Malwarebytes Won’t Open? 3 Ways to Fix

Are you having issues starting the Malwarebytes application?

You might be getting the alert that Malwarebytes can’t open.

Malwarebytes is a popular anti-malware product. Still, there are some bugs in the software that restricts the app to launch itself. Users have widely reported this problem in the software. Consequently, it exposes you to a variety of malware programs out there. Therefore, it is essential to remove this bug as soon as possible.

However, the support system of Malwarebytes isn’t impressive. You might even question whether Malwarebytes is good or not?

Therefore, we did our research to find solutions to this problem. You can use the below-mentioned working methods to solve the issue yourself.

So, without further raving, let’s get started.

Causes of Malwarebytes Not Opening on Windows

There are several reasons for getting the “Malwarebytes won’t open” alert. The reason might be small or severe. In both cases, we need to take immediate action to have the proper security of our data. Two significant reasons for this situation can be:

1. Malware Infection

Blackhat developers are becoming smarter by the day. It is possible to have malware in your system that prevents the antivirus program from starting. Malwarebytes has a mbam.exe executable file that needs to be working for launching Malwarebytes. Try renaming the mbam.exe executable file to get rid of the issue.

2. Corrupted User Account

If you are using a corrupted or faulty user account on your Windows PC, then it could be dangerous. The damaged user account can prevent many apps from launching like Malwarebytes. You can try to switch to a different user profile to solve the issue.

How to Fix Malwarebytes Not Opening on Windows

Method 1: Rename the Executable File.

Malware can block the launch of the executable, which is necessary to start the program. In other words, you are unable to open Malwarebytes on your Windows computer because there is malware on your system.

You can try to rename the Malwarebytes executable file to fix the problem.

Rename mbam.exe executable file

Step 1: Right-click on the shortcut icon of Malwarebytes on your system, then select the Open File Location option to open the parent folder.

Step 2: Find the mbam.exe file in the installation folder. Then, right-click on it and select the Rename option.

Step3: Change the name to explorer.exe. Explorer is an essential function in Windows. Therefore, no virus can block a file with this name.

Step 4: Try to run Malwarebytes. Then, click the scan option from the home screen to start a scan for viruses.

Step 5: Malwarebytes might first update its virus database, and it might take some time. Later, it should continue to scan.

Step 6: Restart your computer and check whether Malwarebytes is opening or not.

If the Malwarebytes won’t open problem still exists, then try another method from the list.

Method 2: Perform a Clean Install of Malwarebytes

Many users have suggested that reinstalling the program solves the issue. Beware, if you are using the premium version of Malwarebytes, then you should save the Activation ID and key before proceeding. Hopefully, you might still have the email consisting of the ID, if not follow the easy steps to get it from your PC.

Step 1: Press Windows key + R to start the Run program. Here, type Regedit to run Registry Editor. You can also type Regedit in the search bar to open the directory.

regedit

Step 2: Retrieve your Activation ID and key from the below location:

If your PC has Windows x64 64-Bit architecture, then the location is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware.

If your PC has Windows x86 32-Bit architecture, then the location is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware.

You are ready to proceed once you retrieve your Activation key and ID. Carefully follow the next steps to use your Malwarebytes premium version after reinstallation.

Step 3: Open MBAM and then open My Account. Select Deactivate. Find Settings and then find Advanced Settings. Then, uncheck the Enable self-protection module choice. 

Step 4: Turn off Malwarebytes and then download the mbam-clean.exe from Malwarebytes. Close all remaining programs and temporarily disable other security solutions.

Step 5: Run the mbam-clean.exe file and follow the instructions. You have to restart your PC when there is a prompt saying to do so.

Step 6: Download the latest version of Malwarebytes and follow the instructions mentioned on the screen.

Step 7: Uncheck trial and click the activation button after launching the program. If you were using a trial version, then this step is not applicable.

Step 8: Enter your activation ID and the key to activate your license of Malwarebytes.

Now, you are free to use your Malwarebytes premium software. Check whether the “Malwarebytes won’t open” problem still exists.

Method 3: Create a New User Account

If you are using a corrupt windows account, then it might be the reason for the problem. You can find the same issue with various apps under different titles.

Therefore, by creating a new user account, you can solve problems associated with multiple apps. Besides, your user account relates to you because of the personal information in it. Don’t worry; you can quickly transfer it to your new account.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to start the Run dialog box. Type cmd here and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open the command prompt as administrator.

command prompt

Step 2: Type control userpasswords2 in the window and press enter. It should initiate the User Accounts panel.

Create new user account

Step 3: Click the Add button and follow the instructions on the screen. Select the Sign in without a Microsoft account option if you want to create a non-Microsoft account.

Step 4: Click Next and then select Local Account in the next window to verify your choice. Further, fill the remaining details.

Step 5: After successfully creating the new account, log out of your current account. You can also type shutdown –L and press enter for the same result. Otherwise, you can press Alt + Ctrl + Delete and choose Switch user.

Step 6: Log in to your new account and check if the problem with Malwarebytes is solved. 

Conclusion

To summarize, we have discussed the working methods to solve the “Malwarebytes won’t open” issue on your Windows PC. All processes mentioned above are capable of solving your problem permanently. If you are still facing the problem, then you should switch to a better anti-malware application

Why is my Malwarebytes not opening?

Malwarebytes anti-malware application may not be opening due to several reasons. There might be an installation issue, technical problem, or context missing problems. However, the most common problem related to this error is the presence of malware infection on your system.

What is Malwarebytes Chameleon?

Malwarebytes Chameleon is a built-in utility tool in the Malwarebytes application. It helps to open the program when the usual ways fail to do so. When successfully started, you can command it to run a deep scan. Thus, it should eliminate the virus from your system that was causing the trouble. However, this method is only useful if the error is because of a malware infection. Besides, the success rate of Malwarebytes Chameleon is questionable.

How do I uninstall Malwarebytes?

1. Start Settings on your windows computer.
2. Then, go to Apps.
3. In the Apps & features window, look for Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.
4. Select it and click Uninstall.
5. Finally, click Uninstall to confirm the execution.

Is Malwarebytes necessary with Windows Defender?

Windows Defender can protect you from widespread viruses and worms. Opposite to that, Malwarebytes can protect you from uncommon and fresh threats. Also, it includes protection from ransomware, phishing attacks, and other benefits as compared to Windows Defender. Therefore it is always good to use an anti-malware app in combination with the antivirus product.

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