Why DWM.exe Causes High CPU Usage and How To Fix It

After updating Windows, Windows Desktop Manager and Client-Server Runtime would use up my GPU resources, and I cannot play games and use OBS on my PC properly. However, I think I’m not the only one who gets this error; most probably, more users are suffering from the DWM.exe error worldwide. 

Talking about the Desktop Window Manager(DWM.exe) is responsible for managing your computer’s visual effects. Regarding the latest Windows 11, it manages 3D animation, high-resolution support, and almost everything involved to give you a better visual effect.

However, many of you don’t know that this process keeps running in the background and utilizes a certain amount of CPU usage on your PC. Anyway, after many efforts, I’ve found some workarounds to fix this, all mentioned in this article. Therefore, if you are suffering from this, read this article until the end. 

Why DWM.exe Causes High CPU Usage

It causes a heavy load on our CPU because it manages how your system processes with responsibility for your graphical user interface. In other words, it creates visual effects that generate high CPU usage, which causes your PC to slow down.

But now, you do not need to worry even if you have an old system. So, let’s take a look at the fixes that we have.

How To Fix DWM.exe Causes High CPU Usage

Here we mentioned some methods that you can use to fix the issue. So, make sure to follow them carefully. 

1. Check For Windows Updates

Did you check if an OS update is available for your device? If not, you need to check for it. So, to do so, follow the steps that we have mentioned below: 

1. First, press the Windows + I button to open Windows Settings.
2. Then, click on the Windows Update button.
3. Now, click on the Check For Update button in the next window.
4. That’s it. Now, wait until it searches for the latest update available for your device. 

2. Check For GPU Driver Update

The second most important factor that generally causes this kind of error is an old or outdated GPU driver. So, you need to regularly check for the driver updates using the steps mentioned below: 

1. Initially, you must press the Windows + I button to invoke the Windows Settings.
2. Then, switch to the System tab and click on the Display tile.
3. After that, scroll down a bit and select the Advanced Display option.
4. Now, you’ll see your GPU’s manufacturer and model details under the Internal Display section. After that, if you want more details about your GPU, click on the Display adapter properties for Display 1.
5. That’s it. Now, note down the detail, hover over to your GPU manufacturer’s official website and check if any update is available for the GPU model you are using. 

Note: You can also use the Device Manager to check if any update is available for you. If not, then try the steps mentioned above.

3. Check For Malware

It is another factor that plays a crucial role as malware and viruses damage our system. This results in slow performance and high CPU usage issues. Therefore, to fix this, you should check if your system is affected by malware or viruses. You can use any antivirus that you have.

4. Disable Screensaver

Desktop Window Manager is directly related to windows screensavers. There are chances that may be caused by your screensaver, such as taking so much load on windows resources, etc. Try to reactive it to resolve this issue.

1. Press Windows + S button to open the Windows search bar and search for Screen Saver and open it.
2. On the next window, you will see a list of screensavers; select None from the drop-down menu and click on Apply button.

5. Try to Change the Theme or Wallpaper

Like Screensaver, Theme and Wallpapers are associated with Windows Visuals, so changing the wallpaper or theme can fix this desktop window manager high CPU or memory issue. Apply the below steps to your Windows settings.

1. Firstly Press Windows + I button to open Windows settings.
2. Click on Personalization from Left Menu Pane.
3. Now On the right side, Click on Background and change your current wallpaper.
4. In Previous windows, navigate Themes Option to change your theme.

6. Turn Off All Visual Effects

1. Go to the start menu and search for Visual Effects and hit enter button.
2. Then you will see Three options; now toggle all these to Off. These are names as Always show scrollbars, Transparency effects and Animation effects.

Conclusion

So, these were some fixes that you can try to check if the DWM.exe high CPU usage error gets resolved. We hope you get all the points we have tried to explain to you regarding fixing this issue. But if you are still in a situation and get the same error, let us know in the comment section. Our team will assist you further.