How to fix high CPU usage caused by tiworker.exe?

High CPU usage is one of the most common problems Windows 8 and Windows 10 users face daily. When it happens, the PC lags, freezes and sometimes even crashes. No one likes it when their PC hangs due to high CPU or disk usage since it makes accessing any app or program almost impossible. Certain programs and processes, such as TiWorker.exe, are known to cause this. So, if you check Task Manager and notice that TiWorker.exe is siphoning too much of your system’s resources, then this tutorial is for you. We explain in detail how you can fix high disk usage and high CPU usage caused by TiWorker.exe.

What Is TiWorker.exe?

TiWorker.exe, also known as Windows Module Installer Worker (WMI Worker), is a crucial process of the Windows Update service. TiWorker.exe is essential to the proper functioning of Windows, and it usually starts when the Windows system boots. The process checks for new Windows updates, and once it installs them, it releases your system resources. Under normal circumstances, TiWorker.exe, which runs in the background, doesn’t take up much of your PC’s resources.

However, this is not always the case. Sometimes, the TiWorker.exe process exhibits an unusual behavior where it registers high CPU usage, even up to 100%. As a result, it causes overheating, faster battery drainage, and poor performance. Fortunately, the error is only temporary. In today’s tutorial, you’ll learn several ways how to turn off TiWorker.exe on Windows 10.

How to Fix TiWorker.exe High CPU Usage in Windows 10

Fix 1: Install the Latest Windows Updates

If your Windows system is missing some crucial updates, it may cause TiWorker.exe to misbehave. As such, it’s important to first ensure that there are no pending updates. To check if Windows updates are available, follow the steps outlined below:

1. Press the Windows Key + S, and type Windows Update in the search box.
2. Select “Check for updates”.
3. Click the “Check for updates” button, and wait while Windows performs the scan. If updates are available, they will automatically be installed on your PC.
4. Run the scan again to ensure that all Windows updates have been installed.
5. Once you’re done, reboot Windows and open “Task Manager” to monitor how the TiWorker.exe process is behaving.

If you don’t notice any significant changes, move on to the next fix.

Fix 2: Run System Maintenance

High CPU and disk usage can also be triggered by unnecessary files lying around in your system. Running system maintenance clears such files and may improve your system’s performance. Windows PCs come with the built-in System Maintenance troubleshooter. To run it, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows Key or go to “Start” and open “Control Panel”.
2. Once you launch it, change the “View by:” setting to “Small icons”.
3. Locate “Troubleshooting”, and select it.
4. Select the “View all” link, and then open “System Maintenance”.
5. On the “System Maintenance” window that pops up, click “Next”. Windows will start scanning your PC to try and detect issues affecting your system.
6. After a few seconds, another window will pop up. Select “Try troubleshooting as an administrator”. This action triggers Windows to perform the scan again with elevated rights.
7. If Windows detects any errors on your system, follow the on-screen instructions to apply the solutions.
8. Once you’re done running System Maintenance, click on “Windows Update”, and then select “Next”. This helps to fix Windows Update issues if any.

However, if the troubleshooter doesn’t find any problems, then you might need to try a more advanced tool.

Auslogics BoostSpeed is a meticulously engineered optimization tool whose primary function is to always keep your PC running at optimal levels. This tool tweaks unnecessary processes and allocates the much-needed resources to active programs and apps. This way, you get to experience smooth browsing and gameplay. Your apps will also load faster. Auslogics BoostSpeed is a useful program whether your computer is new or old, and it comes with more than 18 modules to optimize your PC for better performance. The program will scan your PC, create a detailed report of the speed-reducing issues, and fix the problems.

Fix 3: Repair Corrupt System Files

Corrupted system files are known to cause a myriad of problems. Since it might be difficult to pinpoint exactly why TiWorker.exe leads to high CPU usage, it’s important to rule out whether it’s due to missing or corrupt system files. To achieve this, you need to execute the SFC scan command. Here are the steps:

1. Right-click “Start”, and open “Command Prompt (Admin)”.
2. In the “Command Prompt” window, execute the following command: sfc /scannow. Wait for the process to complete. If there are any errors, System File Checker will repair them.
3. Restart your computer and repeat the SFC scan once again.

Once you’re done, reboot your PC and check if it still registers high CPU usage caused by TiWorker.exe. If the issue is still there, run the DISM command using the steps below:

1. Open “Command Prompt” with administrator privileges.
2. Type the following commands one by one and press “Enter” after each command:

• Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
• Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
• Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

3. This process might take a while, so wait patiently while the DISM tool completes repairing your system. After the process finishes successfully, restart your machine.

Now, run “Task Manager” and check if the Tiworker.exe process is still hogging your system resources.

Fix 4: Check for Malware Infections

Since TiWorker.exe is an executable file, cybercriminals might develop a malware entity and assign it a similar name. Once it finds its way into your system, it can cause irreversible damage and even crash your system. To confirm if TiWorker.exe is a genuine file, check its location, which should be in the C:\Windows\WinSxS folder.

If the executable file is located elsewhere other than the location above, then it’s highly likely to be a virus or some other sort of malware. As a general rule, you need to regularly scan your PC for malware infections. To do so, you can use the built-in Windows security tool, Windows Defender, or third-party anti-malware software like Auslogics Anti-Malware.

To use Windows Defender:

1. Press the Win + I key combination and select Update & Security > Windows Security.
2. Open “Virus & threat protection”.
3. Select the “Scan options” link and then click on the “Full scan” radio button.
4. Click on the “Scan now” button. For a deeper scan, choose the “Windows Offline scan” option, and then select “Scan now”.

