How to Fix Discord High CPU Usage on Windows 10/11

Discord is one of the most widely used gaming communication apps, but when it starts to use up a lot of CPU power, it can be unpleasant. Your computer may slow down and experience lag, freezing, and crash problems due to high CPU consumption. This article will discuss the causes of Discord’s excessive CPU utilization and solutions.

Reasons for High CPU Usage on Discord

The percentage of your computer’s processing power that an application or software uses is known as CPU consumption. Discord can consume up to 80% or more of your CPU resources, making it a resource-intensive app, mainly when you are in a voice or video conversation. Numerous problems, including sluggish performance, overheating, and even hardware damage, can be brought on by high CPU usage.

There are several reasons why Discord might be consuming high CPU resources. Here are some of the common ones:

• Background Processes – Discord has several background processes that can consume CPU resources, including checking for updates, syncing files, and scanning for malware. These processes can run in the background and cause high CPU usage.
• Discord Settings – Discord has several parameters, such as hardware acceleration, overlay, and voice and video settings, impacting CPU consumption. These settings may use more CPU resources than necessary if not optimized.
• Discord bots – Bots for Discord are third-party programs that can automatically play music, show information, moderate chat, and do other things on your Discord group. Some bots, on the other hand, may need a lot of CPU power, especially if they need to be well tuned or have memory leaks.
• Hardware Issues – Additionally, hardware problems like overheating, out-of-date drivers, or a malfunctioning CPU might result in high CPU consumption. Your computer may slow down or crash if the CPU operates at a high temperature.

After checking for these issues, you can take measures to fix Discord’s high CPU usage on Windows 10/11.

How to Fix Discord’s High CPU Usage Issue

High CPU usage on Discord can cause sluggish performance and other issues, making it difficult for users to enjoy the app’s features fully. In this section, we will explore various methods that can help reduce CPU usage, improve app performance, and provide a smoother experience for users.

Following the tips outlined in this section, you can optimize your system and get the most out of Discord.

1] Disable Hardware Acceleration

This fix entails going into Discord’s settings and turning off hardware acceleration, which could lessen your computer’s CPU load and possibly even reduce the application’s excessive CPU utilization.

• When the Discord client launches, click the User Settings icon next to your user details.
• When you reach Advanced, scroll down. At this stage, make sure Hardware Acceleration is turned off. It is not in use.

• To exit your settings, click the X button in the top right corner or hit the Esc key. Try again to see if Discord is still consuming excessive CPU power.

For the changes to take effect, you should restart the Discord client. For this, adhere to the guidelines provided below.

2] Fully restart Discord

You can help remove any temporary files or processes causing high CPU consumption by restarting Discord. The program can be continued to help remove these files, which can collect over time and use system resources.

• Right-click on a space in your taskbar (or the Start menu icon if you are using Windows 11) to bring up the context menu. Choose Task Manager.

• Remain on the tab for processes. Select the Discord program from your list of open processes. Next, click the End Task button in the window’s upper right corner, as shown in the screenshot below.

• On your smartphone, Discord should completely stop operating in the background. Now try starting Discord again and see if the high CPU utilization still occurs.

3] Upgrade to the Most Recent Version of Discord

The most recent version of Discord may offer efficiency enhancements that aid in lowering excessive CPU utilization. Using the most current version guarantees that your program is operating at peak performance and is not using up unneeded resources.

• Please make sure the Discord app is in focus before opening it.
• To refresh the application, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + R. Discord will be forced to restart to check for updates.

• Discord will begin installing any available updates immediately. Check if the latest update resolved your app’s CPU use issues.

4] Modify Your Voice Preferences

By improving how Discord handles audio, you can lessen the load on your CPU by adjusting your voice settings. Disable or minimizing specific parameters, such as automatic gain control, noise reduction, and echo cancellation, is preferable, as they can use more resources than necessary.

• Open your Discord client and click the User Settings button next to your user data.
• Navigate to the App Settings menu on the left and choose Voice & Video. Confirm that each setting is turned off: Noise reduction, echo cancellation, and OpenH364 video codec.

• Additionally, disable Automatic Gain Control by scrolling down.

• After making these adjustments, you can dismiss the settings box and check if Discord’s CPU usage has decreased. If not, think about restarting the client or finding another way to solve the problem!

5] Turn off the Discord Overlay

When gaming or using other applications, turning off the Discord overlay can assist in lowering the amount of CPU resources the application uses. Turning off the overlay can enhance performance by adding layers of processing that may use resources.

• To check your overlay settings, first run Discord and pick the User Settings option next to your user details. A symbol that is next to your user information.
• In the menu on the left, scroll down until you find Activity Settings. Ensure the “Enable in-game overlay.” option is deactivated by clicking on Game Overlay.

• After making this change, close the settings window and see if Discord’s CPU consumption is fixed. If the application still uses much CPU power, try restarting it or using an alternative approach.

6] Install Discord again

One way to resolve corrupted files or other issues that can generate excessive CPU consumption is to reinstall Discord. Reinstalling Discord can assist in resolving issues if it is probable that the application has become corrupted for any number of reasons.

• Pick Settings from the Start menu. You can also press Windows + I on your computer instead.
• Using the menu on the left, navigate the left menu, then select Installed Apps. This page will load all of your installed programs.

• Look for Discord in the installed software list. Select Uninstall from the list by clicking the three dots next to the application’s name.

• Go to the Discord download page to obtain the most recent version of the program after removing Discord. Start the installer and follow all the instructions on the screen.

7] Open Discord with a browser.

Because it uses fewer system resources, using Discord through your browser may be a solution for users needing help with the Discord application’s high CPU utilization. Accessing Discord through a browser is still an option for those who lighten their computer’s load despite certain restrictions.

Launch your favorite browser and go to discord.com. Next, click the Login button in the screen’s upper right corner. Click “Open Discord” in your browser. Next, to log in, either scan the QR code or input your login credentials.

It should instantly direct you to the discord.com/channels/ @ me page, the browser app version of Discord. If you choose to continue using Discord in your browser, please bookmark this page for future convenience.

In summary

In conclusion, having a lot of CPU utilization from Discord can be annoying and negatively affect how well your computer runs. There are, however, several ways to lessen this problem. You can troubleshoot the issue and develop a workable solution by following the instructions in this article.

We sincerely hope these pointers have helped fix any Discord high CPU utilization problems you may have been having.

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