If your disk usage spikes all of a sudden, Windows may have begun the update process.

Windows updates usually download in the background and install automatically. In some cases, Windows may even become unresponsive. Windows replaces tens of thousands of files when updating, so everything else will slow down during the update process. In some cases, you might see 100% disk usage because Windows is in the middle of updating. Once your PC finishes and restarts, the problem should be fixed. From there, select Updates and Security and initiate the update. To update Windows 10, open the Start menu and click Settings. These updates should be installed automatically, but if you’ve missed the latest release, updating Windows 10 can fix a variety of issues. Microsoft frequently releases Windows 10 updates that fix bugs and plug security holes. Here, we’ve compiled the top 12 ways to fix Windows 10 100% disk usage - no matter what’s driving up your disk usage, you’ll be able to resolve the issue. With Task Manager identifying the processes causing high disk usage, the solution may be straightforward. The 12 best ways to fix 100% disk usage in Windows 10

If your PC feels slow and if disk usage isn’t an issue, you might instead be suffering from high CPU usage or insufficient RAM. If Task Manager doesn't provide a clear answer, try these other solutions to reduce your disk usage: Windows Search index Rebuild the Windows Search index. OneDrive, Dropbox, or another backup tool Reset or reinstall synchronization tools. Your antivirus software Reinstall or update your antivirus software.Ī ton of apps running at the same time Close background applications. Service Host: SysMain Service Host: Storage Service and similar Disable Superfetch.Īn unknown program you don’t remember downloading Remove viruses and malware. If you see any of the following items causing high disk usage in Task Manager, click on the link to jump down directly to the solution: If your Task Manager reveals something obvious, find the cure below. Depending on the type of disk you’re using, even a small amount of excess disk usage can harm performance. Any process that takes more than 1 to 2 MB is a concern. Look for items that appear orange and consume more than a few megabytes per second. That way, you’ll see the processes with the highest disk usage first. Make sure the arrow in the Disk column is pointing down.

On the main dashboard, click on the Disk column to see all running processes sorted by disk usage. Right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager.

Here’s how to identify the cause of 100% disk usage with Windows Task Manager:

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