The problem may stem from various sources, such as VOIP (voice over internet protocol) during voice calls, instant messaging, receiving messages, or mentions, which cause Discord to process animations in the background, leading to high CPU usage. This article provides guidance on how to mitigate Discord’s CPU consumption while it operates in the background.
1. Disable Hardware Acceleration
Hardware acceleration allows Discord to utilize your GPU to operate smoothly in the background, but this can also increase CPU load and cause spikes in usage. Turning off hardware acceleration can prevent Discord from excessively running in the background.
2. Disable Discord Overlay
Discord’s overlay allows users to interact on the platform without having to leave the game interface. However, this feature requires resources, potentially leading to high CPU usage. Disabling the overlay may rectify the issue.
3. Disable Voice Processing Features
Discord enhances voice chat with features like noise suppression and echo cancellation. While they improve voice quality, they also consume considerable CPU resources. Disabling these features may lessen CPU load.
4. Enable Reduced Motion
The Reduced Motion setting curtails animations within the Discord app to conserve memory and CPU usage. Activating this feature may help to decrease CPU usage.
5. Reinstall Discord
If none of the previous solutions resolve the high CPU usage, the issue could lie with the installation files of Discord. In this case, it is advisable to uninstall the application and install a fresh copy. By following these steps, you should be able to alleviate high CPU usage issues with Discord. Additional strategies include ensuring your drivers are up to date, closing unnecessary applications running concurrently with Discord, and regularly checking for Discord updates that may provide performance enhancements and bug fixes.
