One of the best and most popular multimedia platforms and music management apps is iTunes. From the easily accessible UI to the vast amount of music selection and management, it truly delivers an impactful experience to people. But one of the drawbacks of using iTunes in Windows is it can eat up to 100% of CPU. This means your PC will be slow and sluggish to use.

It is not a common occurrence but if certain conditions are met, it can happen and make it really difficult for you to use your computer properly. However, it can be fixed by following some simple methods. But first, you should know what is causing this issue.

Why is iTunes Using 100 Percent of CPU?

The reasons why iTunes uses a lot of CPU are very simple. Here’s what could be happening:

Connecting Your iPhone to Your PC

When connecting your iPhone to your PC with a USB, the phone automatically backs up all your data to your computer. While backing up, iTunes along with other apps increase CPU usage exponentially and makes it very difficult to use the computer smoothly.

Backup over Wi-Fi

Similar to the USB connection, if your iPhone and computer are connected to the same Wi-Fi connection, it will automatically back up your data. This might even slow the internet speed as well making it even more difficult to work on your computer.

How Can You Prevent iTunes from Using 100 Percent CPU?

There are some easy solutions that could fix iTunes from using 100% of the CPU. Here are a few of the methods that are very easy to follow:

Update iTunes

Oftentimes, third-party apps, such as iTunes, need to be updated to their latest version to be more functional. For example, iTunes started to create issues right after the Windows 10 Creators Update for Windows 10. This is because third-party apps take some time to adjust to the new system changes. And in order to optimize and make the user experience better, developers release a new version of the app.

So, it is essential for you to check for updates frequently to minimize the chance of encountering the 100% CPU usage issue. Here’s how you can find out if you need to update your iTunes:

1. After opening iTunes, click on Help.
2. Choose Check for Updates.
3. If there are any updates available, install them and then restart iTunes.

Run iTunes as an Administrator

The operating system has restrictions in place in order to prevent third-party programs from doing undesirable things. But unfortunately, the system may backfire and make it so difficult for the application to function properly that it goes haywire. In this case, that app is iTunes. However, if you run iTunes as an administrator, it can solve the issue. Here’s a simple method for you to follow to grant iTunes administrative permission on Windows 10:

1. Close iTunes.
2. Right-click on the iTunes desktop shortcut icon and select Properties.
3. Click on the Compatibility tab.
4. Mark Run this program as Administrator box as Checked.
5. Click OK and then start iTunes again.

Disable Third-Party Plug-Ins

Although Apple doesn’t usually support third-party plug-ins, iTunes uses a few. And the majority of those cause performance issues. This happens when the current version of iTunes is incompatible with the plug-ins. As stated before, updating your iTunes is very important. It can fix most of the issues but if it doesn’t, try deleting the remaining plug-ins and scripts by following this method:

1. Exit from iTunes.
2. Go to C drive and then Program Files.
3. Go to the iTunes folder where iTunes is installed and find the Plug-ins folder.
4. Delete the Plug-ins folder and restart iTunes.

Reinstall iTunes

As annoying as it is, reinstalling is a very viable option to fix most of the issues for any third-party applications including iTunes. After a system upgrade, the system can cause issues with iTunes because of incompatibility. So, one of the safest options to prevent iTunes from using 100% CPU is to simply uninstall the app and install it again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my CPU usage so high when I’m not doing anything?

Your CPU usage can randomly spike up to 100%. This might be happening because of Task Manager glitches, malware, apps running in the background, or even because of your antivirus software. You can go through your Task Manager to see which programs are causing this much CPU usage and close the program to reduce the CPU usage.

Can a motherboard cause high CPU usage?

A motherboard is where all the components of a computer such as CPU and RAM are connected. It is a printed circuit board and is unable to generate any heat due to not having any heat-generating components. A CPU however, does generate heat which can cause high CPU usage. The best way to minimize heat generation is to have cooling fans installed on your device.

Conclusion

High CPU usage can be very difficult to deal with at times. But we hope we were able to resolve the issue of iTunes using 100% of CPU. If you’re still facing any issues, please let us know in the comment box below and we would be happy to help you.