How to fix GPU usage spike to 100% on Windows

Does your GPU usage skyrocket to 100% even when you run less resource-intensive processes on your device? Does the game you play lag, stutter and sometimes hang even though the hardware you are using is top of the line? When Task Manager or third-party graphics software shows that your GPU is overloaded, it could be due to a software or hardware problem.

In this article, we will explore the reasons why the GPU can spike to its maximum limit and what you can do to fix it.

Why did GPU usage spike to 100%?

Several factors can cause your GPU usage to spike up to 100%, such as:

1. GPU is not connected properly.
2. Hardware failure has reduced the performance of the graphics card.
3. You are overloading the GPU by running more resource-intensive tasks than it can handle.
4. The game's resolution and frame rate are set too high.
5. The GPU manufacturer recently released a driver update that you have not installed.
6. Malware is silently draining your GPU resources.

Given these causes, let's take a closer look at how you can keep your GPU usage to a minimum.

6 ways to reduce GPU usage when it spikes

You can apply the following fixes to prevent GPU usage from reaching its maximum limit:

1. Check for hardware problems

First, make sure that the problem is not caused by an issue with your GPU hardware. To do that, boot into Safe Mode on Windows 11 (or Windows 10), which loads only the necessary files and drivers. If your GPU usage also spikes in Safe Mode, the problem may be hardware related. Therefore, do:

1. Make sure that the GPU is properly positioned in the PCI slot.
2. The power connections are plugged in correctly.
3. Other connections are not loose.
4. The GPU doesn't overheat.

Once you have checked everything above and nothing is the culprit, have a qualified technician check your GPU. But before doing that, you can try the other solutions listed in the article; they can help you fix the problem.

Conversely, booting your device in Safe Mode will solve the problem completely; then it means there is a software problem and not a hardware problem. Therefore, let's start working on the remaining fixes.

2. Stop Overloading the GPU

You may be stressing your GPU as much as possible, leading to 100% GPU usage in Task Manager. How to determine if this is true in your case? Kinda easy; just check the GPU requests of the process that consumes the most GPU resources in Task Manager.

For example, if GPU usage spikes to 100% while playing a particular game, check that game's recommended or required system requirements. If the GPU power the game needs is more than your graphics card can provide, the game will likely use up all the available processing power. As a result, GPU usage may reach its limit.

To reduce GPU usage, simply closing such a task is enough. Here are the steps you need to take to do this:

1. Right-click the Windows Start button and select Task Manager .

2. Sort processes by GPU usage by clicking the GPU column.

3. Right-click the process at the top of the list and select End Task.

If the above problem only occurs for a specific process, such as when playing a video game, then you should optimize your game settings to get the best performance without overloading your GPU. Lower the game's resolution and adjust the frame rate to achieve a balanced result. Also, turn off unnecessary settings like overlay and instant playback.

3. Make sure the device is not infected with malware

The presence of malware can also burden the GPU, which is one of the most often overlooked causes of excessive resource usage. Malware like the crypto hijacker infiltrates devices with only one goal: Using system resources for mining and other purposes. But how can you tell if your device has been hacked? Kinda easy!

In the Task Manager of the hacked device, you will find one or more shady processes using a lot of system resources. Therefore, you should follow the steps outlined above and filter out such shady processes. Once located, search for them on the web to see if they are problematic processes.

If true, perform an offline scan of Microsoft Defender or use a third-party antivirus program to locate and remove them.

4. Update the graphics card driver

Hardware graphics processing can also be affected by outdated graphics drivers. Therefore, if you haven't updated your graphics driver in a while, now is the time to do it. Not sure how to do that? Check out TipsMake's guide on how to update graphics card drivers. If updating graphics drivers doesn't work, you should uninstall and reinstall them.

5. Disable hardware acceleration

Another lesser known cause of GPU resource consumption is hardware acceleration. This process involves offloading graphics-intensive tasks to dedicated hardware, such as the GPU, to reduce the workload on the CPU. Although it improves CPU performance, it puts a strain on the GPU.

Many programs, including web browsers, games, graphic design software, and countless others, come with this feature. Therefore, if you find an application that is consuming too much resources and have enabled this feature, you should disable it.

6. Overclocking GPU

Is your GPU working at overclocked settings? If so, that could be the cause of the problem.

When done incorrectly, overclocking can seriously degrade GPU performance. GPUs that are overloaded, don't have enough airflow through them, or run at the wrong voltage are prone to instability. Worse yet, using the GPU in such situations can cause physical damage to the hardware.

Therefore, if you are using your GPU at overclocked settings, now is the time to change its settings to default. You should overclock your GPU, if possible. While you won't be able to get the same performance as before, improving overall efficiency will prevent a spike in GPU usage.

Marvin Fry

Update 27 June 2023