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Best File Copy Utility Softwares for Windows 2024

By admin April 8, 2024

Best File Copy Utility Softwares for Windows 2024, Cut, copy, paste. Sounds familiar? Millions of us, transfer and copy files almost on a daily basis. Let us find out thus, some of the best file transfer software and file copy software for Windows.

If you notice, there might be typical days when we have spent not just one but a few hours in transferring files and copying files. But, let’s say a typical file is quite large, then what happens? Of course, it takes a longer time for transfer. Several developers have come up with different data copy software applications that help you avoid the errors coming up during the transfer or copy of large files/folders from one system to another in Windows.

What Are the Best File Copy Utility Software for Windows?

Let’s look at the detailed features of each of these best file transfer tools below:

1. File Fisher

This is one of the most portable file copy software that can be used for copying and transferring the files from one system to another. This is also one of the fastest file copying apps available in the market.

The best part of using this app is that you don’t have to download the app at all; instead you have to just drag it to your desktop and then simply run it in your system. In addition to it, you can also keep the app in your pen drive or your flash drive for smooth installation into your PC anytime. The interface is highly easy-to-use and quite interactive.

Since it supports a huge number of file formats, you can copy any file into your PC comfortably with the help of this app. Newcomers and experienced PC users can all use it easily and effectively.

Features of File Fisher

• File Fisher offers a simple yet unique user interface

• This file copy tool does not require any installation as it is a portable tool

• You can easily transfer files from one format to another easily

• The software is compatible with all the Windows OS even with the latest ones too

What Are the Best File Copy Utility Software for Windows?

Let’s look at the detailed features of each of these best file transfer tools below:

1. File Fisher

Since it supports a huge number of file formats, you can copy any file into your PC comfortably with the help of this app. Newcomers and experienced PC users can all use it easily and effectively.

Features of File Fisher

• File Fisher offers a simple yet unique user interface

• This file copy tool does not require any installation as it is a portable tool

• You can easily transfer files from one format to another easily

• The software is compatible with all the Windows OS even with the latest ones too

2. TeraCopy

Use TeraCopy as data copy software to copy files comfortably within folders or into Windows desktop. TeraCopy provides a robust and interactive interface. This app is extremely flexible and is one of the most fast running apps. TeraCopy is available freely as well as in a paid version. The free version of TeraCopy also has a lot of features that help successful copying of files from one system to another.

With TeraCopy you can comfortably evade those files that seem to be troublesome and still continue copying rather than stop for some corrupted files. If you’re wondering how would be the transfer over a network then let me tell you with the use of TeraCopy it is a lot easier and faster. You can drag and drop files that can prevent moving folders accidentally.

Features of TeraCopy

• It is one of the simplest file copy utilities

• The software automatically skips corrupted or problematic files

• It even repairs the corrupt file and recovers data

• You can easily drag and drop files from one drive to another

Reasons to use TeraCopy

• Skips corrupted files: With TeraCopy at your disposal, corrupted files cannot block the file transfer as the application skips them instead of halting the entire process.

• Fast and easy to use: The options like drag and drop, high customization, etc. make this app fast and friendly enough for both beginners and advanced users.

• Useful shell integration: TeraCopy boasts individual plugins, i.e., shell integration support to save your time and effort.

3. Fast Copy

The interface of Fast Copy is not one of the most efficient ones but the app is definitely one of the most efficient fast copy software for Windows. Fast Copy is freely available as a program and helps you move the files rapidly from one network to another.

To ensure enjoying the best speed, it employs multiple threads to read, write, verify and also uses the overlapped and direct I/O systems.

Due to the interface not everyone can use the app comfortably especially if you’re a novice, however, for an experienced PC user; it is indeed a wonderful copy software for Windows.

Features of Fast Copy

• It is one of the fastest file copying tools

• The software supports UNICODE and over MAX_PATH file pathnames

• It supports UNIX wildcard

• It uses multi-threads to bring out the best speed of devices

Reasons to use Fast Copy

• NSA File Wiping Support: One of the best things about Fast Copy is that it supports data sanitization methods approved by the National Security Agency (NSA) to keep your confidential information safe.

• Resource-friendly: This application does not bug your computer with unnecessary pressure on the resources as it is lightweight.

• Command-line: For the techies out there, it has command line and UI wrapper support.

