diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 3c13811..f70302d 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
         "date-fns": "^4.1.0",
         "electron-squirrel-startup": "^1.0.1",
         "fastify": "^5.6.2",
+        "find-process": "^2.0.0",
         "happy-dom": "^20.0.10",
         "i18next": "^25.6.3",
         "i18next-browser-languagedetector": "^8.2.0",
@@ -10188,7 +10189,6 @@
       "version": "4.1.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/chalk/-/chalk-4.1.2.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-oKnbhFyRIXpUuez8iBMmyEa4nbj4IOQyuhc/wy9kY7/WVPcwIO9VA668Pu8RkO7+0G76SLROeyw9CpQ061i4mA==",
-      "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "ansi-styles": "^4.1.0",
@@ -13074,6 +13074,29 @@
         "node": ">=20"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/find-process": {
+      "version": "2.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/find-process/-/find-process-2.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-YUBQnteWGASJoEVVsOXy6XtKAY2O1FCsWnnvQ8y0YwgY1rZiKeVptnFvMu6RSELZAJOGklqseTnUGGs5D0bKmg==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "chalk": "~4.1.2",
+        "commander": "^12.1.0",
+        "loglevel": "^1.9.2"
+      },
+      "bin": {
+        "find-process": "dist/bin/find-process.js"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/find-process/node_modules/commander": {
+      "version": "12.1.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/commander/-/commander-12.1.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Vw8qHK3bZM9y/P10u3Vib8o/DdkvA2OtPtZvD871QKjy74Wj1WSKFILMPRPSdUSx5RFK1arlJzEtA4PkFgnbuA==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=18"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/find-up": {
       "version": "5.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/find-up/-/find-up-5.0.0.tgz",
@@ -13713,7 +13736,6 @@
       "version": "4.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/has-flag/-/has-flag-4.0.0.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-EykJT/Q1KjTWctppgIAgfSO0tKVuZUjhgMr17kqTumMl6Afv3EISleU7qZUzoXDFTAHTDC4NOoG/ZxU3EvlMPQ==",
-      "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=8"
@@ -16063,6 +16085,19 @@
         "url": "https://github.com/chalk/wrap-ansi?sponsor=1"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/loglevel": {
+      "version": "1.9.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/loglevel/-/loglevel-1.9.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-HgMmCqIJSAKqo68l0rS2AanEWfkxaZ5wNiEFb5ggm08lDs9Xl2KxBlX3PTcaD2chBM1gXAYf491/M2Rv8Jwayg==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">= 0.6.0"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "type": "tidelift",
+        "url": "https://tidelift.com/funding/github/npm/loglevel"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/long": {
       "version": "5.3.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/long/-/long-5.3.2.tgz",
@@ -19963,7 +19998,6 @@
       "version": "7.2.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/supports-color/-/supports-color-7.2.0.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-qpCAvRl9stuOHveKsn7HncJRvv501qIacKzQlO/+Lwxc9+0q2wLyv4Dfvt80/DPn2pqOBsJdDiogXGR9+OvwRw==",
-      "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "has-flag": "^4.0.0"
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b89b7be..19aef42 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@
     "date-fns": "^4.1.0",
     "electron-squirrel-startup": "^1.0.1",
     "fastify": "^5.6.2",
+    "find-process": "^2.0.0",
     "happy-dom": "^20.0.10",
     "i18next": "^25.6.3",
     "i18next-browser-languagedetector": "^8.2.0",
diff --git a/src/ipc/process/handler.ts b/src/ipc/process/handler.ts
index 3e1a49a..2104624 100644
--- a/src/ipc/process/handler.ts
+++ b/src/ipc/process/handler.ts
@@ -1,61 +1,131 @@
 import { exec, execSync } from 'child_process';
 import { promisify } from 'util';
+import findProcess from 'find-process';
 import { getAntigravityExecutablePath, isWsl } from '../../utils/paths';
 import { logger } from '../../utils/logger';
 
 const execAsync = promisify(exec);
 
