System and Compressed Memory High CPU in Windows 11? 9 Ways to Fix It (2026)

The System and Compressed Memory is a built-in Windows 11 process that manages how your computer uses RAM. It compresses less frequently used data in RAM instead of moving it to the slower paging file on your storage drive. This helps Windows 11 make better use of available memory and improves overall system performance. Under normal conditions, this process operates in the background without causing any issues. However, if you notice System and Compressed Memory constantly using a high percentage of CPU, it usually indicates an underlying problem rather than an issue with the process itself.

Outdated device drivers, corrupted system files, memory management problems, virtual memory settings, or third-party software can all cause unusually high CPU usage. In this guide, you’ll learn why System and Compressed Memory use high CPU in Windows 11 and the most effective ways to reduce resource usage and improve your PC’s performance.

Why Does System and Compressed Memory Use High CPU in Windows 11?

The “System and Compressed Memory” process was introduced to optimize RAM usage. It dynamically reduces the size of data before writing it to RAM your computer to store more files in physical memory.

memory compression is a feature that gives your RAM more breathing room to prevent it from becoming full rather quickly.

However, if the process consistently uses a high percentage of CPU, it’s usually a sign that Windows is struggling to manage memory efficiently or another component is causing excessive memory activity.

Common causes include:

• Outdated or faulty device drivers: Incompatible drivers, especially for storage, chipset, or graphics devices, can trigger excessive CPU usage by causing Windows to repeatedly manage memory.
• Corrupted system files: Damaged Windows system files can affect memory management and cause background processes to consume more CPU than normal.
• Insufficient physical RAM: If your PC frequently runs out of available memory, Windows has to compress memory more often, increasing CPU usage.
• Incorrect virtual memory (paging file) settings: A paging file that’s disabled, too small, or misconfigured can put additional pressure on memory management.
• Memory leaks from applications: Some programs continue using more memory over time without releasing it, forcing Windows to work harder to compress memory.
• Third-party startup programs or background services: Too many background applications can consume RAM and increase the workload of the System and Compressed Memory process.

Fix 1: Restart Your Windows 11 PC

Before trying advanced troubleshooting, restart your computer. A temporary Windows glitch or a background process that isn’t working correctly can sometimes cause the System and Compressed Memory process to use more CPU than normal. Restarting your PC clears temporary memory, reloads system services, and often resolves short-term performance issues.

1. Click the Start button.
2. Select the Power icon.
3. Click Restart.
4. Wait for Windows 11 to boot normally.

After restarting, open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc and check the CPU usage of the System and Compressed Memory processes. If the CPU usage has returned to normal, the issue was likely caused by a temporary system or software glitch.

Fix 2: Close Memory-Intensive Applications

The System and Compressed Memory process becomes more active when Windows is running low on available RAM. If you have several applications open or a program is consuming an unusually large amount of memory, Windows has to compress more data to keep the system responsive, which can increase CPU usage.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. On the Processes tab, click the Memory column to sort applications by RAM usage.
3. Look for apps using an unusually large amount of memory, especially if you aren’t actively using them.
4. Select the application and click End task.
5. Repeat for any unnecessary programs.

Tip: Avoid ending Windows system processes or applications that you’re currently working in, as doing so may cause data loss or system instability.

After closing unnecessary applications, monitor the System and Compressed Memory processes in Task Manager for a few minutes. If CPU usage drops, the issue was likely caused by memory pressure rather than the Windows process itself.

Fix 3: Disable Unnecessary Startup Apps

Too many programs launching when Windows starts can consume significant RAM and CPU resources in the background. This increases memory usage, causing the System and Compressed Memory process to work harder to manage and compress memory. Disabling unnecessary startup apps can reduce the load on your system and improve overall performance.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Select the Startup apps tab.
3. Review the list of applications and check their Startup impact.
4. Right-click any app you don’t need to start automatically and select Disable.
5. Leave essential apps, such as your antivirus software and hardware drivers, enabled.
6. Restart your PC to apply the changes.

Common applications that are safe to disable at startup include chat apps, music streaming services, game launchers, cloud storage clients you don’t use regularly, and other non-essential utilities.

After restarting, open Task Manager and check whether the System and Compressed Memory process is using less CPU.

Fix 4: Adjust Windows Visual Effects

Windows 11 includes animations, transparency effects, shadows, and other visual enhancements that improve the look and feel of the operating system. While these effects don’t normally cause high CPU usage on modern PCs, they can increase memory and CPU usage on systems with limited hardware resources. Reducing visual effects can free up system resources and help the System and Compressed Memory processes work more efficiently.

• Press Windows + S, type View advanced system settings, and open the result.
• Under the Advanced tab, click Settings in the Performance section.
• On the Visual Effects tab, select Adjust for best performance.
  • Alternatively, choose Custom and disable only the visual effects you don’t need while keeping features such as Smooth edges of screen fonts enabled for better readability.

• Click Apply, then OK.
• Restart your computer.