4. ExtremeCopy

ExtremeCopy can help copy files from one system to another quickly. It can enhance the speed of the machine based on the physical structure of the machine. There are a lot of user-friendly features in the app. However, it would not support copying files from the network.

The program is capable of integrating with the Windows Explorer making it easier to use. Extreme Copy is not a software that supports file syncing but is one of the best file transfer software available.

Features of ExtremeCopy

• The software offers the freedom to pause and skip any file easily

• You can easily resume the interrupted process

• It comes with a built-in error management feature

• It is one of the best file transfer software for PC

Reasons to use ExtremeCopy

• Fast copying: It lets you copy files much faster (20% to 120% speedier) than the native Windows copy tool.

• Optimizations: ExtremeCopy can be a perfect choice for you, as it optimizes the copying speed and its resource consumption automatically.

• Efficient free version: We agree that the free version of this software has no high-end features. But, it does not reduce its functionality, and you get the same fast copying speed for free.

5. Unstoppable Copier

This app has been in use for a very long time. This file copy software functions at an enormous speed. Unstoppable Copier is a recovery solution that copies and transfers all your files from the directory.

The best part of it is that they also try to repair the faulty and damaged files. It works on any of the Windows operating systems except Windows 10. This is one of the best interactive Windows copy software that one can obtain.

Features of Unstoppable Copier

• The software lets you copy, recover and repair files easily

• It offers great speed transfer

• Being one of the oldest software it offers the best tools and speed

• It is compatible with most of the Windows OS

Reasons to use Unstoppable Copier

• Command-line support: If you are a techie who is not a fan of those graphical interfaces, you’ll be glad to know that this application supports command-line UI.

• Backup tools: There are backup options available such as creating and saving transfer lists for future use.

• Blazing fast: Unstoppable Copier is among the most high-speed copying tools available currently to copy files.

6. GS RichCopy 360

With GS RichCopy 360 copying many files from one system/folder to another is swift and quite easy.

In fact, there is a backup software with GS RichCopy 360 for MS Windows operating systems. This backup software can allow you to synchronize through the servers, Windows OS and also through various networks. You can always know and see all the copied tasks through a special Wizard interface available only with this tool.

Features of GS RichCopy 360

• It can be considered as the fastest file transfer software for Windows 7,8 and 10

• To help you check all the tasks it offers WIzard Interface

• It can easily transfer data between network

• You can share files, directories, or even drives effortlessly

Reasons to use GS RichCopy 360

• Byte-level replication: One thing that you might find highly useful in this application (that many other similar programs lack) is its ability to replicate files at the byte level.

• Supports long path names: Some files have really long path names (over 260 characters long). But, you don’t have to worry, as this software supports them all.

• Simultaneous file copying: It does not take a long time to copy files using this software as it copies files (up to 255 threads) simultaneously.

7. Perigee Copy 1.7

You can use this tool to copy the files from one system to another in the shortest amount of time.

If there are many files to copy from one server to another, then you know very well how long it takes to copy, if you use the default Windows copy function. Therefore, the Perigee Copy tool can offer a quicker solution.

It is an easy-to-use software with an interactive interface that is effective in so many ways. However, the drawback with Perigee is its incompatibility with Windows OS versions 8 and 10.

Features of Perigee Copy 1.7

• It offers a very easy to adapt interface which can be used by any user

• Apart from just copying files, you can delete them too

• You get many features like archive bit, overwrite, and others.

• It works perfectly for the Windows 7 and older versions

Reasons to use Perigee Copy 1.7

• Shell integration: With this software’s integration with the Windows menu, you can perform copy-paste tasks much more easily.

• Security: You get a confirmation message whenever you perform any action to inform you about the files that are going to be affected to take care of their security.

• Feature-rich: If you are looking for software that is a complete package with all essential features, like overwrite, etc., this program can be your best choice.

8. Copy Handler

For those users who are always transferring multiple files from one system to the other, Copy Handler can help immensely in transferring bulk files in less time.

It is a free to use app. Copy Handler operates at a faster rate, and aids in pausing, resuming, restarting and cancelling the different functionalities. It supports many languages at a time. You can transfer files between drives and computers in quite a less amount of time.

Drag and drop functions are also supported by the copy handler. To note, Copy Handler would resume the paused and unfinished copying of all files with a system restart. It is an extremely easy-to-use app and its effectiveness and flexibility is worth applauding.

