The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain of any computer and is in charge of carrying out any commands you give it. Apps may lag or shut down when those resources are stressed, the cursor may move slowly, and the computer may begin to heat up.
Fortunately, with Windows 10, there are fast techniques to determine if your CPU is overworked and reduce CPU consumption.
How to Check CPU usage on Windows 10
Before we look at ways to reduce your CPU consumption, it's a good idea to figure out which apps or processes are causing the problem. You won't have to waste time experimenting with ideas that aren't applicable to your problem.
To check CPU use, follow the instructions below:
- By pressing and holding Ctrl + Shift + ESC on your keyboard, you can open the Windows Task Manager (Ctrl + Alt + Delete) and clicking on Task Manager.
- Locate the Processes and Performance tabs, which will help you figure out what's causing the high CPU consumption. To sort by CPU utilization, select the top of the column.
- Identify the Services and System Processes that are consuming your computer's RAM and power, such as wsappx, dwm.exe, ntoskrnl.exe, or csrss.exe.
- You can try to remedy the problem right away by right-clicking on the process and selecting End Task.
If the CPU utilisation exceeds 50% for more than 10 minutes, the process should be terminated. Windows occasionally runs background checks or updates that result in significant CPU consumption for a short period of time.
Also, completing the assignment is only a band-aid approach that does not solve the problem. For advice on permanently resolving this problem, read the fixes below.
How to Reduce CPU Utilization in Windows 10
To diagnose, troubleshoot, and reduce CPU utilisation on Windows 10, use the options listed below.
Quick Solutions
To reduce CPU consumption on your Windows 10 PC, try the following easy remedies:
- To clear away temporary files and perhaps address slowdowns in long-running processes, save your work and restart your computer.
- Uncheck any background processes that may be running in Task Manager's Startup tab to stop them. To see which programmes are the most resource hungry, sort by Startup effect. To prevent your computer from restarting automatically, restart it.
- Update your drivers to fix any flaws or difficulties with compatibility. To update important drivers, go to Start > Settings > Updates & Security > Check for Updates.
- If you're unsure about the BIOS version on your PC, consult our tutorial on BIOS versions and upgrade your BIOS, which may resolve the CPU utilisation issue.
- Scan your hard drive for any virus or malware threats that are causing your CPU to overwork.
- Temporarily disable third-party antivirus software, firewall software, or VPN software to see if this helps reduce CPU utilisation.
- WMI Provider Host (WmiPrvSE.exe) should be found in Task Manager. Turn off the process and then turn it back on if the CPU use is nearly 100%. If a different programme is generating the high CPU utilisation, you can either disable it or uninstall it.
- To correct any corrupted files in your system, run a System File Checker scan.
- Install the most recent version of Windows 10 as well as any available updates. You can also temporarily deactivate automatic Windows Update downloads on your computer.
- Check if the excessive CPU consumption is still present in Safe Mode. If not, third-party software could be at blame for the high CPU usage. You can use our guide to clean boot your computer, which will help you figure out which programme or process is causing the high CPU consumption.
- Disable Cortana and see if it helps if one of the programmes causing excessive CPU consumption is Cortana.
- To relieve some of the strain on your processor, add more RAM to your computer.
- Check your power supply. If your power supply fails, it may start undervolting your CPU to save energy. As a result, the CPU is unable to operate at full capability.
Check Your Power Options
Some power settings may cause your computer's CPU speed to be throttled, affecting its performance. It's worthwhile to experiment with both the Balanced and High Performance power plans to see which one reduces CPU usage the most. We'll show you how to enable High Performance mode in the section below, but if you're currently using it, change to Balanced.
- Select Open after typing Edit Power Plan in the search box.
- In the address bar, type Power Options.
- Select Make a power strategy.
- Make a non-power-saving plan active.
- To launch Task Manager, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and see if your CPU utilisation has returned to normal.
Disable Superfetch
Superfetch (Sysmain) is a resource-intensive feature in Windows 10 that boosts system performance by preloading commonly used programmes into RAM before they are launched. You can turn it off by following the instructions below to test if it lowers CPU consumption.
- Right-click Start and select Run.
- In the Run dialogue box, type services.msc and then click Enter.
- In the Services window, scroll down to Sysmain, right-click it, and select Properties.
- Disabled is selected from the drop-down box next to Startup type.
- Select Apply, restart your computer, and see if the CPU utilisation has decreased.