After Windows restarts, use your PC normally for a few minutes and monitor the System and Compressed Memory process in Task Manager. If CPU usage has decreased, the issue may have been caused by excessive resource usage rather than a problem with Windows memory management itself.

Fix 5: Check for Windows and Driver Updates

Microsoft regularly releases updates that fix bugs, improve system stability, and address performance issues. Likewise, outdated or incompatible device drivers, especially chipset, storage, and graphics drivers, can cause Windows memory management to behave abnormally, leading to high CPU usage by the System and Compressed Memory process.

Install Windows Updates

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Select Windows Update.
3. Click Check for updates.
4. Download and install any available updates.
5. Restart your PC if prompted.

Update Device Drivers

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand categories such as Display adapters, Storage controllers, IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, or System devices.
3. Right-click the device you want to update and select Update driver.
4. Choose Search automatically for drivers and follow the on-screen instructions.

Tip: If Device Manager doesn’t find a newer driver, visit your PC or motherboard manufacturer’s support website and download the latest Windows 11 drivers. These are often newer than the versions available through Windows Update.

Once your PC has restarted, open Task Manager and monitor the System and Compressed Memory process to see if CPU usage has decreased.

Fix 6: Repair Corrupted System Files (SFC/DISM)

Corrupted Windows system files can affect memory management and cause the System and Compressed Memory process to consume more CPU than normal. Windows includes two built-in tools, System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM), that can scan for and repair these files.

Run the SFC scan

1. Click Start, type cmd. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

sfc /scannow

3. Wait for the scan to complete. This may take several minutes.
4. Restart your PC if Windows repairs any files.

If the SFC scan reports errors that it cannot fix, run the following DISM command

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Allow the scan to finish without closing the Command Prompt, then restart your computer.

After Windows starts, open Task Manager and check whether the System and Compressed Memory process is using less CPU.

Fix 7: Let Windows Manage the Paging File Automatically

Windows uses a paging file (virtual memory) to store data that doesn’t fit in physical RAM. The System and Compressed Memory processes work closely with this feature to manage memory efficiently. If the paging file has been disabled or configured with an incorrect size, Windows may place additional load on the memory management subsystem, resulting in higher CPU usage.

For most users, the best option is to let Windows manage the paging file automatically.

1. Press Windows + S, type View advanced system settings, and open the result.
2. Under the Advanced tab, click Settings in the Performance section.
3. Select the Advanced tab.
4. Under Virtual memory, click Change.
5. Make sure Automatically manage paging file size for all drives is checked.
6. If you made any changes, click OK and restart your PC.

Tip: Avoid disabling the paging file unless you have a specific reason to do so. Even on systems with plenty of RAM, Windows relies on a paging file for stability and efficient memory management.

After restarting, open Task Manager and monitor the System and Compressed Memory process to see if CPU usage has improved.

Fix 8: Perform a Clean Boot

If the System and Compressed Memory process still uses a high amount of CPU, a third-party application or background service may be interfering with Windows memory management. Performing a clean boot starts Windows with only essential Microsoft services and drivers, making it easier to identify whether another program is causing the problem.

1. Press Windows + R, type msconfig, and click OK.
2. In the System Configuration window, open the Services tab.
3. Check Hide all Microsoft services.
4. Click Disable all.
5. Go to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
6. Disable all non-essential startup applications.
7. Close Task Manager, click OK, and restart your PC.

After restarting, use your PC for a while and monitor the System and Compressed Memory processes in Task Manager.

• If CPU usage returns to normal, one of the disabled services or startup programs is likely responsible.
• Re-enable a few services or startup apps at a time and restart your PC after each change until the problem returns. This will help you identify the software causing the high CPU usage.

Once you’ve found the problematic application, update it, reinstall it, or remove it if it’s no longer needed.

Fix 9: Reset Windows 11

If you’ve tried all the previous solutions and the System and Compressed Memory process still shows unusually high CPU usage, your Windows installation may have deeper system or configuration issues. Resetting Windows reinstalls the operating system while giving you the option to keep your personal files.

Before proceeding, back up any important data to an external drive or cloud storage.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Select System > Recovery.
3. Under Recovery options, click Reset PC.
4. Choose Keep my files if you want to preserve your personal documents, photos, and other files.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset.

Note: Resetting Windows removes installed desktop applications and custom system settings. After the reset is complete, you’ll need to reinstall your apps and configure your preferences again.

Once Windows has been reset, open Task Manager and verify that the System and Compressed Memory process is using a normal amount of CPU.

When Is High CPU Usage Normal?

It’s important to remember that System and Compressed Memory won’t always use 0% CPU. Brief spikes are completely normal, especially when:

• Opening several applications at once.
• Running memory-intensive software, such as video editing or virtual machines.
• Starting Windows or signing in.
• Installing Windows updates.
• Switching between multiple browser tabs or large programs.

As long as CPU usage drops back to normal after a few moments, there’s usually nothing to worry about. The problem only requires troubleshooting if the process stays at a high CPU percentage for an extended period or noticeably slows down your PC.

Frequently Asked Questions