Reduce CPU Usage

A computer's central processing unit (CPU) carries out the active tasks and processes that are running on a computer. CPUs are sometimes also called cores or processors. For example, if you have a dual-core computer, that means your computer has two CPU units.[1] If your computer is using most or all of its CPU’s processing capacity, your computer may experience slowdowns or your programs may not be working effectively.[2]

Steps

Any Operating System

  1. Close any unused programs. The easiest way to reduce your CPU usage is to close programs that you aren’t using.[2]
    • Close resource heavy software programs such as 3D games, the Adobe Creative Suite, the Microsoft Office Suite, web browsers with flash video or games, 3D modeling tools, and audio editing tools.
    • Keep in mind the downside to this method is it won’t help you to discover what software programs are using the most resources.
  2. Reboot the computer. If your computer has been on for several days, it may begin to run more slowly over time.
  3. Run anti-virus software. If your computer is running slowly even with no applications running, you may want to run anti-virus software to determine whether your system has a virus.[2]
    • Keep in mind anti-virus software can also use a large amount of a system’s resources.
    • In a search engine, search for your specific operating system and anti-virus software to get a list of anti-virus software compatible with your computer.
  4. Check the hard drive for errors. Over time, your computer can create errors on your hard drive. Both Windows and Mac operating systems have system tools for checking your hard drive for errors.[3]
  5. Change the software version to 32-bit or 64-bit based on your computer’s specifications.The terms 32-bit and 64-bit refer to the number of calculations the CPU can make at the same time. There is a significant difference between 32-bit and 64-bit CPUs, and if you try to run a software program intended for a 64-bit CPU on a 32-bit computer, the program won’t work well, if it all.[4]
    • Many contemporary software programs have 32-bit and 64-bit versions. If a software program is running slowly, try the 32-bit version of the software program.
    • Sometimes downloading the most up-to-date version of a software program will cause it to run better.
  6. Try operating system specific solutions. If you’ve tried all of these options, but your computer is still running slowly, try these operating system specific methods.

Windows Operating Systems

  1. Open the Windows Task Manager. On Windows, the Windows Task Manager software program will list everything using the CPU.
    • Right-click the taskbar, and then click Start Task Manager.
  2. Review application CPU usage. In the Windows Task Manager, click the Applications tab. In the Applications list, in the header row, click CPU to sort the applications by CPU usage.
    • The CPU column number is the percentage of the CPU that an application is using.
    • The amount of the CPU that a program is using at any given time changes depending on what you’re trying to do. For example, a 3D modeling program will use far more of a computer’s CPU resources when it’s rendering a 3D animation, than when it’s sitting idle.
    • The programs using a large amount of the CPU when idle are the ones that you’ll want to close when you’re not using them. You can close an application in the Windows Task Manager by clicking the End Process button, but it’s usually better to exit the application from within the application.
    • If a program is stuck or hanging, the Windows Task Manager is a good way to force a program to quit.
  3. Review the computer processes’ CPU usage. Click the Processes tab. This shows all of the processes running on your computer and their CPU usage. In the header, click CPU to sort the processes by their CPU usage.[2]
    • It’s not always obvious from the process name in the Image Name column what a process is. The Description column can provide additional information.
    • If you don’t know what a process is doing, even though it might be using a lot of the CPU, it’s best not to end the process, because it may be an important system process. You can use a search engine, such as Google, to learn more about specific processes.
  4. End the CPU processes. If you’re sure you want to end a CPU process, click a process row to select it, and then click the End Process button.
    • Click directly on any process displayed within the Task Manager window to highlight that specific process.
    • When you end a process using a lot of the CPU, that will free up resources for other applications and processes.

Mac Operating Systems

  1. Open the Activity Monitor. The Activity Monitor application is located in the Utilities folder inside of the Applications folder.[5] #*Go to the Utilities folder, and then double-click the Activity monitor.
    • You can also open the Activity Monitor using Spotlight. Press the command and spacebar keys to open Spotlight, and then start typing Activity Monitor. When it appears, press the Enter or Return keys to open it.
  2. Review CPU Usage. Click the CPU tab, and then click the % CPU header to sort the processes by CPU usage.
  3. End a process. To end a process, click the process name to select it, and then click the Force a process to quit button.
    • Like Windows, it’s usually better to close a software application from within the application itself.
    • If an application is stuck and you’re seeing the spinning beach ball , you can force quit an application. Click the Apple menu, then click Force Quit. In the Force Quit window, click the application you want to quit, and then click Force Quit.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_processing_unit
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 http://pc.net/helpcenter/answers/reduce_high_cpu_usage
  3. ↑ http://www.liutilities.com/how-to/lower-cpu-usage/
  4. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/64-bit_computing#32-bit_vs_64-bit
  5. ↑ http://mac.appstorm.net/how-to/os-x/making-the-most-of-activity-monitor/
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