What Is the AllJoyn Router Service in Windows?

If you’ve ever spotted something called “AllJoyn Router Service” on your Windows computer and wondered what it is, you’re not alone. Many users come across this service in Task Manager or the Services list and feel confused about its purpose or whether it’s safe to keep.

Let’s break it down.

Understanding the AllJoyn Router Service

The AllJoyn Router Service (also known as AJRouter) is a background service in Windows designed to help devices and apps communicate with each other—especially in smart home or Internet of Things (IoT) setups.

It’s part of an open-source framework originally created by the AllSeen Alliance, later maintained by the Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF). The idea behind AllJoyn is to make sure that different smart devices—like TVs, cameras, speakers, and thermostats—can easily connect and share information, even if they’re made by different brands.

In short, this service acts as a bridge between your computer and other smart devices on your network.

Is It Safe?

Yes, the AllJoyn Router Service is completely safe. It’s developed and released by Microsoft as part of Windows, not malware or a virus.

If you’re worried about security, you can always scan your system using Windows Defender or any trusted antivirus software. The AllJoyn service will not be flagged as harmful.

Do You Really Need It?

For most users, no.
The AllJoyn Router Service is useful only if you’re connecting your PC to other IoT devices that rely on the AllJoyn framework.

If you’re just using your computer for regular tasks like browsing, gaming, or office work, this service doesn’t really do anything useful for you.

In fact:

• Gamers might want to turn it off to slightly reduce background activity.
• Everyday users can safely disable it without any side effects.
• Tech enthusiasts who use smart home integrations may prefer to keep it running.

So, keeping it enabled or disabling it is entirely your choice—it won’t break anything important in Windows.

How to Check or Disable the AllJoyn Router Service

If you want to see whether it’s active or disable it, here are a few ways to do it:

Option 1: Using the Services App

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
2. In the list, find AllJoyn Router Service.
3. Right-click it and select Properties.
4. Under Startup Type, choose Disabled.
5. Click Apply, then OK.

This will stop the service from starting automatically.

Option 2: Using Task Manager

1. Open Task Manager (right-click the taskbar or press Ctrl + Shift + Esc).
2. Go to the Services tab.
3. Find AllJoyn Router Service (AJRouter).
4. Right-click it and select Stop or End Task.

Option 3: Using Command Prompt

If you prefer using commands:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Type the following and press Enter:sc config AJRouter start= demand
3. Restart your PC.

This sets the service to start only when needed.

Technical Details (For Reference)

• Service name: AJRouter
• Executable path: C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe -k LocalServiceNetworkRestricted -p
• DLL file: C:\Windows\System32\AJRouter.dll
• Default startup type: Manual
• Account: NT AUTHORITY\LocalService

If the file is ever missing or corrupted, you can restore it from your Windows installation media.

Conclusion

The AllJoyn Router Service is a small Windows component that helps smart devices communicate through the Internet of Things. It’s perfectly safe and doesn’t harm your system, but most users don’t actually need it.

If you never connect your PC to smart devices or use IoT-based apps, you can disable it without worry. On the other hand, if it’s not causing any performance issues, there’s no harm in leaving it running quietly in the background.