Why Dwm.exe Causes High CPU Usage? 6 Fixes

The processes and the system that allow visual effects on the screen on any device are the ones that control everything, including the user interface as well. A majority of the time, this is more common for Windows users to come across the explorer.exe. 

On Windows, the system process is one of the most significant parts of the functioning Windows. This includes Dwm.exe. Additionally, this helps Windows create a proper graphical user interface which is very necessary for the users. However, there may be times when it leads to high CPU usage as well. 

Why do Dwm.exe Cause High CPU Usage and How to fix it?

If you have come across the problem ” Why Dwm.exe causes High CPU Usage and How to fix it? , you can try and follow the methods mentioned below to resolve the issue of high CPU usage. 

What is Dwm.exe?

Dwm.exe is the Desktop Window Manager, which is an integrated system process for the graphical user interface. It helps provide visual effects that mainly involve thumbnails in the taskbar and many more. 

Generally, this helps create proper effects that are even more prevalent when the system is updated. The generated designs come into play as soon as the user opens the new updated version. 

Windows also use hardware to provide a smooth user interface for these visual effects. One of the most important hardware that they use is graphics hardware. However, there are several ways that you can either remove or disable the Desktop Window Manager if it is causing a relatively high CPU usage

6 Fixer for “Why Dwm.exe Causes High CPU Usage and How to fix it?”

  1. Disable Screen Saver
  2. Change the Wallpaper
  3. Restart the Computer
  4. Update Windows System
  5. Check the Graphics Card
  6. Check for Malware

1. Disable Screen Saver

One of the easiest ways to fix the issue of the Windows Manager causing high CPU usage is by disabling the screen saver. Since the Desktop Windows Manager is known for the graphics that it provides. It also plays an important role in displaying the animation in the system. 

Certain features within the system have animation, which is generally not required by the user. However, this definitely also depends on whether the user requires those animations or not. 

If that is not needed, disabling it will definitely prevent the Desktop Windows Manager from causing high CPU usage. Since Dwm.exe cannot be disabled or switched off directly, disabling some of its features will help in avoiding the high CPU usage. 

This is also considered one of the easiest methods to resolve the issue; however, if it is not resolved even after disabling the screen saver, you might want to try other methods. 

  • Launch the search bar by pressing Windows and S. 
  • You will have to type Lock Screen Settings in the box and press Enter. 
disable screen saver
  • As soon as you open the lock screen settings, scroll to the bottom and select Screensaver Settings. 
  • Select None in the pop-up menu. 
disable screen saver

With the help of this process, you will be able to disable the screen saver, and the Desktop Windows Manager will not be using the CPU to that extent. 

2. Change the Wallpaper

You can change the wallpaper on your Windows to reduce the high CPU usage. You can follow these steps.

  • Press Windows and I
  • Click on Customize. 
  • You will have to select the background based on your liking. 
  • On the left side of the screen, you will also be able to change the theme of your PC

After you change the wallpaper, you can check whether the issue is still there. If yes, you can follow other methods to resolve it. 

3. Restart The Computer

If there is very high CPU usage, you can simply try restarting your system to check whether it gets resolved or not. A majority of the time, the Desktop Window Manager uses a lot of power and memory of the system for proper visual effects. This will lead to an overload on the system. 

Hence, restarting your computer will close the application and other background running apps. After restarting the system, you can check whether the issue has been resolved or not. 

4. Update Windows System

Windows also needs to be updated to fix several bugs and glitches like all other systems. Hence it is very integral for the users to keep checking for updates and use the latest version of Windows. 

Sometimes, when there is a bug present in the system, it leads to certain dysfunctions that are not normally seen. Hence, updating helps remove those bugs and may also resolve the problem of high CPU usage. 

You can update your Windows by following the steps mentioned below

  • Press the Windows and X key. 
  • Click on Settings. 
  • You can then check the search for Windows Update 
  • Click on Windows Update from the settings
windows update

You will be able to see a different page with the Update Status. If there are any updates available, you can click on Update. If not, then that would mean your Windows is up to date. 

After you have completed this process, you can restart your system and see whether the issue has been resolved or not. 

5. Check the Graphics Card

You will have to make sure that the graphics card is updated time and again. You can do this by checking the website of the manufacturer to see if there are any new updates. There may be cases wherein you do not get the notifications for the updates, so it is important for you to check whether any new updates are released on the website. 

A majority of the time, the updates come along with the fixes for several bugs and glitches. Once you update the Graphics card, there is a high possibility for the Desktop Window Manager to stop causing high CPU usage. 

To ensure that the graphics card driver is not the reason for this issue, it is better to update it repeatedly. 

  • To open the run dialogue box, press on the R+Windows key
  • Type devmgmt. msc on the Run dialogue box. 
  • Click on the Display Adapters option from the Device Manager.
update graphics driver
  • Select the Graphics card driver and then click on Update driver.
  • Then select Search Automatically for Drivers.
update graphics driver
  • Click on Exit if the graphics card drivers are updated. 

6. Check for Malware

There may be times when you have updated your system multiple times, but there is still high CPU usage. In those cases, the root cause for the same might be malware within the system. To address this issue, you can try scanning your Windows for malware. You can do this by either running antivirus or with the help of Windows Security. 

  • In order to scan your system from any virus or malware, you can follow these steps
  • Press the Windows and S button on your keyboard. 
  • You can then type Windows Defender on the search tab. 
  • Select it and click on Full Scan from the next pop-up menu. 
  • Select Scan. 

As you are done with this process, the system will take some time to scan all the files that are stored. You will have to let the process get completed. After it gets completed, you can restart your computer and check whether the problem of high CPU usage is still there.

Conclusion

The task manager and the latest drivers available in the system could be one of the main reasons for high CPU usage. Hence, it is integral to always check for the latest updates and other potential fixes to resolve this issue. 

Sometimes the external graphics card and the important system process requires a lot of power for the proper performance of windows. Hence, it is integral to understand why and how the Desktop Window Manager is causing high CPU usage

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Fix Dwm.Exe High CPU Usage?

There are several ways that you can fix dwm.exe causing high CPU usage. One of them is, updating the graphics drivers by visiting the manufacturer’s website since it is an integral part of dwm.exe.
Windows system updates are also important for bug fixes. You can disable screensaver or other features which the dwm.exe uses on a regular basis. 

What Causes High CPU Usage?

The internal graphics and system resources are a major part of the desktop window manager process. Hence, for the best performance in graphics and visual effects, it also uses a lot of power. This results in a desktop window manager high CPU. 

Why Is Task Manager Taking Up So Much CPU?

The Windows task manager takes some time to load, leading to high CPU usage. Generally, it is for high-resolution support, but at the same time, you might want to check the motherboard as well. 
It is important for you to check the system or the processes tab as well, which could be one of the reasons why the task manager is taking up so much CPU. You can also try closing the task manager window and see if there is still high CPU usage.