Fix “Process with an Id of #### is not running” Error in Visual Studio (IIS Express Crash)

If you’re getting this Visual Studio error:

Process with an Id of #### is not running.

It usually means IIS Express (or the Visual Studio debug process) has crashed or stopped unexpectedly while Visual Studio is still attached.

This isn’t an application code issue — it’s a runtime or IDE glitch.
Here’s how you can fix it quickly 👇

1. Stop All IIS Express Processes

• Close the browser and stop debugging (Shift + F5).

• Open Task Manager → Details tab.

• End all processes named:

  iisexpress.exe
  

• Once done, restart debugging (F5).

2. Delete IIS Express Temporary Config

Sometimes a corrupted configuration file causes this problem.

• Navigate to:

  %USERPROFILE%\Documents\IISExpress\config
  

• Rename or delete the file:

  applicationhost.config
  

• Visual Studio will automatically recreate it when you start debugging again.

3. Clean and Rebuild Your Project

In Visual Studio:

Build → Clean Solution  
Build → Rebuild Solution

This ensures any leftover temporary build data is removed.

4. Run Visual Studio as Administrator

IIS Express may fail to bind to ports without admin privileges.
Right-click on Visual Studio → Run as Administrator, then try again.

5. (Optional) Switch to Local IIS Instead of IIS Express

If the issue keeps happening:

• Go to Project Properties → Web → Servers.

• Select Local IIS instead of IIS Express.

• Ensure your app runs under Default Web Site.

6. Check Windows Hotspot (Extra Tip)

If all the above steps fail, try turning off your Windows Hotspot.
In some cases, hotspot network conflicts can interfere with IIS Express binding and cause this exact error.