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Shadow PC's CPU usage is 100%

Updated 

3 months ago

If your Shadow PC's CPU is using 100% of its resources, the Windows operating system will also slow down or freeze. Read this article to learn why this might happen and what you can do to resolve it.

Note: Before proceeding, be aware that tools like Task Manager may not accurately display CPU usage on Shadow PC. This inaccuracy is due to the server's design and the limitations of the virtualization software, which can't fully relay precise CPU performance metrics, including the base frequency.

Restart Shadow PC

Some unnecessary processes may be running in the background. Restarting your Shadow PC is a quick way to reduce how many processes are running at once.

Shut down Shadow PC from the icons8-windows-client-24.png Start menu, Quick Menu, or the Help Help_icon.png section of the Shadow PC launcher.

If this did not help, check your antivirus and Task Manager.

Disable third-party antivirus software

If you have third-party antivirus software installed on Shadow PC, scans or real-time protection may be running. Temporarily disable the antivirus software to relieve the CPU for a short period of time.

Most antivirus software will also let you disable the software until you decide to enable it again. For help disabling your antivirus, refer to your antivirus provider.

Check Task Manager

Use Windows Task Manager to see what processes and applications are running on Shadow PC. This can help you identify the culprit causing high CPU usage.

Note: If you choose to end any processes, close applications, or make any other changes following the instructions below, save your work and do so at your own risk. Closing some applications or processes may end your Shadow PC session.

  1. Open Task Manager on Shadow PC. To do this:

    • Right-click the taskbar, then click Task Manager,

    • Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete, or

    • Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc.

  2. Click the Processes tab. If this tab is not visible, click More details.

  3. Click CPU to sort this column and see processes consuming the most CPU.

Disable startup apps

Some applications are instructed to run when Windows starts. You can change which apps run at startup on Windows for a smoother startup experience.

This is useful if you consistently see apps open that you are not using or do not regularly use when Shadow PC starts, or if too many apps are starting at the same time. Game launchers, antiviruses, social apps like Discord, and web browsers can consume a lot of the CPU's capacity.

Other options

Updating your graphics drivers on Shadow PC can help improve the efficiency of the GPU and offload some of the stress from the CPU.

If you didn't find evidence of high CPU usage in this article or Shadow PC is still slow or freezing, you may be experiencing a problem with your connection. Test your connection on your local device.

Shadow PC may be slow or freezing due to a problems streaming. Learn how the Shadow PC Settings can improve symptoms like lag or delays.

If your CPU usage is still high, take a screenshot of Task Manager and send the image to Support for advice from our team.

Still have questions after reading this article?

Check out our other articles or contact Shadow Support.

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