Hi, how are you? CPU consumption is a fundamental concern for Windows 10 users. In fact, you just have to enter the Task Manager and check that there are some processes consuming more resources than others. In this opportunity, we will talk about the Runtime Broker process and how to fix high CPU consumption.
What is Runtime Broker
This is a process linked to the Universal Windows applications, which are the applications installed from the Windows Store. Consequently, its purpose is to determine if these apps are meeting their objectives. Such as, accessing the location or the microphone. This mechanism is implemented in the background. As a result, when running a universal application is when the CPU consumption rises.
End the Runtime Broker process
As mentioned, this is a process exclusive to Windows. Therefore it is not recommended to finish it. However, if the consumption is very excessive, then you can finish it by following the next steps:
- Enter the Task Manager by pressing the combination Control+Shift+Esc.
- Once there, select the Processes tab. Then select the Runtime Broker process and right-click on it. Then select the End Task option.
Disable the suggestion of tricks and tips.
Please note that any Windows 10 function based on a universal application activates the Runtime Broker process. In fact, one of these functions is the application that displays tips and tricks in Windows 10. So what we’ll do is deactivate it to prevent the process from being activated. With this intention, press the Win+I combination to enter the Windows 10 configuration. Once there, please select System.
Once there, select the Notifications and Actions option. Then uncheck the Get tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows option.
Limit the use of background applications
Windows 10 allows many applications to run in the background. Some of these apps are universal. For this reason, notifications are received about the state of weather, mail, and others. To see which applications are running in the background, simply press the Win+I combination to enter the Windows settings. Once there, select Privacy.
Then go to the Background apps menu. Then check the apps running in the background and disable any of them.
Check that the process is not occupied by a virus.
We have commented that this is a legitimate Windows process. However, it is possible that some malware tries to camouflage itself with the process. In those cases, the attackers introduce processes with names very similar to the legitimate ones. To verify that Runtime Broker is legitimate and not a virus, re-enter the Task Manager as mentioned above. Then, from the Processes tab, right-click on the process and Open the file location.
Please verify that the file location is as follows:C:\Windows\System32. If so, then no problem. Otherwise, it is most likely a malware and you would have to remove it.
Sets the lockscreen as an image.
Having the lockscreen as a device presentation can cause high CPU usage by Runtime Broker. So to prevent this just set it as an image. With this in mind, enter the Windows settings as shown above. Then, go to Windows Personalization.
Then go to the lockscreen section and in the Background field, select Picture.
Remove OneDrive and Groove Music
These are among the most widely used universal applications. Consequently, they are likely to adversely affect the Runtime Broker process. So if they are not essential to you, then you can eliminate them.
Remove Groove Music: With this intention open a Power Shell as administrator by pressing the Win+X combination.
Then execute the following command:
Get-AppxPackage -name “Microsoft.ZuneMusic” | Remove-AppxPackage Get-AppxPackage -name “Microsoft.Music.Preview” | Remove-AppxPackage
Remove OneDrive: Repeat the above process to invoke a PowerShell with administrative privileges and execute the following commands:
taskkill /f /im OneDrive.exe %SystemRoot%System32OneDriveSetup.exe /uninstall %SystemRoot%SysWOW64OneDriveSetup.exe /uninstall
Please remember to add 32 or 64 depending on the architecture of the processor. Also, with this change, you can fix the high CPU consumption of Runtime Broker.
Disables notifications and actions in Windows 10.
We have already commented that the Runtime Broker process does not give problems by itself. But there are associated processes that end up collapsing the system. Another of these processes is the one related to the notifications in the blocking screen. So we are going to eliminate these notifications. Please follow the Windows Settings>System path as mentioned above.
From the Notifications and Actions menu, please uncheck the Show notifications option on the lock screen.
Conclusion
Finally, we have seen what is the Runtime Broker process and how to fix the high CPU consumption. I hope that with these instructions you can solve this problem. This is all for now before I go I invite you to check our post about essential security changes in Windows 10. So long!
