How to Fix High CPU Usage

High CPU usage can indicate a number of problems. If a program consumes too much of the processor, it is likely not performing well. CPU overload is also a sign that your computer is infected with a virus or malware and should be treated immediately. Or your computer simply can't keep up with the tasks you perform, perhaps you need to upgrade your computer.

Windows

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Press . Ctrl+ ⇧ Shift+ Esc to open Task Manager. This is a utility that monitors and reports all processes and programs running on the computer.

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Click . Processes tab. The screen will display all the processes running on the computer.

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Click on the "CPU" column. It will sort processes based on CPU usage.

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Find the process using the most CPU. Typically, you will see one process consuming nearly 99-100% CPU, or two different processes using 50% CPU.

Many games and multimedia programs will use 100% CPU when running. This is normal because these programs are designed to run alone.

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Record the "Image name" of the process. So you can use this name to look up how to limit CPU overload.

On Windows 8, you can see the full name instead of the system name of the process. This will make the identification process much easier.

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Select the offending program and click the button. End Process . You are asked to confirm that you want to force the program to shut down.

On Windows 8, click the End task button.

Forcing a program to shut down can cause you to lose actions you haven't saved yet. Forcing a system process to shut down can cause the computer to hang if not restarted.

You do not need to force "System Idle Process" to turn off. Although this process consumes a lot of CPU, it really doesn't use that much. When System Idle Process uses a lot of CPU, your computer has a lot of process power available.

If you have difficulty forcing a program to shut down, please refer to some online articles for more details.

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Determine how to fix a program that is not working. Search for the name of the program you forced to disable online. Here's how to help you determine the effects of this process as well as steps to fix 100% CPU usage. There are some typical ways to help you fix the CPU usage of a specific program:

Uninstall - If the program is not needed, uninstalling it is the simplest way so it doesn't slow down the system.

Reinstall or update - Many times a bug in a program causes it to consume a lot of CPU. Reinstalling the program and updating to a new version from the developer may fix the problem you are having.

Remove a program that starts with your computer - If a program is causing your computer to start slowly but you still need it, you can prevent it from starting with your computer.

Run a virus and malware scan - if malware is detected, you'll need to remove it with an anti-virus and anti-malware program. This can be a complicated process, and you may not be able to remove the virus without reinstalling Windows. You can refer to online articles to learn how to remove viruses and malware.

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Check Energy settings (on laptop). If you use a laptop and are not plugged in, the computer will automatically slow down to save battery life. Adjusting power settings can help you increase the processor's capabilities, but shorten the time between battery charges.

Open Control Panel and select "Power Options". If you don't see this option, click "Hardware and Sound" then select "Power Options".

Click "Show additional plans" to expand the list.

Select "High performance". This is an option that unlocks the full capabilities of the processor.

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Upgrading hardware if any program is enabled will consume CPU. If your CPU is constantly overloaded and no program is too heavy, you should probably upgrade your computer hardware.

You can use USB to increase available system memory.

Upgrade RAM. Adding RAM is also a way to reduce the burden on the processor.

Upgrade the processor.

Mac

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Open Activity Monitor. Go to the Applications folder > Utilities. Or go directly to that folder by clicking the "Go" menu and selecting "Utilities".

Activity Monitor shows all running processes on Mac.

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Click on the "CPU" column. Processes will be sorted according to current CPU usage.

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Find the process consuming the most CPU. Typically, you will see one program using 99-100%, or several programs using 50% CPU.

Many multimedia editing programs use 100% CPU when running, especially when encoding, recording, or rendering graphics. This is normal because programs are designed to make maximum use of your processor.

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Note down the "Process name" of the process that is not working properly. So you can look up how to limit CPU overload online.

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Select the offending program and click "Quit Process". You are asked to confirm that you want to force the process to shut down.

Forcing a program to shut down can cause you to lose actions you haven't saved yet. Forcing a system process to shut down can cause the machine to shut down until restarted.

If you have difficulty finishing the process, refer to online articles to learn how to force programs on Mac to shut down.

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Uninstall - If the program is not needed, uninstalling it is the simplest way so it doesn't slow down the system.

Reinstall or update - Many times a bug in a program causes it to consume a lot of CPU. Reinstalling the program and updating to a new version from the developer may fix the problem you are having.

Remove a program that starts with your computer - If a program is causing your computer to start slowly but you still need it, you can prevent it from starting with your computer.

Run a virus and malware scan - if malware is detected, you'll need to remove it with an anti-virus and anti-malware program. Macs don't often get viruses, but sometimes they do. Malware is more common and it greatly affects the processor. One of the effective anti-malware tools is AdWare Medic, which you can download for free atadwaremedic.com.

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Remove files from the desktop. The Mac will create a preview of the entire file on the desktop, if you store a lot of video files they will quickly overload the processor and cause the Finder to use 100% CPU. Move files from your desktop into a folder, so your computer only slows down when you open the folder.

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Upgrade your hardware if you have problems running any program. If you continuously use 100% CPU and don't see any unusual programs, you should consider upgrading your hardware. There are fewer options on Mac than on Windows computers, but you can still upgrade RAM to improve performance.

Refer to online articles to learn how to upgrade RAM. Adding RAM can reduce the burden on the processor.