How to fix
High CPU Usage by TiWorker.exe
on Windows

Hello all. I’ve found out that Tiworker.exe sometimes eats 30-40 % of my CPU. My laptop runs Windows 10 X64 Home Creators Update OS. I have recently installed all the updates and the system seems to be running normally, except those random occasions when Tiworker.exe CPU consumption gets too high. I scanned the system for malware, but it’s clean. What else could I do?

TiWorker.exe - a useful system component which translates as Windows Modules Installer Worke. Being one of the core system’s components in Microsoft Windows OS,[ref en-1] it is responsible for scanning the system for outdated or missing modules and, respectively, installing the new ones or their updates. However, there are numerous users complaining about TiWorker.exe high CPU usage.[ref en-2]

Very often Windows users complain about this executable consuming 30%, 50% or even up to 100% CPU. Such a behavior definitely diminishes the performance of your PC and may temporarily make the system unusable. If you are experiencing high CPU usage by TiWorker.exe Windows modules constantly, you should definitely take corresponding actions to fix that. However, there might be a few reasons as well as possible solutions.

Typically, TiWorker.exe runs on the device and checks for new updates. However, when it works properly, it shouldn't cause high CPU usage, eat much RAM or other resources. After updates, the executable should end the process and leave your system alone. However, sometimes TiWorker.exe causing more issues than using resources of the machine.

Windows Updates may not even run properly due to this executable. So the first solution may be the proper system updating. Especially when the particular Windows 10 has been causing issues for the past year or so.[ref en-3] Then, you may follow suggested methods one by one to make sure the TiWorker.exe CPU usage issue gets fixed.

How to fix high CPU usage by TiWorker.exe

If the unusual TiWorker.exe CPU usage occurred only once, we would recommend you to reboot the system and scan it with anti-malware utility. For that you may rely on [d1]. Legitimate Windows processes and files are easy targets of hackers. The names of such files are frequently misused for disguising malicious viruses. Thus, the culprit of high CPU usage by TiWorker.exe may be a virus. Perform a system scan on the machine and then attempt manual methods. 

Install Windows Updates

Usually, TiWorker.exe CPU consumption gets high if the system is missing for crucial updates. Thus, please follow these steps:

• Press Windows key + I and select Update & Security.
• Click Check for Updates button and wait while the scan is being executed.
  

  

• When the list of updates is returned, click Install updates.
• Repeat the same procedure at least twice to ensure that all updates have been installed.
• Finally, reboot the system.

Run system and maintenance troubleshooter

• Press Windows key and type Troubleshooting.
• Select Troubleshooting and click View all option.
  

  

• Select System Maintenance and click Next.

Fix corrupted files with System File Checker

• Use SFC command in Command Prompt to check for corrupted files and fix them.
• Type sfc /scannow and run a scan.

Set the priority of this file to Low

• Go to Task Manager and click the Details tab.
• Find TiWorker.exe and right-click on the file.
• Set priority to Low.
  

  

  
  

Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder

• Right-click Windows key and select Command Prompt (Admin).
• Copy and paste the following commands one by one and hit Enter after each:
  net stop wuauserv
  net stop cryptSvc
  net stop bits
  net stop msiserver
• Then copy and paste the ren C:\\Windows\\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old command and press Enter.
• To finish up renaming the Software Distribution folder, type the ren C:\\Windows\\System32\\catroot2 catroot2.old command and press Enter.
• Finally, copy and paste the following four commands into Command Prompt and press Enter after each of them:
  net start wuauserv
  net start cryptSvc
  net start bits
  net start msiserver
• After that, reboot the system and install all available Windows Updates.

If none of the steps helped to fix High CPU usage by TiWorker.exe, try clean boot. This may help to find out if there is software conflict. Disable all non-Microsoft processes and then re-enable them one-by-one. Please let us know if you have managed to fix the problem.