High GPU usage means that the GPU is in use. High GPU usage is good if it occurs while playing games or using GPU resources needed applications. So the higher the GPU usage, the more the graphics card is used. The GPU is mostly used to play powerful games with high graphics or video rendering. What if you notice high GPU usage at idle?
If you notice extensive GPU usage at idle, that means some programs use GPU in the background. The easiest and fastest way to check GPU usage is to enable Task Manager (CTRL + ALT + DELETE).
Desktop Window Manager high GPU usage
In my case, the music clip was just turned on over youtube, which is why the GPU was in use. In this case, try disabling the applications affecting the GPU usage and see if it goes down.
But if the source cannot be determined and it is not clear why your GPU is in heavy usage, it may be due to the GPU software.
Below are some solutions that can help significantly reduce GPU usage while not gaming.
High GPU usage on Radeon software
If you have an AMD video card, you can try changing some AMD Radeon control panel settings.
- Step 1. Press the right mouse button and press AMD Radeon Software. You should see the AMD Radeon software control panel.
Make sure you press on General in control panel menu.
- Step 1. Turn off Instant Replay.
- Step 2. Turn off In-Game Replay.
You can reduce background GPU usage by following the steps above.
High GPU usage on Nvidia software
To reduce GPU usage on background on Nvidia GPU, you need to go to the NVIDIA GeForce Experience menu. Below is a guide on how to reduce GPU Usage.
- Step 1. Press on Settings as shown in the picture.
- Step 1. Again press on Settings as shown in the picture. After that, new windows will pop up.
- Step 1. Select Instant Replay.
- Step 2. Press Turn off.
- Step 3. Go back to the Settings.
- Step 1. Press Privacy control.
- Step 2. Turn off Desktop capture.
Final authors words
We hope this has helped you reduce your GPU usage. Keep in mind that while playing, it is normal for the GPU usage to be close to 100% per cent. So if 20 to 80 per cent of your GPU is used to play, it means that you’re playing a game that doesn’t require a lot of resources or time to increase graphics settings.
If you have not found an answer feel free to write in the comments, and then we will try to help you as soon as possible.
Author Recommended Reads:
- How to Undervolt Your CPU & GPU – Complete Guide (Safe)
- Does CPU affect FPS? Yes, and we will explain why.
- Can Motherboard Bottleneck GPU? Answered.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is high GPU usage bad?
As we mentioned earlier, if there is a reason for high GPU usage, it is not bad. If high GPU usage is unclear due to dormancy, you can perform a GPU software configuration.
OBS high GPU usage?
OBS is open-source software for video recording and live streaming. That means that it uses a lot of GPU resources, thats why if you want to make streams, you will need a powerful GPU that is more powerful than your played game.
Why is my GPU usage so high?
That means that the GPU is working on something if you don’t know why you can always check the task manager.
GPU very high power usage?
It depends on the GPU. You can google your GPU specification and determine what power consumption is specified.
Why is my integrated GPU usage so high when i force an app to use dedicated?
This means that you have not successfully switched the GPU to the dedicated one. Try rewriting your existing GPU drivers first.
Why is my GPU usage so high when playing games?
It is a normal phenomenon. If the GPU has work, GPU has to do it.
Why wallpaper engine high GPU usage?
Most moving wallpapers use GPU, and we suggest uninstalling or removing all moving wallpapers to save GPU resources on more serious duties.
Why Windows 10 high GPU usage?
GPU usage does not depend on the version of windows. Unless your GPU drivers are unsuitable for Win10, all sorts of anomalies can occur.