This scan should get rid of any viruses or malware hiding in your system.

Fix 5: Set TiWorker.exe’s Priority to Low

Limiting the priority of the TiWorker.exe process can also help to fix high disk usage. To employ this fix, here’s what you need to do:

1. Open “Task Manager” from your taskbar, and go to the “Details” tab.
2. Locate TiWorker.exe and right-click it.
3. Hover the cursor over “Priority” and choose “Low”.

Now, check if there are any changes with the high CPU and HDD usage.

Fix 6: Change Your Internet Connection Settings

You can restrict the Windows Update service from downloading updates by changing your network to “Metered connection”. The steps differ depending on the type of internet connection that you’re using.

Scenario 1: If You’re Using a Wi-Fi Network

1. Press the Win + I shortcut, and open Network & Internet > Wi-Fi.
2. Click on your Wi-Fi network. If you’re using an older version of Windows 10, select “Advanced options”.
3. Click on the “Set as metered connection” button to turn it “On”.
4. Now, restart your machine and check if the CPU usage is still high.

Scenario 2: If You’re Using an Ethernet Network

Setting an Ethernet network as a metered connection is not straightforward, and you will need to edit the Registry. However, making changes to the Windows Registry is risky. Therefore, don’t pursue this process if you’re not computer-savvy to avoid breaking your system.

1. Press the Windows Key and type regedit.
2. Press “Enter” and choose “Yes” if you get the User Account Control (UAC) prompt.
3. Browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion > NetworkList > DefaultMediaCost.
4. Right-click the “DefaultMediaCost” folder, and select “Permissions”.
5. Select the “Add…” button, and type your username in the “Enter the object names to select” box.
6. Select “Check Names” and then click “OK”.
7. Now, select the user you just added and check the “Allow” box next to the “Full Control” option.
8. Click “OK” and then double-click on “Ethernet”.
9. Change “Value data:” to “2”, and then click “OK”.
10. Exit the “Registry Editor” window and then restart your PC.

After making these changes, TiWorker.exe should no longer hog the resources of your system.

Fix 7: Rename the SoftwareDistribution Directory

If the SoftwareDistribution folder contains one or more files that have been corrupted, then it’s likely what makes TiWorker.exe cause high CPU usage. If that’s the case, then deleting/renaming the SoftwareDistribution directory can resolve the issue. Also, whenever you’re having issues with Windows updates, clearing the cache usually resolves the problems. This is especially useful when TiWorker.exe is using a lot of CPU resources for an abnormally long time without stopping.

Here’s how to go about it:

1. Press the Win + R shortcut and type services.msc in the “Run” box.
2. Click “OK” or press “Enter” to launch the “Services” window.
3. Locate “Windows Update” from the list of services, and double-click it to open its “Properties” window.
4. Change “Startup type:” to “Manual” and then click “Stop”.
5. Click Apply > OK.
6. Next, browse to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download, and press Ctrl + A to select everything in the folder.
7. Hit the “Delete” button on your keyboard to clear the folder.
8. Go back to the “Services” window, locate “Windows Update” and double-click it.
9. Change “Startup type:” to “Automatic”, and then click the “Start” button.
10. Restart Windows.

The next time Windows checks for new updates, the SoftwareDistribution folder will be created automatically and store the updates. Clearing the contents of the SoftwareDistribution folder should fix the high CPU usage caused by TiWorker.exe.

Fix 8: Clean Boot Windows

When you perform a clean boot, it becomes easier to identify the programs and services that could be triggering the ‘TiWorker.exe high CPU usage’ issue. To perform a clean boot on a Windows 10 PC, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows Key + R, and type msconfig in the “Run” dialog box.
2. Click “Ok” and go to the “Services” tab.
3. Check the “Hide all Microsoft services” checkbox, and then select the “Disable all” button.
4. Now, go to the “Startup” tab, and click the “Open Task Manager” link.
5. Select each startup item one by one and click “Disable”.
6. Back on the “System Configuration” window, click Apply > OK.
7. Restart Windows and check if the issue has been resolved. If it has, you will need to enable the apps and services one after the other until you find the culprit. Remember to restart your PC every time you enable one service or app to effect the changes.

If TiWorker.exe is still hogging your CPU and disk resources, try the next solution to check if it works.

Fix 9: Disable the Windows Update Service

If none of the above solutions solve the ‘high CPU usage caused by TiWorker.exe’ issue, you can try to temporarily turn off updates for Windows 10, at least until Microsoft provides a fix. This applies especially if your computer is old or has weak specs. For this solution, you need to disable two services: Windows Modules Installer (TrustedInstaller) and Windows Update (wuauserv). When you disable the Windows Update service, TiWorker.exe is also disabled.

This is how to disable TiWorker.exe:

1. Press the Windows Key and type in services.msc.
2. Select “Services” from the results to open the “Services” window.
3. Navigate to “Windows Modules Installer (TrustedInstaller)”, and double-click it.
4. In the “Properties” window that opens, click the drop-down list next to “Startup type:” and select “Disabled”.
5. Click “Stop”, and then click “OK”.
6. Next, find “Windows Update”, and repeat the same steps as above.

Disabling the Windows Update service should stop TiWorker.exe from consuming too much of your system’s resources since it won’t be required to run.

That’s how to disable TiWorker.exe high CPU usage on a Windows 10 PC. If you have further questions, please reach out to us by leaving your comments below.