How to Fix High CPU and Memory Usage in Windows 11

Understanding CPU and Memory Usage

CPU and memory usage measure how much of your computer’s processing power and active workspace are in use right now. The processor (CPU) handles calculations. Memory (RAM) holds the data for programs you have open. When either one hits its limit, the system slows down, freezes, or stops responding.

When CPU usage stays at 100 percent, the processor is working as hard as it can and every task has to wait its turn. A short spike while you open a big program is normal. A constant 100% while the PC is idle is not. When memory usage maxes out, Windows starts moving temporary data onto your drive, which is far slower than RAM, so everything drags. This is worse on a hard disk than on an SSD.

Finding the apps that hog these resources is the first step. Once you know which program is responsible, you can decide whether to close it, remove it, or fix it.

Step 1Check Task Manager to Spot Resource Hogs

Task Manager shows live data on your processor and memory so you can spot resource hogs. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open it directly, then sort the running programs to find the ones using the most.

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc at the same time to open Task Manager📊.
2. If Task Manager📊 opens as a small window with no tabs, click More details at the bottom. You should now see the full window with the Processes list.
3. Click the CPU column heading to sort the apps from highest usage to lowest. Click it again if the order is reversed.
4. Look at the top few entries. Note any program using an unusually high percentage of your processor, especially one that stays high for several minutes.
5. Click the Memory column heading to see which programs use the most RAM.
6. Check for a program you do not recognize, or an app you are not using that is taking a large share of resources.
7. Click the program name in the list to select it.
8. Click End task in the toolbar at the top of the window. The program should disappear from the list and the usage numbers at the top should drop.

Be careful with entries listed under Windows processes. If you end one, Windows may become unstable or restart. If you do not know what a process is, right-click it and look it up online before you end it. Unsaved work in an app is lost when you end its task, so save first if you can.

Step 2Close Unnecessary Apps and Browser Tabs

Closing unneeded apps and browser tabs is the fastest way to free memory and bring down resource usage. Web browsers treat every open tab as a separate process, so a few dozen tabs can use gigabytes of RAM. Closing the ones you are not using gives an immediate improvement without changing any system settings.

Here is what to close first:

• Browser tabs you are not using. Bookmark pages you want to return to, then close them.
• Browser extensions you do not need. They run in the background and use memory even when you are not using them. Remove or disable them from your browser’s extensions page.
• Desktop apps such as music players, chat apps, and photo editors. Shut them down completely when you finish. Minimizing an app does not stop it from using memory.

Some apps keep running in the notification area at the right of the taskbar even after you close their window. If the app still shows in Task Manager, end it there.

Step 3Stop Unwanted Startup Programs

Stopping unwanted startup programs keeps apps from launching in the background every time you turn on your PC. Many programs add themselves to the startup list without asking. They take processor power and memory before you open a single file. Disabling them through Task Manager keeps the system responsive from the start.

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager📊.
2. Click Startup apps in the menu on the left side. The icon looks like a small speedometer. If you only see icons, hover over them to read the names. You should now see a list of programs with a Status column and a Startup impact column.
3. Read the Startup impact column. Items marked High slow your boot the most.
4. Find an app you do not need running as soon as the computer starts.
5. Right-click the app name and select Disable. The Status column should change to Disabled.

Disabling a startup item does not uninstall the program. You can still open it by hand whenever you like. To undo the change, right-click the app in the same list and select Enable. Leave your antivirus, touchpad or audio drivers, and anything you do not recognize alone until you know what it does.

You can also manage the same list in Settings › Apps › Startup. The changes take effect the next time you restart the computer.

Step 4Turn Off Background Apps and Windows Services

Turning off background apps and unneeded permissions stops hidden programs from using your processor and memory all day. Windows and the apps you install run many helper tasks behind the scenes. They check for updates, sync data, and send notifications that you may never use.

First, stop individual apps from running in the background.

1. Click the Start button, type Settings, and press Enter.
2. Click Apps on the left menu, then click Installed apps. You should see a list of every app on the PC.
3. Scroll to an app you do not need running in the background.
4. Click the three dots next to the app and select Advanced options. If this option is missing, the app is a traditional desktop program, and Windows does not offer a background setting for it. Only Microsoft Store apps have this page.
5. Under Background apps permissions, set Let this app run in the background to Never. On some builds this setting is labeled differently, but it always sits in this section.

To undo it, return to the same page and choose Power optimized or Always. Some apps, such as email or messaging apps, will not notify you while they are closed if you set them to Never.

Second, trim what apps are allowed to access through system settings. This has a smaller effect on CPU and memory than the steps above, but it cuts down on background activity.

1. Open the Settings app from your Start menu⊞.
2. Click Privacy & security on the left menu.
3. Review permissions such as Location, Camera, and Notifications.
4. Turn off access for apps that do not need it. Each page lists the apps, with a toggle next to each one.

Step 5Disable Windows Transparency and Visual Effects

Turning off transparency and animations reduces the workload on your processor and graphics hardware. Windows 11 uses animations, shadows, and translucent menus that look modern but need steady system power to draw. Turning them off helps most on older computers or those with weak integrated graphics. On a fast PC you may not notice a difference.

