After so many years, OBS is still the top pick for streaming on any platform.

If youre one of those unfortunate, dont worry.

Below, I have shortlisted the 100% working solutions to reduce excessive CPU utilization for OBS.

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For example, downscaling the output resolution of screen recording can effectively reduce OBSs CPU utilization by a lot.

you could also try other solutions, such as lowering the framerate, customizing the x264 preset, etc.

Heres how to reduce OBSs CPU usage on Windows 10/11/Mac:

1.

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Because encoding higher resolution equals a higher processing load.

This is one of the main reasons why you might encounter error notifications such asEncoding overloadorhigh CPU usagein OBS.

Keep in mind, the output quality of your video might downgrade due to lower capture resolution.

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you’re able to also downscale various capture filters to further reduce the rendering pressure from the CPU.

System Interrupts help Windows to communicate with the Hardware devices.

But it should not use all your CPU resources.

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But it will ensure that everything runs smoothly and resolve any abnormally high resource usage issues.

Many users face high usage with WMI Provider Host without any reason.

Well, not to worry anymore.

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Read our troubleshooting and fix it instantly for your Windows 10.

But you should get a general idea of what to do to run OBS with a dedicated AMD graphics.

Hence the extra CPU usage.

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Additionally, see to it all your audio sources are running at the same output frequency.

Otherwise, itll also affect the performance of your system.

IsWindows Graph Isolation using all your CPU?

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Thats not normal, though.

To fix this, read our troubleshooting guide.

Customize the x264 Preset Values

OBS offers different performance presets for the x264 encoder to manage the CPU load.

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So ensure the webcam or other video sources arent running at a higher resolution or bitrate.

Gettinghigh CPU usage with svchost?

You are not alone in this.

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We faced a similar issue and hence the troubleshooting guide.

Do check it out.

Thus increasing CPU utilization.

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To lessen the amount of process on your CPU, disable Game Bar before using OBS.

This method is also useful for fixing any kind of high CPU usage issues on your box.

Now kickstart your unit to see if it lowers the processor utilization for OBS.

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If not, move on to the next method.

Desktop Window Manager can sometimes use a lot of CPU.

Reduce CPU utilization easily by following our separate article, where we give you all the fixes.

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Uninstall the program from your machine and download the latest version from their official website.

The app will also show a prompt for update whenever theres a patch available for download.

punch Update Now to keep the program up to date.

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Additionally, software updates can often introduce compatibility or technical issues.

When Windows installs updates, this can increase theCPU usage of the Windows Modules Installer Worker.

But if you see this constantly, use our troubleshooting guide and get rid of this problem.

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With everything being said, a hardware upgrade can fix high CPU usage.

Heck, you’re able to evenupgrade the CPU without reinstalling Windows.

Yes its that easy!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good CPU for OBS?

AMD Ryzen 9 7900x is currently the best pick for streaming with OBS.

Is OBS CPU or GPU heavy?

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OBS is primarily a CPU-heavy program as video encoding is a very processor-intensive task.

How do I make OBS use GPU instead of CPU?

Switch to a GPU hardware encoder from the OBS controls.

That way, the program will use the graphics card for encoding.

Why is my CPU so high on OBS?

The processor usage can also be high if you dont use a hardware encoder like NVENC.

Have a good one!