+/**
+ * Helper process name patterns to exclude (Electron helper processes)
+ */
+const HELPER_PATTERNS = [
+  'helper',
+  'plugin',
+  'renderer',
+  'gpu',
+  'crashpad',
+  'utility',
+  'audio',
+  'sandbox',
+  'language_server',
+];
+
+/**
+ * Check if a process is a helper/auxiliary process that should be excluded.
+ * @param name Process name (lowercase)
+ * @param cmd Process command line (lowercase)
+ * @returns True if the process is a helper process
+ */
+function isHelperProcess(name: string, cmd: string): boolean {
+  const nameLower = name.toLowerCase();
+  const cmdLower = cmd.toLowerCase();
+
+  // Check for --type= argument (Electron helper process indicator)
+  if (cmdLower.includes('--type=')) {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  // Check for helper patterns in process name
+  for (const pattern of HELPER_PATTERNS) {
+    if (nameLower.includes(pattern)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Check for crashpad in path
+  if (cmdLower.includes('crashpad')) {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
 /**
  * Checks if the Antigravity process is running.
+ * Uses find-process package for robust cross-platform process detection.
  * @returns {boolean} True if the Antigravity process is running, false otherwise.
  */
 export async function isProcessRunning(): Promise<boolean> {
   try {
     const platform = process.platform;
-    let command = '';
+    const currentPid = process.pid;
 
-    if (platform === 'win32' || isWsl()) {
-      // Use absolute path for tasklist to be safe on Windows too
-      const cmd = isWsl()
-        ? '/mnt/c/Windows/System32/tasklist.exe'
-        : process.env.SystemRoot // Usually C:\Windows
-          ? `${process.env.SystemRoot}\\System32\\tasklist.exe`
-          : 'tasklist';
+    // Use find-process to search for Antigravity processes
+    // 'name' search type matches process name
+    const processes = await findProcess('name', 'Antigravity', true);
 
-      command = `${cmd} /FI "IMAGENAME eq Antigravity.exe" /NH`;
-    } else {
-      // macOS and Linux (native)
-      command = 'pgrep -xi Antigravity';
-    }
+    logger.debug(`Found ${processes.length} processes matching 'Antigravity'`);
 
-    logger.debug(`Checking process with command: ${command}`);
-    // Increased timeout to 4000ms to avoid flakiness with tasklist/wmic
-    try {
-      const { stdout } = await execAsync(command, { timeout: 4000 });
-      if (platform === 'win32' || isWsl()) {
-        return stdout.includes('Antigravity.exe');
-      } else {
-        // pgrep returns PIDs if found, empty if not
-        return stdout.trim().length > 0;
+    for (const proc of processes) {
+      // Skip self
+      if (proc.pid === currentPid) {
+        continue;
       }
-    } catch (cmdError) {
-      if (platform === 'win32' && !isWsl()) {
-        logger.warn('tasklist failed, trying wmic fallback...', cmdError);
-        // Fallback to wmic (filtered)
-        try {
-          const wmicCmd = 'wmic process where "name=\'Antigravity.exe\'" get ProcessId';
-          const { stdout } = await execAsync(wmicCmd, { timeout: 4000 });
-          return stdout.includes('ProcessId');
-        } catch (wmicError) {
-          logger.error('wmic fallback also failed', wmicError);
-          return false;
+
+      const name = proc.name?.toLowerCase() || '';
+      const cmd = proc.cmd?.toLowerCase() || '';
+
+      // Skip manager process
+      if (
+        name.includes('manager') ||
+        cmd.includes('manager') ||
+        cmd.includes('antigravity-manager')
+      ) {
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      // Skip helper processes
+      if (isHelperProcess(name, cmd)) {
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      if (platform === 'darwin') {
+        // macOS: Check for Antigravity.app in path
+        if (cmd.includes('antigravity.app')) {
+          logger.debug(
+            `Found Antigravity process: PID=${proc.pid}, name=${name}, cmd=${cmd.substring(0, 100)}`,
+          );
+          return true;
+        }
+        // Also check if the process name is exactly 'Antigravity' (main process)
+        if (name === 'antigravity' && !isHelperProcess(name, cmd)) {
+          logger.debug(`Found Antigravity process: PID=${proc.pid}, name=${name}`);
+          return true;
+        }
+      } else if (platform === 'win32') {
+        // Windows: Check for Antigravity.exe
+        if (name === 'antigravity.exe' || name === 'antigravity') {
+          logger.debug(`Found Antigravity process: PID=${proc.pid}, name=${name}`);
+          return true;
+        }
+      } else {
+        // Linux: Check for antigravity in name or path (but not tools)
+        if (
+          (name.includes('antigravity') || cmd.includes('/antigravity')) &&
+          !name.includes('tools')
+        ) {
+          logger.debug(
+            `Found Antigravity process: PID=${proc.pid}, name=${name}, cmd=${cmd.substring(0, 100)}`,
+          );
+          return true;
         }
       }
-      throw cmdError;
     }
+
+    return false;
   } catch (error) {
-    logger.error('Error checking process status:', error);
-    // pgrep returns exit code 1 if no process found
+    logger.error('Error checking process status with find-process:', error);
     return false;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/tests/unit/process.test.ts b/src/tests/unit/process.test.ts
index 6cf32b6..1ee5930 100644
--- a/src/tests/unit/process.test.ts
+++ b/src/tests/unit/process.test.ts
@@ -1,55 +1,182 @@
-import { describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
-import { isProcessRunning, closeAntigravity, startAntigravity } from '../../ipc/process/handler';
-import { exec } from 'child_process';
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest';
 
