How to Fix Zoom High CPU Usage on Windows

What Causes This?

Zoom can use a lot of CPU when your PC is handling HD video, virtual backgrounds, screen sharing, noise suppression, and other real-time processing at the same time. High CPU usage is also common when Windows is already busy with background apps, outdated graphics or audio drivers, or hardware acceleration settings that do not work well on your system. In some cases, a corrupted Zoom install or old app version can make the problem worse.

Common Symptoms

• Zoom calls make your PC feel slow or unresponsive
• Laptop fans spin loudly during meetings
• Video freezes, stutters, or goes out of sync with audio
• Task Manager shows Zoom using a high percentage of CPU
• Battery drains much faster during calls

How to Fix It Manually

1. Check how much CPU Zoom is using

   1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
   2. Click More details if Task Manager opens in compact view.
   3. Under the Processes tab, look for Zoom Meetings and check the CPU column.
   4. If CPU usage spikes during calls, continue with the steps below.

2. Close unnecessary background apps

   1. In Task Manager, sort by the CPU column.
   2. Close apps you do not need during meetings, especially browsers with many tabs, game launchers, cloud sync tools, and video editors.
   3. To close an app, select it and click End task.
   4. Do not end Windows system processes unless you know what they are.

3. Lower Zoom video load

   1. Open Zoom and click the gear icon in the top-right to open Settings.
   2. Select Video.
   3. Turn off features that increase processing load, such as HD video, Touch up my appearance, and Adjust for low light if it is enabled unnecessarily.
   4. If you use a Virtual Background or Studio Effects, disable them and test another call.
   5. If you are screen sharing, avoid sharing high-motion video unless necessary.

4. Update Zoom

   1. In Zoom, click your profile picture in the top-right.
   2. Click Check for Updates.
   3. Install the latest version, then restart Zoom.
   4. Newer builds often improve performance and reduce CPU usage on certain hardware.

5. Update graphics drivers and Windows

   1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
   2. Go to Windows Update and click Check for updates.
   3. Install available updates and restart your PC.
   4. For graphics drivers, open Device Manager by right-clicking Start and selecting it.
   5. Expand Display adapters, right-click your GPU, and choose Update driver.
   6. If your PC maker offers newer drivers on its support site, install those instead of relying only on Windows.

6. Adjust Zoom hardware acceleration settings

   1. In Zoom, open Settings and go to Video or Advanced options if available in your version.
   2. Look for hardware acceleration settings for video processing, sending, or receiving.
   3. If hardware acceleration is on, try turning it off and test a call.
   4. If it is off, try enabling it instead. The best setting depends on your GPU and driver.

7. Reinstall Zoom if the issue started recently

   1. Press Windows + I and go to Apps > Installed apps.
   2. Find Zoom, click the three dots, and choose Uninstall.
   3. Restart your PC.
   4. Download the latest Zoom installer from Zoom’s official site and install it again.

Fix It Automatically with Kudu

Kudu can quickly spot the background apps, startup items, and system issues that make Zoom use more CPU than it should. It helps clean up unnecessary load, improve performance, and reduce the chance of laggy calls without you having to dig through multiple Windows settings.

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