When trying to improve performance of a slow system you notice in Task Manager that the Superfetch service is using a high percentage of CPU time wh?

Superfetch is a useful Windows service that was first introduced in Windows Vista. The primary objective of this service was to regulate the RAM management and speed up the entire processing. However, for many users, Superfetch can easily become a nightmare. As ironic as it may sound, but the process that was initially designed to speed up the processing can also affect the PC’s performance by increasing the CPU usage.

Many users complain about Superfetch causing high CPU usage on their system. If you’re one of them, this guide is for you. In this article, we are going to share deep insight into Superfetch, its benefits, and what you can do when it leads to high CPU usage.

So, without any further ado, let’s get started.

As we mentioned earlier, Superfetch is a dedicated Windows service that came along with Window Vista. Ever since, the feature has been seen in almost every Windows version, including the latest Windows 10. The Superfetch service was basically tailored to improve the overall efficiency of a Windows system. It analyzes the user behavior to find out the most commonly used apps.

The service then copies the useful information of these applications to the RAM. And, since the processor can fetch data from the RAM more quickly instead of the hard drive, you’ll notice a fast booting for your most commonly used apps. Superfetch will make these apps load faster, ensuring high performance.

Here are some of the benefits of the Windows Superfetch service.

1. It analyzes the most commonly used applications and makes them load faster
2. Superfetch also regulates the entire RAM management to offer higher efficiency

It’s also worth noting that Superfetch will only work if your PC contains an HDD drive. In case, you’re running an SSD drive, your system will automatically shut down the Superfetch service and you won’t have to deal with any issues at all.

Part 2: Why Superfetch Causes High CPU Usage?

So, despite being such a useful process, why do people complain about high CPU usage due to Superfetch. Well, the answer is pretty simple! Since Superfetch is an essential Windows service, it’s always running in the background and eating up your PC’s resources. This means if you don’t have a high configuration PC, Superfetch is most likely to overload the processor, resulting in slow processing.

Another disadvantage of Superfetch is that it may also interfere with the initial boot. Like any other system process, Superfetch will be loaded during the initial boot. And, it’s no secret that the more Windows services load during the initial boot, the longer the PC will take to start properly.

That’s the reason why many users encounter high CPU usage and damaged performance due to Superfetch. So, what’s the best way to deal with this situation? Fortunately, you can also turn off Superfetch if you see high CPU usage. It’s quite easier to permanently disable the feature. Even if you aren’t a tech-geek, you’ll be able to disable Superfetch without any hassle.

Part 3: How to Disable Superfetch in Windows?

So, if you’ve been seeing any unexpected spikes in your Windows CPU or hard disk usage, it would be better to disable the Superfetch process. To do this, you can follow different paths. Let’s quickly walk you through the two different methods to disable Superfetch in Windows.

1. Disable Superfetch Via Windows Service

The easiest way to disable Superfetch is via the official Windows Services window. For people who don’t know, it’s the window that’ll display a list of all the running processes (system and third-party). Here’s the detailed step-by-step process on how to disable the Superfetch service directly via the Services window.

Step 1 - Press “Windows+R” to launch the Run window. In the search bar, type “Services.msc” and press enter.

Step 2 - Now, scroll down the list and locate “Superfetch”. Then right-click the process and tap “Stop” if you want to disable the process temporarily.

Step 3 - In case you want to disable the service permanently, again right-click on it and tap the “Properties” button.

Step 4 - Next to the “Startup Type” option, use the drop-down menu and select “Disabled” to turn off the service forever.

That’s it; once you have disabled the Superfetch service, simply reboot your computer. This time you won’t encounter slow initial boot or high CPU usage at all.

1. Disable Superfetch Via Command Prompt

Another way to disable the Superfetch process is to use Command Prompt. To do this, you’ll have to run Command Prompt as administrator and execute a few commands. However, if you don’t have the required experience, it would be better to stick to the previous solution.

Here’s how to disable Superfetch using Command Prompt.

Step 1 - Open the Cortana search box and type “CMD” in the search bar. Now, right-click “Command Prompt” and select “Run as Administrator”.

Step 2 - Once the Command Prompt window opens on your screen, execute the following command.
net.exe stop superfetch

This will disable the Superfetch temporarily.

Step 3 - If you want to disable the Superfetch process permanently, you’ll have to execute the following command.
sc config sysmain start = disabled

Now, close the CMD window and reboot your computer to complete the process.

Part 4: Is It Ok to Disable Superfetch in Windows 10?

Since Superfetch is one of the most useful Windows processes, many users also want to know if there are any bad consequences of disabling Superfetch. The answer is No! Superfetch isn’t related to any other Windows process. It's only objective is to regulate RAM management.

This means even if you disable Superfetch, it won’t affect your PC’s performance whatsoever. So, if your PC is encountering high CPU usage or high disk usage, you can disable Superfetch. This will help you achieve the most efficient processing as per your PC’s configuration.

