Reduce CPU Usage at 100% in Windows 10

Raza Ali Kazmi Windows, Windows 10

Higher CPU usage can slow down your PC over the course of time and you will also notice it to be freezing completely for a few minutes. There can be quite a few reasons for higher CPU usage.

Let’s take a look at the most common causes. 

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Memory Leak & Swapping to Disk

A memory leak, for example, can make your PC swap to disk. A memory leak is an incorrect allocation of system memory. A memory leak occurs whenever a stubborn program refuses to release memory which it doesn’t require.

It is not the user’s job to identify and fix memory leaks. Only program developers can go through the lengthy, tedious process involving alteration of existing program code, adding new codes etc. If you’re a program developer, you can easily determine bugs in the program source. Visit Microsoft Developer Network for a quick look at this issue.

As for the user, simply restart your computer, uninstall recently installed applications that you suspect are resulting in the memory leak issue. Here are the steps to uninstall any apps:

  1. Press Windows Key + X; choose Programs and Features.
  2. Sort the program in a datewise manner. Click the Installed on column head to do so.
  3. Right-click a recently installed program that you suspect leaks your computer memory and then select Uninstall. Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the removal process.

 

Identify Resource-Hungry Apps

Use the Task Manager to find the presence of numerous applications, processes and services running on your computer. You will be able to identify resource-hungry apps as shown below:

  1. Type Task Manager in the Search Box on the Taskbar.
  2. Open it from the Search Results.
  3. Click on More details > Details tab.
  4. Click the Memory column head to rearrange all tasks by memory usage.
  5. Right-click a high resource consuming task, choose End task option.
  6. Click the Processes tab.
  7. Click Memory column head, terminate high resource-consuming processes. (Right-click > End task)
  8. Click Services tab.
  9. Click the Status column head to rearrange services by their status – Running or Stopped.
  10. Right-click a service, choose Stop option.

 

Exit System Tray Icons

There is something using up a lot of resources. At times, applications minimize to system tray and continue to run in the background until you exit system tray icons. You might want to click the Upward Arrow on the far right corner of the Taskbar, right-click a tray icon of a program, and choose Exit or Quit.

 

Manage Startups

Control the startup items to reduce the CPU usage. Prevent unwanted applications from launching after Windows boot interval.

  1. Open Task Manager and expand its user interface.
  2. Click the Startup tab.
  3. Click the Status column head to rearrange startup items.
  4. Disable each startup item. Select an item, click Disable button.

 

Lighten Browser Components

Your browser may run a bit slow because of toolbars, add-ons and other browser components. Go to the Add-Ons or Extensions page and disable unwanted items. Also, you can disable loading of unimportant Flash content by disabling Adobe Flash Player add-on.

Google Chrome

  1. Type chrome://extensions in the Address Bar.
  2. Press Enter.
  3. Disable unwanted extensions.

Internet Explorer

  1. Click the Tools menu, choose Manage add-ons.
  2. Disable unwanted add-ons.

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Click the Tools menu.
  2. Select Add-Ons.
  3. Disable unwanted add-ons.

Opera

  1. Open the Tools menu.
  2. Select Extensions | Manage Extensions.
  3. Disable unwanted extensions.