Features of Copy Handler

• You can easily copy files in bulk using this best file copy software

• Easy drag and drop functionality for copying and moving files

• Even when the PC shutdown it pauses the process and can be easily resumed

• The software offers detailed statistics to help you understand better

Reasons to use Copy Handler

• Open source: One of the best things that make Copy Handler a perfect pick is that you can examine its code if the techie in you wants to do it.

• Complete control: You get full control over the entire copy/paste process and its speed.

• Queue support: Copy Handler has a unique feature that allows you to carry out multiple tasks at once in a specific order.

9. Robocopy

Robo Copy is not an app in actuality but rather a command-line utility to copy and transfer files from one server to another many times. Robo Copy replaces XCopy and has more offerings as a data copy software. If you have to run this utility, your command would be called Robo Copy.

It can work on Windows Vista and also on Windows 8. Robo Copy does not work on all PC’s as it does not have an interactive GUI.

Features of Robocopy

• Robocopy requires no additional tool for copying or transferring files

• Even when the network is interrupted the software performs great. It resumes when the connection is better

• Using the software you can skip files that are already copied

• You can easily transfer files and data from one server to another

Reasons to use Robocopy

• Error-free copying: Robocopy is a Windows command that does not make any error even when copying paths with over 259 to 32,000 characters.

• /MT feature: With this command, you can perform file copying in multithreaded mode.

• Wide availability: Being portable and compatible with almost all Windows versions, this tool is widely available.

10. EaseUS Disk Copy

Are you planning to copy an entire drive?

You can call it more like a drive cleaner since it copies a drive to another drive. EaseUS disk is quite fast as a data copy software and the best versions for file copy are available for Windows 7, 8 and 10.

It is an extremely precise app and can clone the entire disk with perfect precision and accuracy.

Features of EaseUS Disk Copy

• The software is compatible with all major Windows OS

• It is a fast software for copying or cloning the whole disk to a new location

• You can easily create a bootable disk with this software

• The software is accurate and performs copying with 100% accuracy

Reasons to use EaseUS Disk Copy

• Ease of use: To copy/paste files with this software, all you need to do is follow a simple three-step process.

• One-click migration: Using this software, you can migrate your data, apps, and complete OS to a new hard drive safely with just a click.

• Easy replacement: You can get EaseUS Disk Copy to use SSD instead of an HDD effortlessly.

11. UltraCopier

UltraCopier is an open source file copy software used to copy files. UltraCopier is very simple to use and has a multitude of premium features at your disposal for free. No matter how less versed you’re with a computer, you can always use this particular software without any difficulty.

There are some features like start, stop, resume that you can navigate through comfortably. You can perform a multitude of copy tasks from one server to another. It is also compatible with Linux and macOS.

Features of UltraCopier

• The software offers advanced features like speed limitations, pause, resume and stop

• You can easily perform multi-copy tasks

• It is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux

• UltraCopier has a built-in error management feature

Reasons to use UltraCopier

• Useful features: It offers some of the high-end features, such as speed controls and functionality to search in the copy lists.

• Customizations: If you are looking for a straightforward and customizable (with the plugin support) file copy utility, UltraCopier can be the best choice.

• Multilingual: UltraCopier boasts support for multiple languages and a portable form of the software.

12. MiniCopier

MiniCopier, a super-fast utility to copy files very quickly. It is a completely automatic utility for copying files. All you need to get started is – just drag and drop the files that you want to copy, in the red basket presented in the software’s window. And, then it will begin the rest procedure automatically. It has the standard buttons as well such as Pause and Start.

Though the user interface of this application is very simple, at the same time, it is very effective and productive too. Apart from this, it also keeps records of those transfers as well which gets dismissed. Overall, it is the best way to copy or paste files and folders in no time.

Features of MiniCopier

• You can queue all the transfers easily on this software

• The transfer speed can be set easily with MiniCopier

• You can pause and resume the process anytime

• Using the software you can easily change the name of the file

Reasons to use MiniCopier

• Queue support: The software supports queuing, where you can add a transfer to the queue when current transfers are ongoing.

• Greater control: With options like limiting the copy and transfer speed of files, MiniCopier lets you be in charge of the process.

• Behavior setting: MiniCopier allows you to specify a default target file behavior.

13. FF Copy

The next best file copy utility software for Windows in our list is FF Copy. It is a file transfer utility for Windows users. With this, you just only need to copy or paste the file to a transfer queue and then it will be copied in the sequence. Comparatively, it is way faster than other such kinds of utilities. FF Copy lets you transfer multiple files or folders simultaneously.

