Fix 100% CPU or High CPU Usage on Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, Acer, Surface Windows 10 PC
Overview: 100 % CPU usage is one of the most frustrating issues on Windows. It makes the system almost unusable when the CPU usage goes high, this results in freezing and very slow performance. Today in this post we will troubleshoot and fix high CPU usage on PC.
Let’s Start with Few Practical Scenarios
Scenario 1: Dell Inspiron High CPU Usage
My Dell Inspiron is constantly at or close to 100% CPU usage. It is also generating a lot of heat resulting in the fan constantly running and the battery is quickly depleted. I have updated it to the most recent update and have run multiple scans for viruses but the problem has not been solved. Is there a way for me to find out what the problem is? Thanks
Source: Dell Community
Scenario 2: Windows 10 Causes the Problem of High CPU Usage
After upgrading from Windows 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 Pro, I am facing a problem of high CPU usage. Sometimes it goes beyond 90%. I have Dell Inspiron 7548 with 16GB RAM, Which was running perfectly fine with Windows 8.1 but everything go wrong with Windows 10. My touchpad mouse seems like hanged. no smoothness while I moving the mouse on the screen.
Source: Microsoft Community
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Run Hardware Test
In some cases, high CPU usage is because of the hardware is the failure, run hardware test on your computer to be sure about it. If any hardware component has failed, hardware test will let you know about it and you can replace that faulty hardware, For Dell system – start your system and then immediately keep on tapping F12, select Diagnostic to run the hardware test.
Perform Clean Boot and Disable Startup Applications from Task Manager to Fix High CPU usage
Type in msconfig in Windows search box and click on System Configuration.
Click the Services tab and check the box to Hide all Microsoft Services, then click the Disable All button and hit Apply.
Now click on the Startup tab, then click on Open Task Manager.
Click each of the Startup programs in the list then click the Disable button. Disable all.
Close the Task Manager window.
Click OK on the System Configuration window to save your changes and restart your computer.
End High CPU Usage Apps from Task Manager to Fix High CPU usage
Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc on the keyboard to open Task Manager. Under the Processes tab close all the high CPU consuming apps which you do not need.
Close Unnecessary and Background Apps to Fix High CPU usage
Close all the apps and programs which you are not using. Doing this will reduce the CPU usage.
Open Windows 10 setting by pressing Windows + I key on the keyboard, click on Privacy and then scroll down and select Background apps and disable all the apps which you do not need.
Disable Some Microsoft Services in Windows 10 to Fix High CPU usage
Open Run box by pressing Win +R and then type in services.msc and hit OK.
Find below services.
Superfetch
BitLocker Drive Encryption Service
Background Intelligent Transfer Service
Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service
Windows Search
Select these services and make a right click and go to properties and then select startup type to disabled and then hit Apply and ok.
Restart Windows Management Instrumentation Services to Fix High CPU usage
Open Run box by pressing Win +R and then type in services.msc and hit OK.
Find Windows Management Instrumentation Services, make a right click on it and click on Restart.
Run System Maintenance Troubleshooter to Fix High CPU usage
Open Run box by pressing Win +R and then type in Control and hit OK to open Control Panel.
On the top right side in View by option select Small icons and click on Troubleshooting.
Now click on System and Security and then click on System Maintenance to run the troubleshooter.
Uninstall Third-party Applications to Fix High CPU usage
Uninstall all the unnecessary third party application from your system which you do not use.
Open Run box by pressing Win +R and then type in appwiz.cpl and hit OK. This will bring up the list of all the programs installed in your PC, select the one you want to uninstall and click on uninstall as shown below
Dell Users: Please uninstall a program named Smartbyte from the system- it causes 100% CPU usage and disk usage and slows down your internet speed.
Update Antivirus and Run Virus Scan to Fix High CPU usage
Virus or any kind of potentially harmful issue can cause high CPU usage. Run a virus scan on your computer. Use Windows Defender to run a scan, in case if you have any other antivirus on your system you can use that to run a system scan.
