Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Windows
• Method 2 of 2: Mac

High CPU usage can be an indication of a number of different problems. If a program takes up your entire processor, there is a good chance that it will not behave correctly. A CPU running at max can also be a sign of a computer virus or adware, which should be addressed immediately. It could also mean that the computer just can't keep up with what you want to do and needs an upgrade.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Windows

1. Press .Ctrl+⇧ Shift+Escto open Task Manager. This is a utility for monitoring and reporting processes and programs running on your computer.
2. Click on the tab.Processes. This will list all processes currently running on your computer.
3. Click on the "CPU" column. This sorts the processes based on their current CPU usage.
4. Find the processes that account for the majority of CPU usage. Usually there is no more than one with a maximum of 99-100%, but there may be some that account for 50% each.
   • Many games and media editors require 100% of your CPU while running. This is normal as they are designed to be the only one used while running.
5. Write down the "Process Name". Then you can look them up later to see how you can prevent them from taking up a lot of processor time.
   • In Windows 8, you will see the full name of the program, instead of the name of the process in the system. This makes it much easier to identify what it is.
6. Select the incriminating program and click.End process. You will be asked to confirm that you want to close the process.
   • In Windows 8, this button is called End Task.
   • Force quitting a program will cause any unsaved work to be lost. Stopping a system process can cause your computer to freeze and require a restart.
   • There is no need to shut down "Idle System Processes". If this process takes up your CPU, it will not be used. If Idle system processes indicate a high value for CPU usage, it means that your computer has a lot of processing power left.
   • If you are unable to close a program, click here for more advanced methods.
7. Determine the next step to take in researching the program that is the culprit. Search the internet for the process name you closed. This way you can find out what the process is used for as well as the steps that can be taken so that it doesn't take up 100% of the CPU. There are usually a few different ways to counteract high CPU by a specific program:
   • Uninstall - If the program is not necessary, uninstalling may be the easiest way to make sure it doesn't slow down your system.
   • Reinstall or Update - Sometimes a bug in the program can cause it to run your CPU at full power. Reinstalling or updating (official updates only) may fix the problems you encounter.
   • Remove the program from the startup programs list - If the program is causing your computer to start slowly, but you don't want to remove it, you can prevent it from starting up when the computer starts up.
   • Run Virus and Malware Scans - If your research shows that the program is malicious, you may need to remove it with an antivirus or anti-malware program. This can be a complicated process and you may not get rid of the virus without reinstalling Windows. Click here for virus removal instructions and see wikiHow for malware and adware removal instructions.
8. Check the Power Management settings (for laptops only). If you're using a laptop that's unplugged, your computer may have automatically slowed down to conserve battery life. Adjusting the settings via Power Options can help increase the performance of your processor, but it will make you have to charge the computer more often.
   • Open Control Panel and select Power Options. If you don't see this option, click on "Hardware and Sound" and select Power Options.
   • Click on the "View Additional Schedules" option to expand the list.
   • Select "High Performance". If this is not the case yet, this will switch on the full power of your processor.
9. Upgrade your hardware if you have problems running most programs. If you are constantly dealing with 100% CPU usage, and none of your programs seem to be responsible for this, then you may need to consider upgrading your hardware.
   • Click here for instructions on using a USB flash drive to expand the available system memory.
   • Click here for instructions on how to upgrade your RAM. Adding more RAM can reduce the load on your processor.
   • Click here for instructions on how to upgrade your processor.

Method 2 of 2: Mac

1. Open the Activities View. These can be found in the Utilities folder. You can go directly to the folder by clicking the "Go" menu and selecting "Tools".
   • The Activities View shows all the processes that are currently running on your Mac.
2. Click on the "CPU" column. This will sort the processes by current CPU usage.
3. Find the processes that are responsible for most of the CPU usage. Usually there is only one that is at 99-100%, but there may be several programs that use 50% each.
   • Many media editors require 100% of the CPU when they are running, especially when encoding, recording, or rendering. This is normal behavior as these programs are designed to take full advantage of the processor.
4. Write down the name of the process that is misbehaving. Then you can look this up at a later time to see how the high CPU usage can be prevented.
5. Select the offending program and click "Stop Process". You will be asked to confirm the termination of the process.
   • Force quitting a program will cause any unsaved changes to the program to be lost. When you force a system process to stop, your computer can hang until the system is restarted.
   • If you are having trouble ending the process, click here for more advanced methods.
6. Determine the next step to take in researching the program that is the culprit. Search the internet for the name of the process you closed. This way, you can find out what the process is used for, as well as the steps that can be taken so that it doesn't take up 100% of the CPU. There are usually a few different ways to counteract high CPU by a specific program:
   • Uninstall - If the program is not necessary, uninstalling it may be the easiest way to cause it to slow down your system.
   • Reinstall or Update - Sometimes a bug in the program can cause it to run your CPU at full power. Reinstalling or updating (official updates only) may fix the problems you encounter.
   • Remove the program from the startup programs list - If the program is causing your computer to start slowly, but you don't want to remove it, you can prevent it from starting up when the computer starts up.
   • Run Virus and Malware Scans - If your research shows that the program is malicious, you may want to remove it with an anti-virus or anti-malware program. Viruses are not very common on Macs, but they do exist. Adware is a much bigger problem, and these programs can put a heavy strain on your processor. One of the best anti-adware tools is AdWare Medic, which you can download for free from adwaremedic.com.
7. Delete files from your Desktop. Your Mac will generate previews of all the files on your desktop, and if you have a lot of video files, they can quickly overload a processor and cause Finder to take up 100% of your CPU. Move the files from your desktop to a folder, and you will only notice a delay when opening the folder.
8. Upgrade your hardware if you have problems running most programs. If you are constantly experiencing 100% CPU usage and none of the programs can be blamed, you may need to consider upgrading your hardware. Your options in this are more limited on a Mac than on a PC, but upgrading the RAM can help improve the performance of your system.
   • Click here for instructions on how to update your RAM. Adding RAM can help reduce the load on the processor.