Just in case, if the source becomes unavailable then FF Copy automatically re-generates the source and starts transferring the files after a while. It allocates the disk space and eliminates disk fragmentation. FF Copy is highly capable of boosting the speed of the entire process. Undoubtedly, if you are searching for the best way to copy files pretty instantly then you should rely on this amazing utility.

Features of FF Copy

• The software offers a feature to add files in queue for ease

• You can easily pause and resume the process as per requirements

• During file transfer issue you can easily skip to the next file transfer

• It offers a detailed description of the process

Reasons to use FF Copy

• Portability: FF Copy is a portable software, hence no installation is required to run it.

• System friendly: This software does not burden your system unnecessarily, as its memory and CPU utilization remains low.

• Fast speed: With features such as queue support, this software lets you copy/transfer multiple files really quickly.

14. KillCopy

KillCopy is an excellent and fastest file-transferring software available for Windows PC. This utility tool makes the overall process of file copying much easier with a drag-and-drop feature. In order to ensure an error-free file-transferring process, KillCopy utilizes a high-speed verification mode.

Features of KillCopy

• It comes with a KillDelete option to erase the source file, once the copying process completes.

• Has a feature called Auto Resume functionality that automatically starts the file transfer process when the process abruptly stops.

• It’s Turbo Mode enhances the copying speed of large files.

Reasons to Use:

• Parallel: This mode boosts copy speed when copying files between different physical devices.

• Speed Limit: This feature lets you limit the maximum copy transfer speed in Kbps units.

• Turbo Mode: This mode can improve the overall speed of the file copying process, especially when copying large files between local disks.

15. NiceCopier

The next on our list of the best utilities to copy files and folders with NiceCopier. It is a quick and easy-to-use software that allows you to copy and paste data hassle-freely.

Moreover, it boasts many outstanding features, such as pausing and resuming the copy/paste process, an option to change the settings like running at startup, and much more.

Furthermore, below are its other features, pros, cons, and reasons to use it.

Features of NiceCopier

• A single window displays all the running tasks

• Calculates the best file copying speed

• Task queue creation to improve software performance

• Allows you to perform check-sum-based verification of files after copying them

Reasons to use

• Portable: One of the top reasons you should use NiceCopier is its portability. You can carry it in a flash drive and use it without downloading anything on the computer.

• Lightweight: NiceCopier does not pressurize your system resources and consumes very little space on the device.

16. Total Commander

Allow us to conclude this entire list of the best file copy utility software with Total Commander. Total Commander is not merely a copy utility but a smart file manager. With the help of the tool, you can run two windows side by side and use them to copy and move the data within the system and its storage. Let’s know more about this tool from the information below.

Features of Total Commander

• Custom columns

• Quick View panel

• Tabbed interface

• Built-in FTP client

• Thumbnails view

Reasons to use

• Thumbnail: One of the main reasons why you should download the Total Commander tool is that the tool offers a preview of the files in the form of thumbnails for ease of decision-making.

• Supports Multiple Archives: Total Commander supports various extensions of Archive files like CAB, ACE, TAR, GZ, RAR, UC2, ZIP, 7ZIP, etc.

17. Copywhiz

Copywhiz is another best file copy utility software that you can try. Just like any other software on this list, Copywhiz is a very advanced and a great utility to enjoy copying data smartly.

Features of Copywhiz

• Easy copying

• Handles multiple files

• Integration is possible

• Smart UI

Reasons to use

• Recent Files: The software allows you to copy and manage recently modified or added files with ease.

• Personalized: Copywhiz allows you to look for files and copy them according to the name or extension of the file.

18. SuperCopier

The next name on this list of the best file copy utility software for Windows 10/11 is SuperCopier. This is a simple tool that makes it feasible for you to copy data from one location to the other.

Features of Copywhiz

• Simplest file copying

• Smart UI

• Personalizable interface

Reasons to use

• Effective Performance: The software allows you to move or copy multiple files at once. Moreover, you also get lightning-fast copying speed with the tool.

• Smart UI: The user interface of SuperCopier is quite simple yet smart. Even a beginner can get the most out of the tool with ease.

19. OrganizerMaX

Here’s another addition to this list of the best file copy utility software for Windows. OrganizerMaX is multiple levels better than the traditional copy utility of Windows. Using this tool, you can add tags, copy and paste, search for files, and do a lot more with ease.

