We discuss how to fix Dwm.exe, which helps in Windows visual effect; causes high CPU usage in Windows 10. To fix Dwm.exe causes high CPU usage in Windows 10, you need to follow the instructions. Everything you see on a computer screen, whether a Windows, Mac, or Linux machine, is generated by system programs that manage your network connection and user interface. Some of these may be familiar to Windows users, such as explorer.exe, which displays the desktop, while others may be familiar. Dwm.exe, in particular, contributes to creating a graphical user interface for Windows, although it can occasionally result in High CPU usage.
In such case, please follow these steps to fix the problem.
What Is the Dwm.exe?
The Desktop Window Manager (dwm.exe) process is an essential system responsible for your graphical user interface. Specifically, it helps generate Windows visual effects, such as taskbar thumbnails and transparent windows.
With the help of dwm.exe Windows used to create such effects. When you open a new software design, the user interface design is logged into Windows memory so that it may be generated. Windows then manipulates these window designs to ensure its visual effects are implemented.
Windows employs hardware acceleration to make this a smooth experience for users using your graphics hardware. Still, it can fall back to software rendering if your graphics card (or built-in graphics chipset) cannot do so.
What Causes Dwm.exe High CPU Usage in Windows 10?
Windows will use the full capability of your PC to create visual effects, regardless of whether you are using the default Windows theme or a custom theme. In Windows Task Manager, if the dwm.exe process consumes a significant amount of CPU, this indicates a problem with your hardware or system settings.
Instead of depending on your graphics card to assist in creating visual effects, the CPU will be used. Your system’s impact may be affected if your PC is a little out dated or old. High CPU usage might result in higher temperatures and a less stable system.
Malware is not a usual source of excessive CPU usage by the dwm.exe process, but it cannot be excluded. Malware has been observed to attempt to duplicate the DWM process to conceal itself. Other reasons for dwm.exe’s excessive CPU usage may include out-of-date drivers or Windows system updates, as well as using your internal graphics (rather than an external graphics card) to produce visual effects.
How to remove or Uninstall the Desktop Window Manager (dwm.exe) Process
With previous versions of Windows, it was possible to disable the Desktop Window Manager (dwm.exe) process. However, in Windows 10, this is no longer an option.
The DWM process is now thoroughly interwoven into the Windows user experience, so your graphical user interface depends on it to function. While you may deactivate specific visual effects in Windows Settings, you cannot stop the dwm.exe process from functioning.
Additionally, it is impossible to remove. Dwm.exe is a critical system process, so unless you want to damage Windows 10 totally (and be forced to erase and reinstall Windows), you should leave it alone.
Potential Fixes for Dwm.exe High CPU Usage
The Desktop Window Manager process cannot be stopped or disabled. Still, there are various solutions you may attempt if it is consuming excessive system resources, mainly if your CPU usage is exceptionally high.
Check for System Updates on Windows 10
The first (and perhaps most significant) solution for Windows users is to upgrade their systems. Microsoft often releases bug patches and system upgrades, enhancing your system’s overall stability, especially for newer hardware.
- You may use Windows Settings to check for updates by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting the Settings option. In Windows Settings, select Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates to check for and install the most recent system updates.
- Once the updates have been installed, restart your computer to determine if they have affected the dwm.exe process.
Check for Graphics Driver Updates
If Windows is the latest, the next step is to ensure that your graphics drivers are also of the latest version. You may need to check the manufacturer’s website for the most up-to-date driver versions since drivers frequently reach the Windows update system much later.
For instance, NVIDIA card users would need to visit the NVIDIA website for the most recent updates, which are frequently issued in tandem with the introduction of key games or hardware.
These also include the most recent bug patches, which might assist in resolving unique issues such as excessive CPU usage.
How to Check that Your Graphics Card Is Being Used
If you have installed a new graphics card and updated its drivers, you should verify that the hardware is being used properly. If your display cable is linked to your motherboard instead of your graphics card, your graphics card will be ignored. In addition, it may result in Windows defaulting to using software acceleration for visual effects.
Using the Windows Task Manager, you may verify if this is the case. To open the Task Manager window, right-click the taskbar, press Task Manager, and select the Performance tab. Devices with multiple GPUs (such as PCs with an integrated GPU on the motherboard and an external graphics card) will be displayed here and labeled GPU 0, GPU 1, etc. If the internal graphics chip is using more resources than the graphics card, your graphics card is not being used. Ensure that the suitable device is being used by inspecting the connections between your Monitor and the graphics card.
Scan Microsoft Windows for Malware
High CPU usage may indicate a malware attack if your system is up-to-date and functioning properly. Be careful to make a complete malware check on Windows 10, including a boot-level scan with Windows Security or another antivirus program. If you suspect the dwm.exe process is not the official system, you may verify this in Windows Task Manager.
To accomplish this, right-click the taskbar, pick Task Manager, and then find the Desktop Window Manager process under the Processes tab of the Task Manager window.
To open the location of a running file in Windows File Explorer, press the Open file location option.
It will navigate you to the Desktop Window Manager process’s location. If the file path is not C:\Windows\System32, then the active process is not the authorized dwm.exe file.
If this is the case, run another virus check and, if nothing else works, consider resetting Windows to factory settings to ensure a clean installation.
Other Important Windows 10 System Processes
The Desktop Window Manager (dwm.exe) process is one of several essential system programs that you may not be familiar with. Like svchost.exe and others, dwm.exe is sometimes related to increasing CPU usage. In most circumstances, this may be resolved by upgrading your computer and scanning for malware.
While it is not feasible to stop dwm.exe, some of the more recent Windows 10 visual effects can be disabled in Windows Settings. If malware is not the source of CPU spikes, this may help mitigate them. However, if it is suffering, you may need to consider alternatives, such as improving your PC’s hardware.
FAQ – Dwm.exe High CPU Usage
What is dwm.exe?
The actual dwm.exe file is a Microsoft Windows software component. Windows is a kind of operating system. Dwm.exe is a Windows component that runs the Desktop Windows Manager, a window management program that should not be uninstalled. It causes high CPU Usage as it controls all the visual effects on your PC.
Is it possible to disable DWM (dwm.exe) in Windows 10?
The short answer is that Desktop Window Manager cannot be disabled. If you didn’t care about visual effects, you could turn off DWM in older versions of Windows. However, because the capability is now a standard operating system element, this option is no longer accessible in Windows 10. If you are facing high CPU Usage issue, read the article to resolve the issue.
What is the purpose of DWM?
Since Windows Vista, the Desktop Window Manager (DWM, formerly Desktop Compositing Engine or DCE) has been the compositing window manager in Microsoft Windows, allowing the use of hardware acceleration to produce the Windows graphical user interface. It may slow your computer and may cause high CPU Usage.
Conclusion
If the methods above don’t work, and if you’re seeing high CPU usage in Windows 10 regularly, then you may need to consider other fixes. It is recommended to read other best ways to Fix High CPU Usage in Windows 10.
