How to Fix High CPU Usage After Windows 10 Update 2025

Windows updates are essential for improving system security, adding new features, and fixing bugs. However, sometimes you may experience high CPU usage after a Windows 10 update, causing slow performance, overheating, and system lag. Well High CPU usage after an update can be caused because Windows running post-update background processes, driver incompatibilities, misconfigured system settings, or even update-related bugs. Additionally, there may be some system processes such as Windows Search Indexing, Windows Update Service, or Superfetch (SysMain) may continue to run excessively after an update, leading to increased CPU consumption. Again corrupted system files, malware infection, Too Many Startup Programs or Background Update Processes also result high CPU usage on Windows 10. If you notice unusually high CPU usage after updating Windows 10, follow the troubleshooting steps below to identify and resolve the problem effectively.

High CPU Usage After Windows 10 Update

High CPU usage after a Windows 10 update can occur for various issues, including driver conflicts, malware, or even hardware problems. The good news, it can be resolved by updating drivers, scanning for malware, disabling unnecessary startup programs, or checking for hardware issues.

Restart Your Computer

After installing updates, Windows may require a restart to finalize the installation and optimize system performance. Restarting your computer helps terminate background update processes, refresh system configurations, and clear temporary resource-heavy tasks.

• Click Start, then select Restart.
• Allow the system to reboot and settle for a few minutes.
• Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc and check CPU usage.
• If CPU usage remains high, continue with the next steps.

Wait for Windows to Finish Post-Update Processes

After an update, Windows runs several background tasks such as indexing files, optimizing system settings, and installing additional components. These tasks can temporarily increase CPU usage but typically stabilize within a few hours.

• Let your system run for 30-60 minutes without interruptions.
• Open Task Manager and monitor CPU usage under the Processes tab.
• If CPU usage remains consistently high beyond a few hours, move on to further troubleshooting steps.

Check for Additional Updates

Microsoft frequently releases follow-up patches to fix performance issues caused by previous updates. Checking for additional updates ensures that you have the latest fixes.

• Press Win + I to open Settings.
• Navigate to Update & Security > Windows Update.
• Click Check for updates.
• If updates are available, install them and restart your PC.
• After rebooting, monitor CPU usage in Task Manager.

Disable Unnecessary Startup Programs

Some applications launch at startup after an update, increasing CPU load. Disabling them can free up system resources and reduce CPU consumption.

• Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc).
• Navigate to the Startup tab.
• Right-click unnecessary programs and select Disable.
• Restart your PC and monitor CPU usage.

Run System File Checker (SFC) and DISM to Fix Corrupt Files

Windows updates can sometimes corrupt system files, causing CPU inefficiencies. Running SFC and DISM scans can help repair them and optimize performance.

• Press Windows key + S and type cmd, Right-click on the command prompt select run as administrator,
• Run the system file checker command sfc /scannow to scan and fix corrupt system files,
• Next, run the DISM restore health command DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to scan and repair the Windows image.
• Let the scanning complete 100%, once done reboot your computer and check if the CPU usage comes normal.

Disable Windows Search and Superfetch (SysMain) Services

The Windows Search and Superfetch (SysMain) services can consume high CPU resources, especially after an update. Disabling them can improve performance.

• Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
• Locate Windows Search, right-click it, and select Properties.
• Change the Startup type to Disabled and click stop then Apply.
• Repeat these steps for SysMain.
• Restart your PC and monitor CPU usage.

Perform a Clean Boot

A clean boot starts Windows with only essential services, helping identify if a third-party app is causing CPU spikes.

• Press Win + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
• Go to the Services tab and check Hide all Microsoft services.
• Click Disable All, then switch to the Startup tab in Task Manager.
• Disable all startup programs and restart your PC.
• If CPU usage improves, re-enable services one by one to find the problematic software.

Uninstall the Problematic Windows Update

If high CPU usage starts after a specific update, uninstalling it may resolve the issue.

• Press Win + I to open Settings.
• Go to Update & Security > Windows Update.
• Click View update history > Uninstall updates.
• Locate the recent update that caused high CPU usage, right-click it, and select Uninstall.
• Restart your PC and monitor CPU usage.

Update or Roll Back Drivers

Sometimes, Windows updates cause conflicts with existing drivers, leading to increased CPU usage. Updating or rolling back problematic drivers can restore system stability.

• Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
• Expand Display adapters, Network adapters, and Processors.
• Right-click each device and choose Update driver > Search automatically for drivers.
• If the issue started after an update, select Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver.
• Restart your PC and check CPU usage.

In addition, virus malware infection also cause high CPU usage by running hidden processes or consuming excessive system resources, leading to a slower and potentially unstable computer. We recommend Perform a full system scan with the latest updated antivirus or built-in windows security.