Features of OrganizerMaX

• Simple interface

• Modifiable

Reasons to use

• Reliability: The software offers some of the most advanced features for a copy utility.

• Fast: OrganizerMaX is quite fast as compared to any other tool offered in this list.

Final Words

These are some of the best file copy utility software available for Windows in 2024. Most apps are quite efficient in handling the speed with which the files are transferred from one server to the other or from one network to the other.

Bulk file transfers and copying is possible with some of these apps as well. Some can also help you transfer an entire folder from one server to another. With some apps you can avail many premium features whereas with other open source platforms you can enjoy splendid features free of cost.

Keep Reading

Guide

How to Fix high CPU usage 2024

By admin January 14, 2024

How to Fix high CPU usage 2024, PC freezing, going slow, or running into hitches where it shouldn’t? Even if you have one of the best processors, high CPU usage could be to blame. Unfortunately, if you aren’t too computer savvy, what this means, what part of your computer causes the issue, and CPU failure symptoms are all sort of a mystery.

So, what is CPU usage? Here, we’ll investigate high CPU usage, the factors that affect CPU utilization, and more.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

What is CPU usage?

The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU) is arguably the most important component inside any computer. Whether you’ve got one of the best processors on the market or you’re running an entry-level machine, your processor always serves as the brain of the operation. It sends instructions to all the other pieces of hardware in your device and is responsible for executing each and every task. If you’d like to read a more in-depth explanation about the CPU itself, check out our guide to what is a CPU.

Every processor has a limited capacity at which it can execute commands and run various programs. The better the CPU, the more tasks you can simultaneously perform without a hitch. However, no matter how powerful the CPU is, every chip will eventually hit its maximum capacity and begin slowing down. This will depend on your current CPU usage: In other words, the number of things your processor is being made to do at the same time.

When you’re not running many applications, your CPU usage should be low, and in an ideal scenario, everything should run smoothly. However, if you open a CPU-intensive program (such as certain games or video editing software,) you may notice that the response times increase as your CPU usage goes up.

Fluctuations in CPU usage are normal and nothing to worry about — as long as your PC continues running smoothly. If you’re unsatisfied with the performance of your PC, the first step is to check its CPU usage.

How to Fix high CPU usage 2024

How to check CPU usage

Checking CPU usage on Windows comes down to simply opening the Task Manager. If you already know how to do that, you can skip ahead to our next steps.

The three easiest and quickest ways to run Task Manager are:

• Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Shift+Escape to bring up the Task Manager directly.

• Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+Delete to bring up the lock screen and select Task Manager from there.

• Right-click on the taskbar or the Windows icon at the bottom-left side of your screen. Pick Task Manager from the list.

With Task Manager open, navigate to the Performance tab and select CPU from the left-hand side menu. This will produce a curve diagram that displays real-time updates about the performance of your CPU. You can also check the Open Resource Monitor option at the bottom to see more detailed information about your processor.

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What is a normal CPU usage?

Before you jump right in and start trying to fix the problem, it’s important to learn whether the CPU usage you’re currently experiencing is abnormal in the first place.

Remember that depending on your processor, it could be that your computer is just utilizing the resources available to it in an efficient manner under heavy workloads. High-end CPUs are able to handle all manner of multitasking, but budget processors may not be able to run multiple resource-heavy programs at once.

If you are currently not running any additional programs, your CPU usage should be anywhere between 1% and 10% just through Windows processes alone. Anything higher than that on an idle PC means that something might be wrong. However, if you’re playing a game or even have multiple browser windows open, the CPU usage will climb accordingly.

If you’re unsure whether your CPU usage is too high, here are a few indicators to look out for:

• High idle CPU usage: You’re not running any programs and your CPU usage is still above 20%.

• Higher than usual CPU usage: You’re not using any new programs, and yet your CPU usage is higher than it used to be.

• High CPU usage during tasks that aren’t resource-heavy, like word processing, or browsing social media in just a couple of tabs.

• High CPU usage combined with freezes, crashes, and slow performance.

There are some programs that commonly consume a lot of processing power. Check out our suggestions below if you’re not sure whether your software is one of them.

How to fix high CPU usage

It’s important to monitor CPU usage and act if something seems amiss. If the amount of software you’re running doesn’t warrant slower loading times or high CPU usage, check out our quick steps below to resolve this problem.