Type in Windows Defender in Windows search box to open Windows Security and click on Virus & threat protection to run a scan.
Always make sure that your Antivirus is up to date.
Update your System Drivers and Windows to Fix High CPU usage
All Windows 10 users must update their system drivers provided by the system manufacturers- Dell Users can visit the below link and enter the service tag number of the system and select Drivers and Downloads and click on Detect Drivers to install the latest updates.
All Windows users should always update their system BIOS to the latest. Updating System BIOS can fix multiple issues with your system.
Update Windows 10
Open Windows 10 Settings by pressing Window + I on the keyboard and go to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update > Check for updates. From here you can update the Windows 10.
Click on Check for Updates and update your Windows, restart your PC after Windows update so that it can install those updates.
Run Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter to Fix High CPU usage
Sometimes corrupt Microsoft store can cause high CPU usage, to fix this run Microsoft Store Apps Troubleshooter.
Open Windows 10 Settings by pressing Window + I on the keyboard and go to Settings > Update & security >Troubleshoot.
Find Windows Store Apps and click on Run the troubleshooter.
Run Microsoft Safety Scanner to Fix High CPU usage
Visit this link to run Run Microsoft Safety Scanner. Many users were able to resolve high CPU usage by running this scan.
Disable Allow Downloads from Other PCs to Fix High CPU usage
Open Windows 10 Settings by pressing Window + I on the keyboard and go to Settings > Update & security.
Click on Advanced options
On the next screen click on Delivery Optimization and then Toggle off Allow downloads from other PCs.
Modify Windows Notification to Fix High CPU usage
Open Windows 10 Settings by pressing Window + I on the keyboard and go to Settings >System>Notifications & Actions and toggle off Get tips, tricks and suggestions as you use Windows.
Adjust for Best Performance to Fix High CPU usage
In Windows 10 search box type Performance and then select Adjust the appearance and performance of windows. Under the Visual Effects tab, select Adjust for best performance > Apply. Restart your system.
Fix Corrupted Windows System Files to Fix High CPU usage
In Windows search box type in Powershell and make a right click on Windows Powershell and click on Run as administrator and click Yes.
On the Windows PowerShell Window please paste or type in this command dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and hit the enter key on the keyboard (note the space between “dism.exe” and “/” and each switch (/)). This will find corrupted windows file and it will fix it.
Run System File Checker (SFC Scan): In Windows search box type in Powershell and make a right click on Windows Powershell and click on Run as administrator and click Yes. On the Windows PowerShell Window please paste or type in this command sfc /scannow (note the space between “sfc” and the “/”). It will take some time to complete. This will find corrupted windows file and it will fix it.
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Perform System Restore
If you think that after installing some driver, updates or installing any app might have caused high CPU usage then you can restore your PC from a system restore point. Restoring your PC undoes recent changes made to the PC.
Please keep in mind that restoring your PC will not affect your personal files but it will remove apps and updates that were installed after the restore point.
To perform a system restore type System Restore in Windows search box and click on Create a restore point
Under System Protection click on System restore
Once you click on system restore it will give you two options, recommended restore or Choose a different restore point as shown below. Select a date which you think is related to the app, driver or update which has caused the high CPU usage and then click on next.
Select the date and click on next
Confirm your restore point and click on Finish.
It will take time to complete restore, your system may restart several times during the process. Once done start using the system.
Reset Your PC/ Reinstall the OS
If all the above steps do not resolve the high CPU usage issue then you might have to reinstall the Windows 10 on the system as it might have gone corrupt. Please note that you will lose all the data and the apps you installed on the system so please backup your data before you reinstall Windows 10. To know how to reinstall the Windows 10 on your PC you can visit the below link.
Wrap Up
I hope this post helped you to fix 100 % or high CPU usage on your PC.
