What to do if the computer CPU usage is too high? Test 8 solutions!

What does CPU refer to?
Before solving the problem of excessive CPU usage, let’s first understand what CPU is.

The central processing unit (CPU) is a large-scale integrated circuit that serves as the computational and control core of computer systems.
The main function of the CPU is to interpret computer instructions and process data in computer software.
The central processing unit mainly consists of two parts, namely the controller and the arithmetic unit, which also includes the high-speed buffer memory and the data and control bus that realize the connection between them.
The CPU, internal memory, and input/output devices are collectively referred to as the three core components of an electronic computer.
What is CPU
Reasons for high CPU usage
Excessive CPU usage can cause the computer to run slower, increase in temperature, and then cause the computer to crash or restart. In fact, there are two reasons to consider when dealing with high CPU usage in computers: software and hardware, with hardware playing a decisive role.

Reason 1: High CPU usage due to hardware issues
What to do if the computer CPU usage is too high? In fact, hardware plays a decisive role. If a computer is still a big old master and uses a single core processor, then such a computer can easily lead to excessive CPU usage when opening a few more web pages. No matter how you optimize the system, this problem cannot be solved well, mainly because the hardware itself is too low.

Reason 2. High CPU usage caused by software
This mainly involves system issues, such as system bloating, opening too many programs, and viruses and Trojans in the computer, which can lead to high CPU usage and slow computer speed. The main solution is to focus on system optimization, optimize startup options, and try to avoid opening too many programs. We will provide a detailed introduction below.

What to do if the computer CPU usage is too high?
Due to hardware issues, we can only solve them through hardware upgrades. Therefore, we will not go into too much detail here. Below, we will mainly focus on optimizing the system and software to release CPU usage. This method is suitable for situations where CPU usage is high but not very serious. If it is too serious, it is recommended to start with hardware upgrades.

Method 1. Excluding viral infections
In the case of viruses or Trojans in a computer, viruses and Trojan malicious programs are likely to consume a large amount of CPU resources, especially some stubborn virus Trojans, which have been maliciously circulating and infecting various system files, occupying a large amount of CPU resources. This situation can easily lead to high CPU usage, and even higher CPUs cannot withstand repeated and large amounts of malicious programs running. Therefore, if CPU usage is found to be too high, we should first determine whether the computer is infected with a virus, and it is recommended to use antivirus software (such as Windows Defender firewall) for comprehensive investigation.

Windows Defender Firewall
Method 2. Close unnecessary program processes
Opening too many programs can easily lead to excessive CPU usage, and nowadays antivirus software generally incorporates real-time monitoring functions for web pages, emails, and personal privacy, which undoubtedly increases the burden on the system. So closing some unnecessary programs and antivirus software is the direct way to solve the problem of high CPU usage.

1. Enter Task Manager in the search box in the bottom left corner, and click Enter to enter Task Manager.

Enter Task Manager
After entering task management, you can see which applications are running.

See which applications are running

3. Then click on the Performance option, then click on CPU, and then click on Open Resource Monitor below.

Open Resource Monitor
After entering the resource monitor, click on the CPU option to see the program that is currently running.

Seeing the program currently running

5. Right click on the process that needs to be closed and select End Process on the pop-up page.

End process
Method 3. Turn off excess startup items during startup
Nowadays, many software installations are automatically added to the system startup menu, which also takes up some CPU processes after startup. We can close some unnecessary startup items through simple settings.

1. Enter Task Manager in the search box in the bottom left corner, and click Enter to enter Task Manager.

Enter Task Manager

2. Click on the startup option in the Task Manager window, right-click on the process that needs to be closed for startup, and click disable on the pop-up interface.

Disabled
Method 4. Turn off P2P
As long as we download a Windows software update once, the computer will distribute the software update to all computers on your local network. But in fact, it is not only shared with local computers, but also likely to be shared with other computers through the Internet. The P2P sharing of Win10 will slow down the network connection speed and also occupy your CPU, so turning off P2P is also one of the methods to solve the problem of high CPU usage.

1. Click on Settings in the Start menu bar.

set up

2. Click on the Windows Settings window for updates and security.

Update and Security

3. Click on the update and security page to optimize the delivery, and turn off allowing downloads from other computers.

Allow downloads from other computers
Method 5. Modify the number of processors

1. Simultaneously hold down Win+r to open the run box, enter the msconfig command, and click enter.

Carriage return

2. Click on the guide, then click on the advanced options.

Advanced Options

3. Click on the option box below the number of processors, select the larger number, and then click OK.

confirm

4. Restarting the computer will take effect, allowing your CPU performance to be fully released and easily solving the problem of excessive CPU usage.

Method 6. Turn off the Windows Homegroup service
The Windows system defaults to enabling this service, but for most people, this feature is not available, and disabling it will not affect the normal use of the computer. This feature will also occupy some CPU, so we can simply turn it off.

1. Simultaneously hold down Win+r to open the run box, enter the msconfig command, and click enter.

Carriage return

2. In the pop-up system configuration interface, click on the service to find HomeGroup Listener and HomeGroup Provider, uncheck them, and then click on Apply and Confirm. If this option is not available, it can be ignored.

system configuration
Method 7. Turn off Windows prompt function
When using a computer in daily life, our unintentional actions may cause the system to pop up message prompts. For example, in daily life, when we connect a USB drive to the computer, the system prompt will pop up. Although it may seem like a small prompt, it actually occupies a considerable amount of CPU resources.

1. Click on Settings in the Start menu bar.

set up

2. Click on the system in the Windows settings window.

system

3. Click on the notifications and actions on the system page to turn off receiving notifications from applications and other senders.

Get notifications from apps and other senders
Method 8. Update Driver Program
Outdated or incompatible drivers may cause an increase in CPU usage. This issue can be resolved by updating the driver. You can check and update drivers in the Device Manager, or download new drivers from the official website of the hardware manufacturer.

1. Right click on the “Start” menu and select “Device Manager”.
2. Select your hard drive, then right-click on it and select “Update Driver” from the list.

Updating Drivers

3. In the pop-up window, select “Auto search for drivers”.

Automatic search for drivers

The above are the reasons for high CPU usage and 7 solutions to deal with high CPU usage. If you encounter problems with high CPU usage, you can follow the methods provided in this article to solve them. I hope this article can be helpful to everyone. In addition, if the silicone on the CPU fails, it may also lead to excessive CPU usage and even computer crashes. Therefore, if your computer frequently crashes or the CPU remains 100%, it is recommended to disassemble the host and apply heat dissipation silicone to the CPU to try.