Restart your computer

Sometimes all your PC may need is just a quick restart. This will clear out temporary files, shut down any programs you didn’t know were running, and give your computer more of a fresh slate.

If a while has passed since you last restarted your computer, save all your work and reboot. After the restart, launch the programs you’ve previously had open and check if your CPU usage is now back to normal.

Check open processes

If the problem comes back after re-launching previous software, it’s time to check which program is the culprit.

Launch Task Manager (if you’re not sure how to do that, click here,) and click the Processes tab at the top. You will be presented with a list of processes that are currently running on your computer. This is a long list, and it’s important that you don’t close any programs without knowing what they do. To make the list easier to navigate, click on Name to sort by software type.

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Programs found under Apps are usually safe to close if needed. Check their CPU usage. If it’s a program that typically consumes a lot of CPU power, it might be that your high CPU usage is not abnormal. In any case, you can close the program to make sure your PC is running smoothly without it. Save all your work before you proceed.

Pick the program with the highest CPU usage and click End Task in the bottom right corner. Start it back up and check whether your CPU usage has improved. Try to close all the programs you don’t currently need — if the program or background process that consumes the most CPU power is unknown to you, write down its name and give it a quick Google search. It could be a virus that you need to get rid of.

Be mindful of the following:

• Apps with a very high CPU usage that shouldn’t require too many resources

• Background processes with a high CPU usage

• Windows processes with a high CPU usage

If any of the processes on your computer are CPU-heavy and you’re not sure what they are, write down their names and make sure they’re safe.

Scan your computer for viruses and malware

Unfortunately, malware and viruses are often the culprits behind high CPU usage. You may sometimes notice them by browsing through the Task Manager, but oftentimes they will be concealed and won’t be that easy to spot.

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Getting rid of malware and viruses can be tricky and highly situational, but there are a few steps you should take that can resolve your problem.

• Download one of the best antivirus programs available and scan your computer.

• In addition to an antivirus program, you can download malware and spyware-specific programs such as Malwarebytes and SpyBot S&D. Scan your PC with these programs after the antivirus scan is over.

If the software finds any harmful programs on your computer, it will likely help you get rid of them. This may lower your CPU usage.

Update your drivers

Your CPU can take quite a beating if you’re using old drivers or unoptimized software. Sometimes, fixing high CPU usage may be as easy as simply updating your drivers.

In this step, try to update all of your drivers. This includes motherboard drivers, GPU drivers, audio drivers, and more. Check out our dedicated guides on updating all of your drivers and updating your graphics card drivers if you’d like a step-by-step tutorial on how to do this.

A word of warning: Do not use third-party software for updating drivers. A lot of the commonly advertised software on the internet may be dangerous to your computer. Whether it’s out-right malware or it simply downloads all the wrong things, you don’t want to deal with that. It’s best to learn how to update your drivers yourself and rely on secure methods of doing so.

Update your software

The software you’re using may simply be an older version of an already updated program. In such cases, the CPU usage may be abnormally high and it may have been fixed in a patch that you haven’t downloaded yet.

Following the Task Manager, update your most CPU-heavy software to the latest version and see whether that will do the trick.

Update your BIOS

This is more of an advanced option, but in some cases, updating your BIOS may help fix the issue with high CPU usage. Updating your BIOS will require knowing the exact model of your motherboard.

If you’re not sure which motherboard you’re using, we’ve got you covered. Check our guide to find out all of the specifications of your PC, including the motherboard. Once you know the model of your motherboard, simply search for it in Google and add “BIOS.” Download the latest BIOS directly from the manufacturer’s website — do not trust other sources. Follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer in order to update your BIOS.

Check your power settings

Certain power settings in Windows may affect your CPU performance. This applies to both laptops and desktops. You may currently be using a low power setting without even knowing it, so changing it might help.

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Follow the steps below to change your power plan in Windows.

• Click on the Windows logo in the bottom left-hand corner and type in: “Power Settings.”

• On the right-hand side of the Power & Sleep section, navigate to Additional Power Settings.

• Click on Show Additional Plans and then select the High Performance plan. Alternatively, if you’re already running the High Performance plan and you’re experiencing CPU problems, try out the Balanced plan instead.

Clean your PC

Keeping your PC clean is important, not just on the software side, but on the dust-free side. That’s right — our computers gather a lot of dust every single day. The more dust your PC or laptop has accumulated, the worse it will run, and that’s all thanks to the rising temperatures within the chassis.

