High CPU Usage When Laptop In Sleep – Latest Guide In 2023
Some programs may be able to operate while a laptop is in sleep mode, although this will depend on the program’s settings and configurations and the laptop itself.
Even while the laptop is in sleep mode, some applications may be configured to continue in the background and carry out operations like updates or backups. Nevertheless, this behavior can be altered by modifying the power options or stopping some programs from operating in the background.
As sleep mode is intended to save power by minimizing the use of resources like the CPU, it is uncommon for a laptop to consume a significant amount of CPU utilization while in this state.
If your laptop uses a lot of CPU power while it is supposed to be sleeping, it either isn’t sleeping or wakes up repeatedly.
The purpose of sleep mode, often referred to as standby mode, is to reduce the consumption of resources such as the CPU, display, and hard drive when the computer is not in use.
Most of a computer’s components are effectively put into a low-power state when it enters sleep mode, but the system’s status is kept in memory so that it may swiftly pick up where it left off when it awakens.
If you experience high CPU usage when your laptop is asleep, there could be the following reasons.
Background processes:
A vast Window operating system has many processors, apps, and simultaneous services running. These are not visible on your desktop; you only need to open a task manager to analyze these background processes running.
These background processes run and consume high CPU usage, even when your laptop is sleepy.
These processes are key suspects when determining why your PC runs slowly and takes a long time to load. If at all, the majority of these operations don’t need to be constantly running.
There is a list of methods to control these background processes, so you can control high CPU usage while your laptop is sleepy.
SOLUTION:
Background processes can be fixed by doing the following steps for using a high CPU while the laptop is sleeping:
- Using Task Manager, kill processes by manually
The Windows Task Manager can be accessed by pressing Win + X or Ctrl + Shift + Esc. After that, select the Processes tab with a right-click and ensure the Memory section is checked. The apps would then be sorted according to how much memory they use.
Click the End Task button at the bottom right of the menu after selecting the application to shut down. Additionally, you can right-click the application and choose End Task from the pop-up context menu.
- Turn off startup procedures.
Open the Task Manager and select the Startup tab to see a choice to help you limit the number of startup processes.To disable any process, perform a right-click and choose the Disable option from the context menu.
As an alternative, you can use the Disable button located in the menu’s bottom-right corner. Because none of the Microsoft processes in this option are essential to your computer, you can safely disable all of them.
- Get rid of third-party procedures.
You can disable these processes by launching Task Manager and selecting the drop-down arrow next to the appropriate application. To start the Services program, choose the Open Services option.
Find the third-party service you want to deactivate within this application, right-click on it, and choose properties. By doing so, the service’s properties menu will be displayed. Select Disabled from the Startup type drop-down menu by clicking on it. To close the window, press Apply and then OK.
- Utilizing System Configuration, release system resources
It can get tedious to eliminate third-party procedures one at a time. Fortunately, there is a quicker way to stop all these operations simultaneously.
To open the Run app, press Win + R on your keyboard. After that, enter MSconfig into the text box. Ensure the box labeled “Hide all Microsoft services” is checked after choosing the Services tab. After selecting Apply and OK, click the Disable All button
- Deactivate system monitors
System monitors review your computer to gather resource utilization and performance statistics. They function on your computer and use up system resources on their own. You must never turn off the system monitors that come with your Windows OS from Microsoft.
However, a few third-party programs also include system monitors in their installation packages.
They function independently of the governing program and frequently show up in the notification tray. Most of these programs are extremely tough to eliminate and don’t appear in Task Manager.
Power setting:
Your laptop may run some tasks even when you intend to sleep since your power settings may not be ideal for sleep mode.
Certain applications or software may prevent the laptop from correctly going into sleep mode and may even operate while the computer is intended to be asleep.
You can modify the settings in your laptop’s Power Options menu to make them more effective in sleep mode. Depending on your operating system, you might be able to modify parameters like how long the laptop stays in sleep mode, how long the hard drive stays powered off, and how much power the CPU consumes when it is active.
SOLUTION:
To prevent high CPU usage in sleep mode, you can adjust the power settings on your computer. Here’s how:
- Choose “Settings” from the Start menu by clicking on it.
- Select “System” and “Power & Sleep” in the left-hand menu.
- Click on the link marked “Additional power settings” after scrolling down.
- Click “Change plan settings” in the power options window for your existing power plan.
- “Change advanced power settings” should be clicked.
- Expand the “Processor power management” option by scrolling down.
- 5% or 10% are good starting points for the “Minimum processor state” and “Maximum processor state” settings.
- To save the changes, click “Apply” and “OK.”
Malware or virus:
Even in sleep mode, malware or viruses might result in significant CPU consumption. Malware can launch background processes that use resources and drain your battery.
Malware can infect other systems and carry out various nefarious tasks like data theft, cryptocurrency mining, or the development of botnets. These tasks need a lot of CPU power; malware can carry them out even when your laptop is in sleep mode.
Installing and maintaining an updated, reliable antivirus program on your laptop is crucial to stop malware or viruses from infiltrating your system.
To prevent malware from entering your system, you should exercise caution when downloading files, opening email attachments, and accessing the internet.
If you have reason to believe that malware has infected your system, you should run a malware scan immediately and take the appropriate steps to get rid of it.
SOLUTION:
Here are some actions you can take if you believe that a virus or piece of malware is to blame for your computer’s high CPU consumption while it is in sleep mode:
- Do a comprehensive system scan with your antivirus program to find and eliminate any malware or viruses that could be the source of the high CPU consumption
- Try utilizing a free online virus scanner like the one Trend Micro offers if your antivirus program does not identify anything or if you do not have antivirus software installed.
- Ensure that all your software, including your operating system, has the most recent security patches and updates installed.
- Disable any starting applications or services that are not required and may be consuming CPU resources in the background. You can achieve this by launching Task Manager and selecting the Startup tab.
- It will remove any malware or viruses that may be causing the high CPU usage, but it will also erase all of your data, so be sure to back up your important files before proceeding. If the problem persists, you can try resetting your computer to its default settings or installing the operating system cleanly.
FAQs:
What causes high CPU usage when a laptop is in sleep mode?
High CPU usage in sleep mode can be caused by various reasons, such as software bugs, driver issues, malware or virus infections, or power settings that are not optimized for sleep mode.
Can high CPU usage in sleep mode damage my laptop?
While high CPU usage in sleep mode will not damage your laptop, it can cause it to overheat, potentially damaging the hardware components or reducing its lifespan.
How can I check my laptop’s CPU usage in sleep mode?
You cannot check your laptop’s CPU usage in sleep mode as the system is turned off. However, you can check your laptop’s CPU usage while it is running by opening the Task Manager or using a third-party system monitoring tool.
How can I prevent high CPU usage in sleep mode?
To prevent high CPU usage in sleep mode, you can optimize your power settings, disable unnecessary startup programs and services, update your operating system and software, and run a virus scan to remove any malware or viruses that may be causing the issue.
Can I disable sleep mode on my laptop to prevent high CPU usage?
While disabling sleep mode can prevent high CPU usage, it is not recommended as it can reduce your laptop’s battery life and potentially cause data loss if you accidentally shut it down without saving your work.
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