Windows Defender is a built-in antivirus for Windows 10 that scans your system in the background by default, looking for threats. It analyzes all the downloads it makes, using web browsers such as Chrome, Edge, etc. This process leads to high CPU usage. So how do you stop Windows Defender from using too much CPU? Here are two methods by which you can limit Windows Defender CPU usage in Windows 10.
Method 1: Configure a Limit for Windows Defender CPU Usage with PowerShell
Step 1: print Windows key + X together on the keyboard to open the context menu. Click on Windows PowerShell (administrator) to open the file Shell Power command window.
Step 2: In the PowerShell command window, run the following command. This will show the current maximum CPU usage limit for Windows Defender.
Get-MpPreference | select ScanAvgCPULoadFactor
In this case, it shows 50, which means it is set to 50% by default.
Step 3: To reduce the CPU usage limit for Windows Defender, run the following command. In this case, we've changed it to 30, which means Windows Defender won't use more than 30% of the CPU.
Set-MpPreference -ScanAvgCPULoadFactor 30
Method 2: Configure a Limit for Windows Defender CPU Usage using Registry Editor
Step 1: print Tasto Windows + R to open the Run box. Gender Regedit in the box and press the OK button to open the file Registry Editor window.
Step 2: In the Registry Editor window, go to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREpoliciesMicrosoftWindows Defender
Now, right click on the blank panel on the right side of the window, click on New and click on Key.
Create a new subkey folder. Name it Scan.
Step 3: Then right-click on the file you just created Scan folder (subkey), click New and click Valore DWORD (32 bit).
Step 4: Name the DWORD value AvgCPULoadFactor, double click to change the CPU usage limit for Windows Defender 30 and press the button ok per salvare I modified it.
Close Registry Editor and restart your system to check if Windows Defender CPU usage has decreased or not.