1. Press Win+I to open Settings⚙️.
2. Click Accessibility on the left menu.
3. Click Visual effects on the right side.
4. Turn off the toggle next to Transparency effects.
5. Turn off the toggle next to Animation effects. The change applies at once and no restart is needed.

Menus now look a little more solid and plain, but windows open and close without delay and the system uses fewer resources. To go back, turn the same toggles on again.

Step 6Update Windows and Your Drivers

Updating Windows and your hardware drivers fixes bugs and memory leaks that can cause unexplained high CPU use. A memory leak is when a program or driver keeps claiming memory and never gives it back. Microsoft regularly releases patches and driver updates for performance and stability problems, so a PC that is behind on updates can keep spiking for no clear reason.

1. Press Win+I to open Settings⚙️.
2. Click Windows Update🔃 at the bottom of the left-hand menu.
3. Click the Check for updates🔃 button. Windows will look for updates and list any it finds.
4. Let Windows download and install the💿 updates, then restart the🔄 computer when prompted. A restart is often needed before the update takes effect.

Windows Update can also offer some driver updates. To see them, go to Windows Update › Advanced options › Optional updates and look for a Driver updates entry. Install any that apply to your hardware.

For the newest drivers, visit the website of your computer manufacturer or your graphics card maker (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) and download the latest version for your model. Graphics and chipset drivers are the most common source of driver-related slowdowns. Note that a bad update can sometimes cause problems of its own, so if the trouble started right after one, check whether the previous version is available.

Advanced Fix 1: Manage Virtual Memory Settings

Virtual memory lets Windows 11 keep working when physical RAM runs out. Windows uses part of your storage drive as backup workspace, called a page file. By default Windows manages its size for you, which suits nearly everyone. A custom size set by you or by an old tuning guide can cause slowdowns and constant disk activity. Resetting it to system managed is the fix if that applies to you.

You need to be signed in as an administrator for this change.

1. Click the Start button, type View advanced system settings into the search🔍 bar, and click the result. The System Properties window opens.
2. Go to the Advanced tab.
3. In the Performance section, click the Settings button. The Performance Options window opens.
4. Click the Advanced tab in that window.
5. In the Virtual memory section, click the Change button.
6. Uncheck Automatically manage paging file size for all drives at the top. The drive list and size options become available.
7. Select your main drive (usually C:) from the list, select the System managed size option, and click the Set button.
8. Click OK on all open windows and restart your🔄 computer. Windows may ask you to restart before the change applies.

If your page file was already set to automatic, you will not gain anything from this change. Do not turn off the page file entirely, because that can cause crashes and out-of-memory errors. To undo your changes, return to the same screen and check Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.

Advanced Fix 2: Check for Malware and Rogue Mining Scripts

A security scan can find hidden malware that steals processor power, for example to mine cryptocurrency for attackers. High CPU use when no apps are open, or a fan that runs hard on an idle PC, is a classic sign of a malicious background program. Scanning clears out these threats and returns the computer to normal speed.

Save your work and close your apps first, because the offline scan restarts the PC.

1. Click the Start button, type Windows Security, and press Enter.
2. Click Virus & threat protection in the menu.
3. Click Scan options to see the more thorough scanning choices.
4. Select the option Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan). This is the offline scan, also known as Microsoft Defender Offline.
5. Click the Scan now button. Windows warns that it will restart your🔄 device. Confirm to continue.

The computer restarts into a secure scanning screen, checks the system for hidden malware before Windows loads, and removes or quarantines anything suspicious. The scan usually takes around 15 minutes, though it can take longer. When it finishes, the PC restarts into Windows. You can see the results in Windows Security under Protection history.

If you cannot restart right now, a Full scan from the same Scan options page checks every file while Windows is running. It is slower and can miss malware that hides while Windows is loaded, so the offline scan is better when you suspect an infection.

Why does Google Chrome use so much memory on 🪟 Windows 11?

Google Chrome uses a lot of memory because it runs every open tab, extension, and plugin in its own separate process. This design is for security and stability. A crashed tab does not take down the whole browser. The cost is higher RAM use, and it grows with every tab you open.

These steps help control it:

1. In Chrome, press Shift+Esc to open Chrome’s own task manager📊. It lists each tab and extension with its memory use.
2. Select a tab or extension that uses a lot of memory and click End process. The tab will show an error page, and you can reload it if you need it.
3. Close the tabs you no longer need.
4. Open the Chrome menu, go to Extensions › Manage extensions, and remove or turn off extensions you do not use.
5. Open Chrome Settings and check the Performance page. If Memory Saver is available in your version, turn it on. It puts unused tabs to sleep to free memory. The label and location can vary between Chrome versions.

Closing unused tabs and removing extra extensions is what makes the real difference. Memory Saver is a helpful extra for people who keep many tabs open.

Summary

High CPU and memory usage can slow down a Windows 11 PC, but you can usually fix it by closing resource-heavy programs and adjusting a few system settings. Start with Task Manager to find the culprit. Then manage startup items, turn off background apps, keep Windows and your drivers updated, and scan for malware. Together these steps restore your computer’s speed without new hardware.

If the problem comes back after all of this, note which process is using the resources and look that one up specifically. If usage is still high with nothing obvious running, and the PC has only 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM, the machine may simply be too small for how you use it. At that point a RAM upgrade is worth considering.