Begin with these simple steps. They will fix high CPU usage in most cases.

^{Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager . Click the Processes tab and sort by CPU .}

• ^{Look for apps or processes using a high percentage.}
• ^{Right-click and select “ End task ” if needed.}

^{A simple restart can stop temporary processes that are using too much CPU.}

• ^{Save your work.}
• ^{Click start > Power > Restart .}

^{Updates fix bugs and improve performance.}

• ^{Go to Settings > Windows Update .}
• ^{Click “ Check for updates “.}
• ^{Install everything available.}

^{Malware can cause high CPU usage.}

• ^{Open Windows Security.}
• ^{Click Virus & threat protection}
• ^{Run a Full scan.}

^{Too many apps running in the background can increase CPU usage.}

• ^{Close apps you aren’t using.}
• ^{Disable background apps (See Part 2 ).}

^{Too many startup apps can overwhelm your CPU when Windows starts.}

• ^{ Open Task Manager > Startup apps.}
• ^{Disable unnecessary items.}

^{Low disk space can cause high CPU usage.}

• ^{Keep at least 15-20% free space.}
• ^{Delete temporary files and large files you don’t need.}

^{It would also be a good idea to check the system for high disk usage}

If the basic steps didn’t work, try these advanced solutions.

^{Many apps continue running in the background}

• ^{Settings > Privacy & security > Background apps}
• ^{Turn off apps you don’t need running.}

^{Outdated or faulty drivers can cause high CPU usage.}

• ^{Right-click >  Start > Device Manager.}
• ^{Right-click devices and choose Update driver.}
• ^{Or visit you PC manufacturer’s website.}

^{If RAM is low, Windows uses virtual memory (page file) increasing CPU usage.}

• ^{Press “ Windows + R “, type sysdm.cpl and press “ Enter “}
• ^{Advanced > Performance Settings > Advanced > Virtual Memory > Change.}
• ^{Select “ Automatically manage ” or set a custom size.}

^{Corrupted system files can cause performance issues.}

• ^{Open Command prompt as Administrator}
• ^{Type: SFC /SCANNOW}
• ^{Press “ Enter ” and wait for the scann to complete}

^{Some services can use a lot of CPU.}

• ^{Press Windows + R}
• ^{Type: Services.msc and press “ Enter “}
• ^{Look for suspicious services using high CPU.}
• ^{Right-Click > Properties > Stop or set Startup type to “ Manual}“

^{SysMain can cause high disk usage on some systems.}

• ^{Press “ Windows + R “}
• ^{Type “ services.msc “}
• ^{Find “ SysMain “}
• ^{Right-click >  Properties}
• ^{Change Startup type to  Disabled}
• ^{Click  Stop  >  OK}

^{Overheating can cause CPU to throttle or spike.}

• ^{Clean dust from fans and vents.}
• ^{Ensure good airflow.}
• ^{Use tools like HWMonitor or Core Temp to check temperatures.}

^{A clean boot starts Windows with minimal drivers and startup programs.}

• ^{Press Windows + R , type: msconfig and press “ Enter “}
• ^{go to Services tab > check “Hide all Microsoft services” > Disable all.}
• ^{Go to Startup tab > Open Task Manager > Disable all.} 
• ^{Restart your PC.}