Fortnite High CPU Usage: How to Fix It in 5 Ways

Fortnite’s high CPU usage is an annoying problem most players experience on PC. It affects the gameplay, resulting in lag and delays.

Hence, this guide will discuss ways to fix the high CPU usage issue and speed up the game. Also, you may be interested in our guide about fixing high CPU usage in Battlefield 4 on your PC.

What can I do to fix high CPU usage on Fortnite?

1. Disable background apps

1. Press the Windows + I key to open the Settings app.
2. Select Apps and click on Installed apps.
3. Choose the app, then click the three dots, and select Advanced options.
4. Then, tap the drop-down button for Background app permissions and click on Never.
5. Now, repeat the same process for other apps.

Disabling apps from running in the background prevents them from contending with Fortnite for system resources.

Check our article for other methods to turn off background apps in Windows 11 if you have issues using the steps above.

2. Update your Graphics drivers

1. Right-click the Start button, then select the Device Manager from the drop-down.
2. Expand the Display adapter entry, right-click on the device driver, then select Update driver from the drop-down menu.
3. Click on Search automatically for the updated driver software option.
4. Restart your PC.

Updating the graphics drivers will fix bugs and corrupt graphics cards affecting the Fortnite game on your computer. Read about updating graphics drivers on Windows 11 if you have any issues.

3. Verify Fortnite game files

1. Left-click the Start button, type Epic Games Launcher, then click on it to open the app.
2. Select Library.
3. Click on the 3-dot icon to open Menu, and select Manage from the drop-down.
4. Click the Verify button on the Verify Files tab. After the verification, follow the on-screen prompt.

Verifying game files check if the game files are missing or corrupt.

4. Download the latest Epic Games Launcher update

1. Left-click the Start button, type Epic Games Launcher, then click on it to open the app.
2. Click on the Profile icon in the top-right corner. Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
3. Click on the Install Now button, then tap on Yes if the UAC confirmation pops up.
4. After the update, launch Fortnite and check if the high CPU usage persists.

Installing the latest updates for Epic Games Launcher will resolve bugs affecting its games and add new features to improve performance.

5. Perform a clean boot

1. Press Windows + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
2. In the System Configuration window, click on the Services tab.
3. Check the box for Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all.
4. Go to the Startup tab and click on Open Task Manager.
5. In Task Manager, disable all startup items by selecting each one and clicking Disable.
6. Close Task Manager and click OK in the System Configuration window.
7. Restart your PC.

Now your PC will boot only with the absolute necessary apps. Try running Fortnite and see if the high CPU usage persists. If it doesn’t your culprit is most likely another app that’s interfering with Fortnite.

Re-enable apps one by one and keep an eye on CPU usage to identify the faulty one.

What causes high CPU usage on Fortnite?

Fortnite’s high CPU usage may occur due to many factors. Some are:

• Outdated graphics cards – It is because your system can’t access updates to fix the bugs impeding the graphics device from functioning correctly, causing it to use more system resources than needed for the game.
• Game requirements – Fortnite has system requirements that determine the specifications of devices that can play the game. So, you can experience Fortnite’s high CPU usage and low GPU usage if your PC can’t run the game.
• Interference from other running apps – Your game performance can be affected by the activities of other apps. When you have many apps running simultaneously, it doesn’t give enough system resources to Fortnite, causing high CPU usage.

Alternatively, Fortnite players can check our article about how to reduce CPU usage while gaming to improve their gameplay.

Likewise, we have a detailed guide on allocating more CPU to a process on Windows 11.

Should you have further questions or suggestions, kindly drop them in the comments section.