Limit Windows Defender Background Scanning to Improve Performance
By Richard Chow / Blog
Windows 10 and 11 come outfitted with Windows Defender, a built-in anti-virus software program designed to guard pc techniques from potential threats. However, for customers with entry-level or older CPUs, the background scanning carried out by Windows Defender could cause a big influence on system efficiency.
The default higher restrict of CPU utilization for Windows Defender is about at 50%, which could be a pressure on lower-end CPUs. To handle this situation, Microsoft permits customers to manually cut back the CPU utilization restrict to as little as 5%. By doing so, customers can decrease the influence of background scanning on system efficiency, permitting for smoother operation of different duties.
One person shared their expertise with a Mini PC that includes an Intel N100 CPU with restricted E-Cores. They observed that Windows Defender was using as much as 50% of the CPU throughout background scanning, inflicting the system to decelerate considerably.
To alter the CPU utilization restrict for Windows Defender, customers can entry the "Local Group Policy Editor" by utilizing the "Win + R" shortcut key and getting into "gpedit.msc". From there, customers can navigate to "System Management Template" → "Windows Components" → "Microsoft Defender Antivirus Software" → "Scan" → "Specify the higher restrict of the share of CPU utilization throughout the scan" to set a customized restrict between 5% and 50%.
By decreasing the CPU utilization restrict, customers can be certain that Windows Defender operates within the background with out considerably impacting system efficiency. While it might take longer for the software program to scan recordsdata, the trade-off in improved front-end efficiency is effectively price it.
With these changes, customers can benefit from the safety features of Windows Defender with out compromising the general efficiency of their pc techniques.