• Around The HomeToggle Menu

    • Entertainment
    • Productivity
    • Smart Home
  • FamilyToggle Menu

    • Parenting
    • Toys
    • Pets
    • Travel
  • Product ReviewsToggle Menu

    • Phones
    • Tablets
    • Laptops
    • Desktops
    • Wearables
    • Audio
    • Cameras
    • Headphones
    • Printers
    • Smart Home
    • TVs
    • Gaming and Video
  • One Cool ThingToggle Menu

    • Frugal Tech
    • Kickstarters
    • Videos
Techwalla
  1. Home
  2. Around The Home
  3. Productivity
  4. How Clear CPU Usage

How Clear CPU Usage

March 31, 2015
By: StevenHill
  • Share
  • Share on Facebook

Heavy CPU usage prevents your computer from operating at its highest efficiency while you are using it. CPU usage might spike for several reasons. A program running in the background might be using it, such as an anti-virus application or other system-scanning utilities. An improperly closed system-intense program can also eat up your CPU's resources. Whatever the case, you can at least partially clear your CPU's usage using already-installed Windows utilities.

Video of the Day

...
Heavy CPU usage can be cleared using installed utilities.

Step

Press down the "Ctrl" and "Alt" keys on either the left or right side of the keyboard. Press the "Del" key. This opens a new full-screen options menu in Windows 7. Click "Start Task Manager." This closes the options menu and opens the "Windows Task Manager" window on top of all other open windows.

Step

Check current CPU usage by looking at the bottom of the window. The "Task Manager" displays the value as a percentage beside "CPU Usage."

Step

Click the "Processes" tab at the top of the window. This menu displays all processes currently operating on your PC. It tells you the name of the process, the name of the user for whom the process is running, its current CPU usage, its current memory usage and, if available, a description.

Step

Click on "CPU" so that the "Task Manager" sorts all processes by their current CPU usage. Click so that the arrow points down, ordering the processes by most CPU usage to least.

Step

Click processes at the top of the list. These are the processes using your CPU's resources. Click "End Process." A dialog box opens asking if you want to end the process. Click "End Process." Repeat this until your CPU usage is cleared.

Show Comments

Related Articles

How to Restore Factory Settings on an HP Pavilion

How to Restore Factory Settings on an HP Pavilion

Around The Home
Productivity
By: Robert Ceville
How to Access the Activity Monitor on Your MacBook

How to Access the Activity Monitor on Your MacBook

Around The Home
Productivity
By: Elle Smith
How to Stop 100 Percent CPU Usage

How to Stop 100 Percent CPU Usage

Around The Home
Productivity
By: Todd Bowerman
How to Check CPU Usage

How to Check CPU Usage

Around The Home
Productivity
By: Lysis
How to Maximize CPU Usage

How to Maximize CPU Usage

Around The Home
Productivity
By: Justin A. Mann
How to Free Up CPU Usage

How to Free Up CPU Usage

Around The Home
Productivity
By: Ryan Bauer
  • HOW WE SCORE
  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT US
  • TERMS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • COPYRIGHT POLICY
  • Advertise

An error occurred. Try again later.

Thanks for signing up!
© 2018 Leaf Group Ltd. Leaf Group Media

Get great tech advice delivered to your inbox.

Keep your family productive, connected, entertained, and safe.

Please enter a valid email.