Don’t let us catch you letting it get this bad … Wikimedia

If you haven’t given your PC a good clean for a while, it might be the time to do so. This process will usually require the use of compressed air. You can pick up a can of compressed air on Amazon and from many other stores.

Remember that before you ever attempt to clean your computer’s vents, you need to fully turn it off and unplug it. If you want to learn how to clean your PC, as well as a few more handy tips to make it run faster, check out our in-depth guide on the topic.

Run System Restore

If your high CPU usage is a recent development and everything was running smoothly just a few days ago, fixing the problem may be as easy as running System Restore on Windows. Windows 10 users can refer to our separate guide on reinstalling and restoring Windows here.

For Windows 11 users, accessing System Restore can be done in a few quick steps:

• Click the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner of your screen and type in Control Panel.

• Once in the Control Panel, type in Recovery in the search box.

• Pick Recovery and then Open System Restore.

• In the Restore System Files and Settings section, click Next.

You will then be prompted to select a restore point that you want to go back to. Choose one from before these issues started and follow the instructions provided by Windows. Keep in mind that you may lose any new files and programs you’ve installed since the restore point.

Unfortunately, many users cannot utilize System Restore. This is because Windows doesn’t automatically create restore points, which is why your list may be empty. If that’s the case, you may need to take more drastic measures.

Reinstall Windows

This option should be treated as a last resort. If all the other steps failed and you still cannot pinpoint the reason why your CPU usage is so high, giving your Windows a clean install may be the solution to your problems.

Before you pull the trigger, keep in mind that reinstalling Windows will delete all of your installed programs. You are allowed to keep your files, but you may also opt to do a completely clean install and let Windows delete all of them. Whether you choose to keep your files or not, it’s good to back up your data before you begin.

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Reinstalling Windows 10

If you’re not sure how to reinstall Windows 10, check out our guide that will lead you through the steps required to do so.

Reinstalling Windows 11

In order to reinstall Windows 11, click on the Windows logo at the bottom-left side of the screen and type in: “Reset this PC.”

Once you’re in the correct section, select Reset PC. Windows will then prompt you to choose from several reinstall options. You can choose whether to keep your personal files, keep any changes you’ve made to Windows settings, and keep pre-installed apps that came with your Windows 11 PC.

Pick the option that suits you best and allow Windows to reinstall itself. When the reinstallation is complete, you will have to install all your drivers and trustworthy programs again. Once your system is back up and running, check your CPU usage again — you should be able to see a marked improvement.

Further troubleshooting

If you have tried every one of our recommended steps and found no improvement, the issue may be more complex than can be covered in any given guide. Fortunately, all you need is an internet connection in order to troubleshoot your computer.

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There are two main things to search for in times of abnormal CPU usage:

• Your exact model of CPU + “high CPU usage.” Check our guide to learn which processor you have.

• The process or program that hogs the most CPU usage in Task Manager + “high CPU usage.”

Searching for these terms will give you more specific advice from users who have gone through the same kinds of issues. Read the advice carefully and follow it as best as you can. However, never download any third-party programs: You may put your PC at much greater risk instead of fixing it.

CPU usage FAQ

Which programs cause high CPU usage?

Many kinds of programs can cause high CPU usage. If you’re running one of them, your computer may slow down. In such cases, make sure you close all other programs to give your processor the breathing space it needs in order to run these resource-heavy tasks.

Some of the most notorious CPU-heavy programs include:

• Video and photo editing software

• Encoding and decoding software

• CPU-heavy games, such as PUBG

• Browsers with many tabs open, many plug-ins, websites with a lot of videos and photos, etc.

• DVD burning programs

• Video or photo converters

• 3D modeling software

• Benchmarking programs

Is high CPU usage bad?

Every PC will go through cycles of high CPU usage — there is nothing wrong with that. However, If your CPU usage is constantly high or even at 100%, there is definitely a reason for concern.

Your CPU heats up when under heavy loads. This may cause your computer to overheat, but even in the best-case scenario, it contributes to wear and tear. Your PC may freeze when running at 100% CPU usage as soon as you add an extra application into the mix. Freezes and crashes are common, and each one may cause another problem to pop up.

In short: Yes, it’s bad, although as long as you’re expecting your CPU usage to be high, it’s fine and fully expected to happen at times.

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