-vi.mock('child_process', () => {
-  return {
-    exec: vi.fn(),
-    default: { exec: vi.fn() },
-  };
-});
-
-// Mock promisify to return a function that returns a promise
-vi.mock('util', () => ({
-  promisify: (fn: unknown) => fn,
-  default: { promisify: (fn: unknown) => fn },
+// Mock find-process module
+vi.mock('find-process', () => ({
+  default: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
+// Mock logger to avoid console output during tests
+vi.mock('../../utils/logger', () => ({
+  logger: {
+    debug: vi.fn(),
+    info: vi.fn(),
+    warn: vi.fn(),
+    error: vi.fn(),
+  },
+}));
+
+// Mock paths module to avoid child_process issues
+vi.mock('../../utils/paths', () => ({
+  getAntigravityExecutablePath: vi.fn(() => '/path/to/antigravity'),
+  isWsl: vi.fn(() => false),
+}));
+
+// Import after mocks are set up
+import { isProcessRunning, closeAntigravity, startAntigravity } from '../../ipc/process/handler';
+import findProcess from 'find-process';
+
 describe('Process Handler', () => {
-  it('should check if process is running', async () => {
-    // Mock exec to return stdout
-    const execMock = exec as unknown as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
-    execMock.mockImplementation((cmd, cb) => {
-      if (cb) cb(null, { stdout: '12345' }, { stderr: '' });
-      return { stdout: '12345' };
+  const mockFindProcess = findProcess as unknown as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  describe('isProcessRunning', () => {
+    it('should return true when Antigravity main process is found on macOS', async () => {
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: 'darwin', configurable: true });
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'pid', { value: 1000, configurable: true });
+
+      mockFindProcess.mockResolvedValue([
+        {
+          pid: 12345,
+          name: 'Antigravity',
+          cmd: '/Applications/Antigravity.app/Contents/MacOS/Antigravity',
+        },
+      ]);
+
+      const result = await isProcessRunning();
+      expect(result).toBe(true);
+      expect(mockFindProcess).toHaveBeenCalledWith('name', 'Antigravity', true);
     });
 
-    // Wait, promisify wraps exec.
-    // If I mock exec, promisify(exec) will use the mock.
-    // But my mock implementation needs to match what promisify expects or I need to mock the promisified function.
-    // Since I mocked 'util', promisify returns the fn itself.
-    // So execAsync IS exec.
-    // But exec signature is (cmd, options, callback) or (cmd, callback).
-    // My implementation calls execAsync(command).
-    // So I should mock exec to return a Promise if I mocked promisify to return fn?
-    // No, if promisify returns fn, then `await execAsync(cmd)` means `await exec(cmd)`.
-    // `exec` returns a ChildProcess, not a Promise.
-    // So my mock of `util` is wrong if I want `await execAsync` to work.
-    // Better to mock the module that exports execAsync if possible, or mock `util` correctly.
-    // Or just mock `child_process` and use `vi.mocked(exec)`.
-    // But `promisify` is the key.
+    it('should return false when only helper processes are found', async () => {
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: 'darwin', configurable: true });
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'pid', { value: 1000, configurable: true });
 
