Conhost.exe: What is it & how to Fix Its High CPU Usage

Conhost.exe or console host is an old Windows process dating back to Windows 7 whose main function is to manage and display the input/output of command line tools. If you use the Command Prompt and notice how smooth the text appears when you type and its stability, conhost.exe is responsible.

Seeing that it is a critical Windows process, removing it would cause some stability issues. However, some users reported of its high CPU usage and multiple instances in the Task Manager making it a suspicious process.

How do I fix conhost.exe high CPU usage?

1. End process from Task Manager

1. Hit the Windows key, type Task Manager in the search bar, and click Open.

   

2. Navigate to the Processes tab, and find the conhost.exe process.
3. Right-click on it and select End task.

   

2. Run DISM and SFC scans

1. Hit the Start Menu icon, type cmd in the search bar, and click Run as administrator.
2. Type the following commands and press Enter after each one: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /Restorehealth sfc /scannow

3. Scan for viruses

1. Press the Windows key, search Windows Security, and click Open.
2. Select Virus & threat protection.
3. Next, press Quick scan under Current threats.
4. If you don’t find any threats, proceed to perform a full scan by clicking on Scan options just below Quick scan.
5. Click on Full scan, then Scan now to perform a deep scan of your PC.
6. Wait for the process to finish and restart your system.

Whereas the cnhost.exe is a legitimate Windows process, it is possible for it to masquerade as the real thing when bundled up with software.

Downloading software from unofficial sources can have such consequences so always check the digital signature for suspicious files or use a comprehensive antivirus to weed out notorious viruses that may go undetected while using the built-in Windows antivirus.

4. Perform a clean boot

1. Hit the Windows key, type msconfig, and open System Configuration.
2. Switch to the Services tab and select Hide all Microsoft services.
3. Click on the Disable all button, then hit the Apply button to save the changes.
4. Go back and click on the Startup tab, select Open Task Manager then click OK.
5. In the Startup tab of the Task Manager, Disable all the Enabled startup items.
6. Close Task Manager and restart your PC.

5. Create a new user profile

1. Press Windows + R to launch the Run console, enter netplwiz in the text field, and click OK.
2. Click Add in the User Accounts window.
3. Select Sign in without a Microsoft account (not recommended).
4. Click on Local account button.
5. Enter a username and password (optional) for the new user account, and a hint, in case you set a password. Once done, click on Next.
6. Click on Finish to create the Local account.

You can change your standard admin account and then check whether the conhost.exe process is still consuming system resources.

Speaking of the Command Prompt, did you know you can change its color? If not, head on over to our dedicated article and find out how you can personalize it and make it more appealing.

We also have more terminal settings we’re sure will be helpful in getting the most out of your command-line tools.

That’s all we had for this article but do let us know if you’ve encountered the conhost.exe process before and whether it caused any issues.