Hostappserviceupdater.exe: What is it & How to Fix Its High CPU Usage

The Hostappserviceupdater.exe is a component of the Lenovo App Explorer which helps you download apps making it a non-essential program.

Most users complained of high CPU spikes and the hostappserviceupdater.exe was the culprit. This can be because it is running way too many background processes or could potentially be malware especially if it is not from Lenovo.

How do I solve hostappserviceupdater.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 hostappserviceupdater.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. Free up some system resources

3.1 Clean up temporary folders

1. Hit the Windows + R keys to open the Run command.
2. In the Run dialog box, type %temp%, then click OK.
3. Select the files you need to delete, then click on the Delete icon, marked as a trash.

3.2 Run Disk Cleanup

1. Press the Windows + E keys combination to start File Manager.
2. Click on This PC.
3. Now right-click the C: drive and select Properties from the drop-down menu.
4. In the General tab, click on Disk Cleanup to start the app.
5. Select the data you want to delete by clicking the corresponding boxes, then on OK.

Your CPU is probably overwhelmed by excessive background processes from the HostAppServiceUpdater.exe causing high usage and slowing down your system. Freeing up some storage and memory space can offload your system and improve performance.

4. 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.

Windows built-in antivirus may not detect all types of malware so if it fails to detect anything, try running another scan but this time with a comprehensive antivirus program.

5. Clean the Registry

1. Press Windows + R, type regedit in the dialog box, and press Enter or click OK to open the Registry Editor.
2. In the app, go to File, then Export.
3. Now select All as Export range.
4. Enter the desired file name, choose a safe location, and click Save. This will create a backup. If any issues occur after you modify your registry, you can run the file you created to restore it to its original state.
5. Now you can start cleaning the files. In the Registry Editor, go to the following location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
6. Right-click on the hostappserviceupdater file and select Delete.

6. Uninstall the Lenovo App Explorer program

1. Click on the Start Menu icon, type Control Panel on the search bar, and click Open.
2. Select Uninstall a Program under Programs.
3. Find the Lenovo App Explorer program, click on it, and select Uninstall.
4. Confirm uninstallation in the next pop-up.

Make sure to also remove software leftovers to ensure no traces are left behind.

Another solution worth trying is performing a System Restore. There’s probably a time when the hostappserviceupdater.exe file did not exist in your system and will restore its stability and optimal performance.

Keep an eye out for other related processes like the Lenovo system update service that is also notorious for high CPU usage and find ways to fix it or get rid of it.

We close here but do let us know your experience with the hostappserviceupdater.exe file. Was it helpful or did you have to get rid of it? And if so, which method helped you clear it faster? Let us know in the comment section below.