High CPU usage can indicate a wide variety of problems. If a program uses practically all the resources of your processor, there is a good chance that it is working properly. Poor computer performance is also a sign of a virus or adware infection, which you should fix immediately. However, it could also simply mean that your computer cannot support all the tasks that you perform, which would warrant an improvement in its components.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Windows
Step 1. Press
Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
This is a utility that monitors and reports all the processes and programs currently running on your computer.
Step 2. Click on the tab
Processes In it, you will be able to see all the processes that are currently being carried out on the computer.
Step 3. Click on the "CPU" column
This way you will see all the processes ordered based on current CPU usage.
Step 4. Find the processes that consume the most CPU resources
Typically, there will only be one that is near 99 or 100%, although there could be a couple more programs that consume up to 50% each.
Many games and editing programs consume 100% of CPU resources during operation. This is normal, as they are designed to be the only ones you use at the same time
Step 5. Pay attention to the name of the processes
This will allow you to search for them later and thus determine the best way to avoid using too many resources.
In Windows 8, you will be able to see the full name of the program instead of the system name of the process. This will make it much easier for you to identify them
Step 6. Select the program causing the problem and click
End process.
You will be asked to confirm your wish to force close the process.
- In Windows 8, the button is called End Task.
- Forcing a program to close will cause any unsaved tasks to be lost. On the other hand, if you force close a system process, you could stop your computer from working until that process restarts.
- You do not need to force a shutdown of the "System Idle Process". If this is the process that encompasses the most use of your CPU, you are not actually using it. When such a process uses a large amount of CPU resources, it actually means that your computer has a large amount of processing available.
- If you're having trouble forcing a program to close, check out this article for more advanced methods.
Step 7. Determine how you will solve the problem with the program that uses high CPU
Search the Internet for the name of the process whose closure you want to force. This will help you determine its function within the system, as well as the steps to take to prevent it from running 100%. In general, there are a few different ways to control the high CPU usage of a particular program:
- Uninstall the program: If the program is not essential, uninstalling it could be the easiest way to prevent it from slowing down your entire system.
- Reinstall or update: Sometimes a bug in the program can make it use up all the resources on your computer. Therefore, reinstalling or updating it from the developer can fix these problems.
- Remove the program from the startup sequence: If the program slows down your computer's startup process, but you need it to be installed, you can prevent it from starting when your computer does.
- Run a scan for viruses and malware - If the scan results indicate that the program is malicious, you will probably need to remove it using an antivirus or antimalware. This process can be complicated, and you may not be able to remove the virus without reinstalling Windows. Review this article for more information on how to remove viruses and this article for more information on how to remove malware and adware.
Step 8. Check the power settings (laptops only)
If you're using a laptop and it's not connected to a power source, it may run slower to save battery life. Therefore, adjusting the power settings may increase the capacity of the processor, but it will also make the battery last less time.
- Open the Control Panel and select "Power Options." If you can't find this option, click on "Hardware and Sound" and then select "Power Options."
- Click on the "Show additional plans" option to expand the list. "
- Select "High Performance." In this way, the full capacity of your processor will be unlocked in case it has not been.
Step 9. Update your hardware in case you have trouble running most programs
If your CPU continually runs at 100% and none of the programs are causing it, consider upgrading your hardware.
- Look online for a method that you can use a USB to increase available system memory.
- Review this article for information on how to upgrade your RAM. A larger amount can reduce processor overhead.
- Review this article for information on how to upgrade your processor.
Method 2 of 2: Mac
Step 1. Open Activity Monitor
This is located in the Utilities folder within the Applications folder. You can access it directly by clicking on the "Go" menu and selecting "Utilities."
Activity Monitor shows all the processes currently running on the Mac
Step 2. Click on the "CPU" column
In this way, processes will be sorted based on their current CPU usage.
Step 3. Find the processes that consume the most CPU resources
Typically, there will only be one that is near 99 or 100%, although there could be a couple more programs that consume up to 50% each.
Many editing programs will use 100% of the CPU during their execution, especially if you are encoding, recording or rendering. This is normal, as these programs are designed to get the most out of the processor
Step 4. Pay attention to the name of the process causing the problem
This will allow you to look it up later and determine the best way to prevent it from using too many resources.
Step 5. Select the problematic program and click "Exit process"
You will be asked to confirm that you want to force it to close.
- Forcing a program to close will cause any unsaved tasks to be lost. On the other hand, if you force close a system process, you could stop your computer from working until that process restarts.
- If you are having difficulty completing the process, check out this article for more advanced information.
Step 6. Determine how you will solve the problem with the program that uses high CPU
Search the Internet for the name of the process whose closure you want to force. This will help you determine its function within the system, as well as the steps to take to prevent it from running 100%. In general, there are a few different ways to control the high CPU usage of a particular program:
- Uninstall the program: If the program is not essential, uninstalling it could be the easiest way to prevent it from slowing down your entire system.
- Reinstall or update: Sometimes a bug in the program can make it use up all the resources on your computer. Therefore, reinstalling or updating it from the developer can fix these problems.
- Remove the program from the startup sequence: If the program slows down your computer's startup process, but you need it to be installed, you can prevent it from starting when your computer does.
- Run a scan for viruses and malware - If the scan results indicate that the program is malicious, you will probably need to remove it using an antivirus or antimalware. Viruses are not very common on Mac computers, but they do exist. Truth be told, adware is a more common problem, and it can seriously overload your processor. One of the best antiadware tools is AdWare Medic, which you can get for free at adwaremedic.com.
Step 7. Delete files from your desktop
Your Mac will preview all the files on the desktop, and if you have a lot of video files, these can quickly overload your processor and make the Finder use 100% CPU. So take the files off the desktop and put them in a folder, and this will slow down your computer only when you open it.
Step 8. If you are having trouble running most programs, update your hardware
If your CPU continually runs at 100% and none of the programs are causing it, consider upgrading your hardware. Unlike a conventional computer, your options for upgrading a Mac are more limited, but more RAM can improve performance.