How To Lower CPU Usage on Windows PC
You can quickly check your processor’s usage by opening the task manager using the “ctrl + shift + Esc” shortcut. And then, click on the performance tab to know your CPU usage. However, if you observe a high usage, you can bring it back down and keep it to the minimum usage by applying the methods given below.
We all have faced problems with our PC. It takes more time to open applications and consumes more power than usual causing high battery drain on laptops. And sometimes, the PC freezes on a single application or even suspends certain applications while we work on it. Usually, these problems are caused by high CPU usage.
5 Easy Ways to Lower CPU Usage
1. Reboot your system:
One of the easiest ways to reduce CPU usage is by restarting or rebooting the system. By rebooting the CPU, you are suspending all the tasks run by the CPU. And consequently, you can eliminate the background task that may not function properly.
You can simply reboot your computer by clicking on restart from the start menu. Besides, by using the shortcut alt+f4, you will see the drop-down menu to select the restart option.
2. End or Restart background tasks:
After you have rebooted your system, remove most of the background processes. However, some might still be running and increasing your CPU usage. These processes can be easily restarted or shut down manually using the task manager.
Steps to end or restart background processes:
- Open the task manager using the ctrl+shift+esc shortcut.
- Under the processes tab, you will find a list of Tasks running on your CPU alongside the names; you will also find the CPU usage of the process
- You can end the process by clicking on the process once and then clicking the ‘end task‘ button
- You can restart the process again once you have suspended it by searching it up on the Windows search.
3. Update your drivers:
The majority of failures caused in a computer are due to the usage of old drivers. Updating drivers is important to keep the computer running in top-notch condition. Outdated drivers sometimes cause background processes to malfunction and not work properly, causing an increase in CPU usage.
You can update all the device drivers by following these steps:
- Open the device manager by right-clicking on the Windows symbol or by using the Win key + X shortcut
- You can view all the hardware devices in this list
- To update the device drivers, simply right-click on the device and click on the update driver option.
- Choose the Search automatically for updated drivers in the opened window to update all your device drivers to the latest version.
4. Scanning of viruses:
Viruses can cause very high CPU drains on your computer. There can be less of a chance that a virus has infected your computer, slowing your PC. But, you should keep your system safe.
You can simply run a full system scan using windows defender or any anti-virus software. Just install it on your system and remove the virus to lower CPU usage.
5. Using Third-Party Software:
Task Manager is an amazing utility tool provided by the Windows operating system that can help you analyze and know CPU usage. However, you can also use third-party tools like CPU-Z, which will help you to analyze processor usage and to manage it on your computer.
Conclusion
Navigating the intricacies of managing high CPU usage is a critical aspect of maintaining a smooth-functioning computer. If your PC is experiencing lag or stuttering, it’s likely that high processor usage is the root cause. By following the above steps, you can significantly improve your system’s performance and eliminate potential issues caused by high usage of the processor.
FAQs
High usage of the processor often results from running too many processes at once, having outdated drivers, or hosting viruses or malware on your system.
Prolonged high CPU usage won’t typically cause physical damage to your computer, but it can slow down system performance significantly and shorten the lifespan of your PC due to the increased heat output and stress on the processor.
Yes, viruses or malware can significantly increase CPU usage as they often run background processes without the user’s knowledge. Running regular virus scans can help keep processor usage in check.
Processor usage can fluctuate based on what tasks your system is performing. However, for typical usage like web browsing and running light applications, the CPU usage should hover around 10-30%. Higher percentages (above 80%) for extended periods may indicate a problem.
Ending a process in the Task Manager will stop that program from running. If the process was using a significant amount of your CPU’s resources, this will free up those resources and lower CPU usage.
The Windows Task Manager allows you to view and manage the processes running on your computer, letting you see which ones are using the most CPU resources. From there, you can decide to end or restart these processes to reduce their usage.