-    // Let's rely on vitest mocking capabilities.
-    // If I don't mock util, promisify will wrap the mocked exec.
-    // The mocked exec should behave like real exec (taking a callback).
+      mockFindProcess.mockResolvedValue([
+        {
+          pid: 12346,
+          name: 'Antigravity Helper (Renderer)',
+          cmd: '/Applications/Antigravity.app/Contents/Frameworks/Antigravity Helper (Renderer).app --type=renderer',
+        },
+        {
+          pid: 12347,
+          name: 'Antigravity Helper (GPU)',
+          cmd: '/Applications/Antigravity.app/Contents/Frameworks/Antigravity Helper (GPU).app --type=gpu-process',
+        },
+      ]);
+
+      const result = await isProcessRunning();
+      expect(result).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should return false when only manager process is found', async () => {
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: 'darwin', configurable: true });
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'pid', { value: 1000, configurable: true });
+
+      mockFindProcess.mockResolvedValue([
+        {
+          pid: 12348,
+          name: 'Antigravity Manager',
+          cmd: '/Applications/Antigravity Manager.app/Contents/MacOS/Antigravity Manager',
+        },
+      ]);
+
+      const result = await isProcessRunning();
+      expect(result).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should return false when no processes are found', async () => {
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: 'darwin', configurable: true });
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'pid', { value: 1000, configurable: true });
+
+      mockFindProcess.mockResolvedValue([]);
+
+      const result = await isProcessRunning();
+      expect(result).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should skip self process', async () => {
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: 'darwin', configurable: true });
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'pid', { value: 12345, configurable: true });
+
+      mockFindProcess.mockResolvedValue([
+        {
+          pid: 12345, // Same as current PID
+          name: 'Antigravity',
+          cmd: '/Applications/Antigravity.app/Contents/MacOS/Antigravity',
+        },
+      ]);
+
+      const result = await isProcessRunning();
+      expect(result).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should return true when Antigravity.exe is found on Windows', async () => {
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: 'win32', configurable: true });
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'pid', { value: 1000, configurable: true });
+
+      mockFindProcess.mockResolvedValue([
+        {
+          pid: 12345,
+          name: 'Antigravity.exe',
+          cmd: 'C:\\Program Files\\Antigravity\\Antigravity.exe',
+        },
+      ]);
+
+      const result = await isProcessRunning();
+      expect(result).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should return true when antigravity is found on Linux', async () => {
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: 'linux', configurable: true });
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'pid', { value: 1000, configurable: true });
+
+      mockFindProcess.mockResolvedValue([
+        {
+          pid: 12345,
+          name: 'antigravity',
+          cmd: '/usr/bin/antigravity',
+        },
+      ]);
+
+      const result = await isProcessRunning();
+      expect(result).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should handle find-process errors gracefully', async () => {
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: 'darwin', configurable: true });
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'pid', { value: 1000, configurable: true });
+
+      mockFindProcess.mockRejectedValue(new Error('Process enumeration failed'));
+
+      const result = await isProcessRunning();
+      expect(result).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should exclude processes with --type= argument', async () => {
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: 'darwin', configurable: true });
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'pid', { value: 1000, configurable: true });
+
+      mockFindProcess.mockResolvedValue([
+        {
+          pid: 12345,
+          name: 'Antigravity',
+          cmd: '/Applications/Antigravity.app/Contents/MacOS/Antigravity --type=utility',
+        },
+      ]);
+
+      const result = await isProcessRunning();
+      expect(result).toBe(false);
+    });
   });
 
-  // Skip complex mocking tests for now as they are fragile without proper setup.
-  // I'll write a basic test structure.
-
-  it('should be defined', () => {
-    expect(isProcessRunning).toBeDefined();
-    expect(closeAntigravity).toBeDefined();
-    expect(startAntigravity).toBeDefined();
+  describe('Module exports', () => {
+    it('should export all required functions', () => {
+      expect(isProcessRunning).toBeDefined();
+      expect(closeAntigravity).toBeDefined();
+      expect(startAntigravity).toBeDefined();
+    });
   });
 });