How to Fix Desktop Window Manager Having High CPU Usage

Desktop Window Manager is almost always running, requiring some system resources. However, it shouldn’t be the dominant program consuming your available resources and making it difficult to run other things. If you’re noticing freezing or delays because the Desktop Window Manager is experiencing high usage, there are some things you can do to fix it and help your computer work more efficiently. 

What Is Windows Desktop Manager?

Windows Desktop Manager is the utility responsible for many of the visual effects you see in Windows. Your desktop, personalization, and other features rely on it to provide the power to make things look good. Without it, you wouldn’t even be able to run multiple monitors effectively, let alone have the little quality-of-life upgrades like a small preview when you hover over an icon on the taskbar. 

Why Is WDM Using So Many Resources?

Sometimes a program experiences an error and starts using more resources to try to compensate. When you notice a rare spike in resources, that’s likely the problem you’re having. 

However, some people report that the issue is related to specific drivers. If you’re using an old driver and seeing a lot of resource usage of any kind from Desktop Window Manager, it could be outdated drivers that don’t have the fix yet.

It can take time to pinpoint the cause of high system utilization for Desktop Window Manager. That’s why the best way to approach fixing it is to go through a list of solutions to see which one works for you. 

How to Fix Desktop Window Manager Using High CPU Usage?

You can end the program, but it’s part of your operating system’s core functions and makes everything run much smoother if you use modern windows and transitions. Instead, try to address the problems that could be the issue’s root. 

Change Your Desktop Settings

Since Desktop Window Manager deals with things like your desktop background and theme, changing it might help. It’s especially likely to work if you use custom themes or animated desktops. Displaying these might take a bit of a toll on your system.

1. Press the Windows key + X.
2. Select Settings.
3. Select Personalization. This is the part of your Windows settings where you can change things like your theme, background, lock screen image, or fonts.
   
4. Choose an option from the left sidebar. For example, select Background.
   
5. Replace the current settings with something that would seem easier on your system. For example, if your background is a slideshow, change it to a static image.
   
6. Continue going through the list on the left sidebar. Try changing to the Windows default sounds and the default cursor. Removing complex customization will give you the best shot at lowering the system’s resource utilization.

Of course, it’s normal to want to run any personalization you want on your computer. However, it might not be the best bet if it’s consistently creating a bottleneck. If changing the desktop settings fixes the problem, you may need to upgrade some of your parts to return to those settings.

Update Your Drivers

Do it now if you don’t regularly update your drivers and operating system. Fixes in these updates can address problems like the Desktop Window Manager’s high resource utilization. 

1. Press the Windows key + X.
2. Select Settings.
3. Choose Update and Security.
   
4. Check for updates and then let the system download and install them. You may have to restart your computer to complete the process.
   

You can also update drivers through the device manager. Here’re the steps:

1. Press the Windows key + X. 
2. Choose Device Manager.
3. Open the Processors option.
4. Right-click a CPU entry and choose Update Driver.
   
5. Click Search Automatically for Drivers. Follow the steps to install an update if one is found.
   
6. Repeat steps 7 through 9 with the Display Adapters category.

Once you’re done with the process, restart your computer and check on the Desktop Window Manager resource utilization.

The issue with Desktop Window Manager and memory leaks was known by the community and addressed in an Intel driver update. While some people still have the problem for other reasons, updating your drivers should remove at least one issue.  

Run a Virus Scan

An unwanted program may cause problems on your computer. Sometimes the signs of a virus or malware are subtle issues like high resource utilization. Luckily, Windows has its own antivirus software to help you keep your computer secure.

1. Press the Windows key + X.
2. Choose Update and Security.
   
3. Select Windows Security from the left sidebar.
4. Click Virus and Threat Protection.
   
5. Click Scan Options.
   
6. Select Full Scan.
   
7. Click Scan Now.

It might take a little time for your computer to finish scanning for viruses. Once it’s done, take any recommended actions and restart your computer to see whether the problem is fixed. If you use a different antivirus, open the program and run a full scan. 

Kill And Restart Explorer.exe

Explorer.exe is another significant part of Windows that you use regularly. It is the process that controls your Windows interface. Your taskbar, start menu, and many other things are supported by explorer.exe. However, you can kill and restart the process, and sometimes that will solve the issues with Desktop Window Manager.

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete.
2. Choose Task Manager.
3. Click Name to sort all the apps and processes by name.
4. Scroll through the Windows Processes to find Windows Explorer.
   
5. Right-click the process.
6. Choose Restart.

This should be relatively easy as long as you have access to Task Manager. You might notice the things open on your monitor blinking when you restart the process, but it should only take a moment. Once you’re done, check whether Desktop Window Manager is still using too many resources.

Kill the Process Itself

The wdm.exe process can also be stopped. Some users report a workaround where you can stop the process when you boot up the system and then may have a few hours without memory leaks. If updating your drivers doesn’t work, consider doing this to minimize the problem.

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete.
2. Choose Task Manager.
3. Look for Desktop Window Manager under Windows Processes.
4. Right-click Desktop Window Manager and click end task.
   
5. Select “Abandon Unsaved Data and Shut Down”
   
6. Click Shut Down.

When I do that, my computer stutters. It also froze the copy of Google Chrome I was using. However, users with Desktop Window Manager memory leaks may find it beneficial to do this occasionally to reduce the system resource usage immediately. 

Visual Effects

Windows offers a lot of visual effects to make the UI look more interesting and engaging. However, these might increase the amount of resources Windows uses to run wdm.exe. Turning them off can help you conserve resources.

1. Press the Windows key + R.
2. Type sysdm.cpl into the text box.
   
3. Press OK.
4. Choose the Advanced tab.
5. Click Settings under Performance.
   
6. Select Adjust for Best Performance under the Visual Effects tab.
   
7. Click Apply.
8. Click OK. 

You may notice some differences in how things look in your system, but it may also help it work better. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Delete wdm.exe?

You can’t get rid of Desktop Window Manager because it’s a major part of the Windows operating system. It offers a lot of functionality and is incorporated into the system itself. Without it, the computer won’t work correctly.