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Antivirus tools are usually resource-demanding because they perform many real-time operations, such as background scans, virus removal, and computer cleanup. These processes are very useful, but they can become annoying if you find that the antivirus program is consuming almost all of your CPU power.
Avast users report that Avast has this problem all the time, and the CPU load constantly exceeds 50%. This can interrupt all your activities on your computer, and after a while, it can become quite annoying. There are several ways to solve this problem, so please follow the article to solve the problem.
Table of Contents:
What causes high CPU load in Avast service?
Antivirus programs are applications that consume a lot of resources. Avast service offers many different functions such as full antivirus scanning, cleaning, and background scanning. These processes are extremely useful, but at the same time consume a lot of resources.
If you check the Task Manager for CPU slowdowns, you may find that avastsvc.exe, which consumes CPU resources, and/or ntoskrnl.exe, which consumes a lot of RAM resources, are the cause. Avast might be using more CPU than it should if the system settings are not correctly configured or you have non-standard entries in the Windows registry.
How can I fix the high CPU usage of the Avast service?
This tool is highly recommended to help you fix your error. Plus, this tool offers protection against file loss, malware, and hardware failures, and optimizes your device for maximum performance. If you already have a problem with your computer, this software can help you fix it and prevent other problems from recurring:
Updated: April 2025
Repair Avast using the Control Panel
- Go to the Programs section of the Control Panel and find Avast in the list of installed programs.
- Right-click on Avast and select the Uninstall option in the context menu.
- In the installation window that opens, select the Repair option.
- Click Yes to confirm the restoration of the installation files.
- Reboot your computer once the installer has finished restoring the corrupted files.
Remove Avast components in real-time
- Open the Avast user interface via the icon in the system tray or the Start menu.
- Click on the Core Shields tab under Protection in the settings.
- Here, select the shields that you may not need and disable them by unchecking the box next to them.
- For some shields, you will also find the option to remove them in the drop-down menus with arrows.
- Restart your computer to apply these changes.
Disable Avast screen saver scanning
- Find any file on your computer and select Check selected items for viruses from the right-click context menu.
- A results window will appear with a list of current scans.
- Find the Avast screen saver scan and disable it by clicking on the Stop button next to it.
- Open Task Manager and check if your CPU usage is back to normal.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my CPU usage so high?
There are many reasons for high CPU utilization - in some cases surprising. The slow processing speed may be due to either an anti-virus program you're using or a virus that that program is supposed to stop. Try running a scan with multiple antivirus programs or manually removing the virus.
How do I fix high memory usage?
- Close programs that you don't need.
- Move selected files to an external hard drive.
- Remove unnecessary programs.
- Run a virus scan.
- Set the best performance.
- Delete files permanently.
How do I stop the Avast service?
- Locate the orange Avast icon in the Windows taskbar and right-click it to open the Avast antivirus program settings.
- Then go to Avast Shields and select one of the options shown, i.e. disable for 10 minutes, for one hour until you reboot your computer, or disable the shields permanently.