[Fixed] Windows Driver Foundation Using High CPU

You might notice that your computer was responding slowly or your game lagged when you’re playing. You open the Task Manager trying to stop some apps to release CPU, but you surprisingly find out that Windows Driver Foundation- User-mode- Driver Framework Host Process was running and occupying over 50% of your CPU and you can’t disable it.

That’s really frustrating. But don’t worry, it’s not totally impossible to lower the CPU usage caused by WDF.

What is Windows Driver Foundation

Windows Driver Foundation is the former name of Windows Driver Frameworks (WDF). It is a set of Microsoft tools that can help create lower the complexity of writing Windows drivers. It’s important to system stability.

When Windows Driver Foundation occupies a major part of CPU, it drains the battery and might cause freezing of the system at times. You may want to end it by clicking End task in the Task Manager, but it won’t work. Because it’s the system process.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone, and there are methods that can help you solve the problem.

Try these methods:

You don’t have to try them all; just work your way down the list until you find the one that works for you.

1. Run Windows Update
2. Disable Windows Driver Foundation service
3. Run System Maintenance troubleshooter
4. Repair system files
5. Update your WiFi drivers
6. Clean Boot state
7. Remove peripheral from the computer
8. Reset or reinstall Windows

Method 1: Run Windows Update

Make sure your computer has the latest operating system. This is the easiest way to prevent WDF drains your battery.

On Windows 10

1. Press the Windows logo key + I together to open the Windows Settings.
2. Click Update & Security.
   
3. Click Check for updates.
   
4. Reboot your PC when complete.

On Windows 11

1. On your keyboard, hit the Windows key, then type check for updates, then click Check for updates.
   
   
2. Click Check for updates, and Windows will scan for any available updates.
   
3. If there are available updates, Windows will automatically download them for you. Restart your computer for the update to take effect if needed.
4. If there are no available updates, you’ll see You’re up to date like this.

See if WDF still hogs your CPU usage. If the problem remains, please move on to the next fix.

Method 2: Disable Windows Driver Foundation service

Well, the WDF is a service that runs in the system background without a user interface, you can stop or limit it through Windows Services.

1. Press the Windows logo key + R together to evoke the Run box.
2. Type services.msc and press Enter.
   
3. In the open window, scroll down to find Windows Driver Foundation – User-mode Driver Framework.
   
4. Right-click on it and choose Properties. You can change the Startup type to Disabled or Manual. Then apply the change.
   

The problem should be solved, and lightning-fast performance.

If you think this method is not efficient, you can use the “Sc config” command in Command Prompt to disable the service.

1. Press the Windows logo key + R to open the Run box.
2. Type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run as administrator.
   
3. Type sc config “wudfsvc” start=disabled and press Enter. The service will be disabled.

Method 3: Run System Maintenance troubleshooter

Whenever you’re having problems with the Windows system, the easiest method you can try is to run the Windows built-in troubleshooters. Windows 10 has built-in troubleshooters to diagnose and automatically fix common problems. There are many troubleshooters for different problems. 
For the Windows Driver Foundation using high CPU issue, you can run a System Maintenance troubleshooter to resolve the problem.

1. Type “control panel” in the search box and press Enter.
2. Set Control Panel view by Large icons and click Troubleshooting.
   
3. Click View all.
   
4. Click System Maintenance.
   
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process.
6. Reboot your computer.

It can improve your operating system speed and performance.

Method 4: Repair system files

When your computer’s system file was broken or corrupted, it may cause high CPU usage. To solve it, you can use these 2 ways to repair the broken system files. 

• Option1 – Automatically
• Option2 – Manually

Option 1 – Automatically (Recommended)

Fortect is a computer repair software that can diagnose problems on your computer and fix them immediately.

It is tailored to your specific system and is working in a private and automatic way. It will first check hardware-related issues to identify problems, and then security issues, and finally it detects programs that crash, missing system files. Once complete, it will find a solution to your specific problem.

1. Download and install Fortect.
2. Open Fortect and click Yes to run a free scan of your PC.
   
3. Fortect will scan your computer thoroughly. This may take a few minutes.
   
4. Once done, you’ll see a detailed report of all the issues on your PC. To fix them automatically, click START REPAIR. This requires you to purchase the full version. But don’t worry. If Fortect doesn’t solve the issue, you can request a refund within 60 days.
   

Run sfc /scannow command

1. On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key + R key at the same time to invoke the Run box.
2. Type “cmd” and press Shift+Ctrl+Enter together to open Command Prompt in the administrator mode.
   Note: Do NOT click OK or just press the Enter key as that won’t allow you to open Command Prompt in the administrator mode.
   
3. Type “sfc /scannow” in the window and press Enter. Then wait for the verification is 100% complete.
   
4. Restart your computer.

If the result indicates that there are broken files exists but SFC can’t fix it, you can turn to Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) Tool for deeper examine and repair. 
Click here for a tutorial on how to use the DISM Tool.

Method 5: Update your WiFi drivers

The problem can be caused by faulty drivers, especially faulty network card drivers. So one of the things you should do is to verify that all your devices have the right drivers, and update those that don’t.

If you don’t have the time, patience or computer skills to update the drivers manually, you can do it automatically with Driver Easy.

Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to risk downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing.

You can update your drivers automatically with either the 7 days free trial or the Pro version of Driver Easy. It takes just 2 clicks, and you get full support and a 30-day money-back guarantee with the Pro version:

1. Download and install Driver Easy.
2. Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
   
3. Click the Activate & Update button next to the flagged device to automatically download and install the correct version of this driver.
   
   Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system (You’ll need the Pro version for this – when you select Update All, you’ll get a prompt to upgrade. If you’re not prepared to purchase the Pro version yet, Driver Easy provides a 7-day trial at no cost, granting access to all Pro features like fast downloads and easy installation. No charges will occur until after your 7-day trial period ends.)
   
4. After updating, restart your computer to take effect.

Method 6: Clean Boot state

This method helps to identify whether any third-party apps or startups are causing the issue. If you try this method and fix the problem, you can disable/enable each process manually to find out which one is the culprit.

1. Press Windows key + R together to open the Run box.
2. Type “msconfig” and press Enter.
   
3. In the General tab, click Selective startup, then uncheck Load startup items.
4. Ensure you check Load system services and Use original boot configuration.
   
5. Move to the Service tab, click Hide all Microsoft services.
6. Click Disable all.
   
7. Click Apply > OK.
8. Reboot your computer.

Method 7: Remove peripheral from the computer

Remove external devices one by one and check if it solves the issue. If it does, the device that causes the trouble should be replaced or you should update its driver.

You can update the device driver simply by following Method 4.

Method 8: Reset or reinstall Windows

If all else fails, you may have to reset Windows, or maybe even reinstall it together. We all know reinstalling will delete all the data on your hard drive, you have to back up all your important files before doing it.

That said, with Fortect, there’s no need for lengthy back-ups, support phone calls, or risk to your personal data. It can reset Windows to the state exactly when it was just installed without affecting third-party software.

But treat these options as a last resort, because they both take quite a long time.

That’s it! Hopefully, these methods can help you resolve the issue. If you have any questions or suggestions, please let us know by commenting below.

• Windows