If you find that the Ntoskrnl.exe is taking up many CPU resources of your system, this article could be helpful for you. Here, MiniTool lists some methods that you can use to fix the “Ntoskrnl exe high CPU” problem. The detailed instructions are also displayed for you.
Ntoskrnl.exe (the Windows NT operating system kernel) is the basic part of the system. It is responsible for handling some important services such as process management, memory management, and hardware virtualization.
When you use your operating system, you may encounter the Ntoskrnl.exe issue such as Ntoskrnl.exe BSOD on Windows 10 or Ntoskrnl.exe BSOD on Windows 11. Besides, sometimes you may find it causes the high CPU issue.
Reasons for “Ntoskrnl exe High CPU”
What causes the “Ntoskrnl exe high CPU” issue? If Ntoskrnl is involved in performing other system operations through other processes, the issue will appear. Another Windows service, an installed application, a corrupt system file, or an attached peripheral can all cause extra strain on the Windows Ntoskrnl.exe system process (and your CPU).
How to Fix the “Ntoskrnl exe High CPU” Issue
Method 1: Run SFC
If there are some corrupted or missing system files, you may meet the “Ntoskrnl exe high CPU” issue. You can run Windows System File Checker (SFC) to fix it.
Step 1: Click the Start menu. Then type cmd in the search box. Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
Step 2: When you get into Command Prompt, input sfc /scannow and press Enter.
Step 3: Then Windows will scan for system file issues. You need to wait until the process is 100% completed. Now exit Command Prompt and restart the computer.
Method 2: Check for Virus and Malware
You can also use Windows Defender to check for malware and virus to fix the “Ntoskrnl exe high CPU” issue. Follow the steps below to perform a full scan.
Step 1: Press the Windows + I keys at the same time to open Settings.
Step 2: Go to Update & Security > Windows Security > Open Windows Security.
Step 3: In the new window, click Run a new advanced scan.
Step 4: Choose Full scan and click Scan now.
Method 3: Perform the Windows Update
Windows updates can help you fix a lot of system issues and bugs. When you encounter the Ntoskrnl.exe high CPU error, you can try installing the latest Windows updates.
Step 1: Right-click the Start menu and choose Settings.
Step 2: On the Settings window, select Update & Security.
Step 3: Under the Windows Update section, click the Check for updates button to check if there are any new updates. Then Windows will search for available updates. Just follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process.
Method 4: Disable Windows Search Service
You can also try to disable the Windows Search service to fix the issue. Here is a guide and this guide is available on both Windows 11 and Windows 10:
Step 1: Click the search icon from the taskbar and search for services.
Step 2: Select the first result to open Services.
Step 3: Scroll down the right panel to find Windows Search, then double-click it to open the Property interface.
Step 4: Select Disable for Startup type. Click the Stop button under Service status.
Step 6: Click Apply and click OK.
Final Words
That is all information on methods to fix the “Ntoskrnl exe high CPU” issue. If you want to fix the issue, but don’t know how to do it, you can try the above solutions one by one. I believe that one of them can help you fix your issue.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Having been an editor at MiniTool since graduating college as an English major, Daisy specializes in writing about data backups, disk cloning, and file syncing as well as general computer knowledge and issues. In her free time, Daisy enjoys running and going with friends to the amusement park.