority, who fear making things worse.
== This happened ==
Every time Firefox opened
== Today 6/22/2010

7) Stop telling people to remove add-ons and plug-ins and scripts. Firefox was made specifically to enable to build their own browsers. Firefox was made for the purpose of allowing people use all the add-ons and plug-ins and scripts they wanted. No other browser offers that range of add-on/plug-in/script support. Removing the add-ons and plug-ins and scripts eliminates the purpose of Firefox. If Mozilla representatives want to insist that removing add-ons and plug-ins and scripts are the solution, then Mozilla is telling us that its browser is no different from IE or Chrome, in which case Mozilla has given us a reason to stop using Mozilla.

How to solve hanging problem caused by the plugin-container.exe (instruction 0x0276609c)?

To whom it may concern,
I am not sure about the cause, however I have experienced hanging of the programme repeatedly. I have not been able to solve it otherwise than by ending the process via task manager (I am using Firefox 4.0.1 running on Win XP SP2). After doing so, a message appeared saying this:
"sw: plugin-container.exe application error
Instruction at the address 0x0276609c referred to the memory address 0x00000014. Impossible to execute memory operation: read. End the programme by clicking on the OK button."
I am sorry if my translation is not correct enough. I have tried to google the instruction number, but to no avail. Thus I have decided to ask you for help.
Thank you for your comprehension
JR

Try going to http://www.mozilla.org/plugincheck and see if your plugins are out of date.

I want to separate Flash players into multiple instances of plugin-container.exe

Let's say I'm watching a video online and I feel like playing a Flash game while watching it. Let's also assume that this Flash game, like many others, has no volume options and is obnoxiously loud, drowning out the video.
All running Flash players (even between separate windows of Firefox) share the same process, so if I try to drop the volume of the game in Windows 7, it drops the volume of the video as well.
Is there some way to get firefox to load Flash players into separate process so that Windows can give me volume control over each? Perhaps there is an addon that does this?
P.S. I tried the -no-remote command line option on Firefox, but it turns out that each instance of firefox.exe requires a separate profile (which is an issue if the game uses cookies). I'd rather be able to get one instance of firefox.exe to use multiple instances of plugin-container.exe.

Let's say I'm watching a video online and I feel like playing a Flash game while watching it. Let's also assume that this Flash game, like many others, has no volume options and is obnoxiously loud, drowning out the video.
All running Flash players (even between separate windows of Firefox) share the same process, so if I try to drop the volume of the game in Windows 7, it drops the volume of the video as well.
Is there some way to get firefox to load Flash players into separate process so that Windows can give me volume control over each? Perhaps there is an addon that does this?
P.S. I tried the -no-remote command line option on Firefox, but it turns out that each instance of firefox.exe requires a separate profile (which is an issue if the game uses cookies). I'd rather be able to get one instance of firefox.exe to use multiple instances of plugin-container.exe.

What causes multiple "plugin-container.exe" to run simultaneously?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for