The Bottom Line

So, that’s everything you need to know about the Windows Superfetch process. If this process has also slowed down your PC’s performance, you can follow the above-mentioned methods to disable temporarily or forever. In either case, this action won’t affect your computer’s performance whatsoever.

People Also Ask

1. Should You Turn Off Superfetch?

Superfetch is an essential Windows service that’ll optimize your PC’s performance to achieve efficient processing. However, in case you encounter high CPU usage, you can also disable Superfetch. Disabling the process won’t affect your computer general performance at all.

No, Superfetch isn’t removed from Windows. Ever since Windows Vista, Microsoft has ensured to integrate Superfetch with each Windows version. You can even find Superfetch in the latest Windows 10 as well.

1. Should I Disable Superfetch While Playing Games?

If your PC has an HDD hard drive, it would be better to disable Superfetch while playing games. Why? Because if Superfetch isn’t disabled, it’ll probably run in the background that might cause unexpected glitches in your game. And, in case your PC has a low configuration, Superfetch may also cause overheating issues. That’s why it would be better to disable Superfetch while playing heavy games.

Superfetch is a standard Windows feature that preloads the apps you use most frequently. By loading these programs in advance, Service Host Superfetch aims to speed up your PC. Superfetch is part of Windows 10, and has come built-in with all versions of Windows since Windows Vista in 2007.

Superfetch can extend startup times by preloading programs before Windows can get itself up and running. Though Superfetch is usually helpful, sometimes it can slow down your PC. As a background service, Superfetch constantly uses some CPU and RAM resources. Try disabling Superfetch if you encounter these issues.

How to disable Superfetch in Windows 10

You may notice that Superfetch is slowing down your PC, rather than speeding it up. If that’s the case, here’s how to turn off Superfetch in Windows 10, in two different ways:

Turn off Superfetch in Windows 10 with services.msc

1. Right-click the Windows button in the lower-left corner of your desktop, then click Run. Type services.msc and click OK to open the Windows Service Manager.

   

2. In the Windows Service Manager, locate the Sysmain entry. Double-click it and set the Startup type status to Disabled.

   

3. Click OK, then reboot your system. Service Host Superfetch will be disabled.

Turn off Superfetch with the Windows 10 Command Prompt

1. Open the Start menu and type cmd. Select Run as administrator. Click Yes when prompted.

   

2. Paste the following command into the Command Prompt, then press Enter:

   sc stop “SysMain” & sc config “SysMain” start=disabled

   

3. Restart your computer to use Windows with Superfetch turned off.

At times, Superfetch can eat up a lot of CPU resources and RAM, which may drive your disk usage up to 100%, raise CPU temperatures, and decrease your computer’s speed. If these problems persist even with Superfetch turned off, go ahead and turn it back on — your performance issues aren’t being caused by Superfetch.

How to enable Superfetch in Windows 10

Turning on Superfetch may help improve performance. Here’s how to turn on Superfetch in Windows 10:

Turn on Superfetch in Windows 10 with services.msc

1. Right-click the Windows button in the lower-left corner of your desktop, then click Run. Type services.msc and press Enter.

   

2. Scroll down and double-click Sysmain, then choose Automatic (Delayed Start).

   

3. Click OK, then restart your computer. Superfetch will now be enabled in Windows 10.

Turn on Superfetch with the Windows 10 Command Prompt

1. Type cmd in the Start menu, click Run as administrator, and choose Yes when prompted.

   

2. Enter the command below into the Command Prompt, then press the Enter key.

   sc config “SysMain” start=auto & sc start “SysMain”

   

3. Restart your computer to enable Superfetch.

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How does Service Host Superfetch work?

Service Host Superfetch predicts which programs you’ll use at which times, then preloads those apps into your RAM (short-term memory). Here’s a detailed look at how Service Host Superfetch works:

1. Superfetch preloads apps (and boot files) into your RAM when it thinks you’re going to use them. This is designed to prevent Windows from needing to dip into the slower hard disk as frequently as it otherwise would.

2. By analyzing your behavior, Superfetch’s algorithm will anticipate which apps you’ll use and when. Superfetch is able to predict up to three apps at any time.

3. Superfetch knows to prioritize active programs over background tasks, such as defragging your hard drive. Windows Service Host Superfetch will run these tasks when your computer is idle.

4. Superfetch learns as you continue to use your computer. As your habits change and you use different programs more or less frequently, Superfetch adapts to your needs.

How to monitor Superfetch’s disk usage

If your computer feels slower than it should be, you can check to see if Superfetch is causing high disk usage. Here’s how to monitor Superfetch in Windows 10:

1. Right-click the Taskbar and choose Task Manager.

2. In the Task Manager, find an item called Service Host: SysMain — also known as Service Host Superfetch.

   

Superfetch’s disk usage should be minimal at most — if you see a high CPU usage percentage or double-digit MB/s disk usage for more than a few minutes, turn Superfetch off. Should this persist, you may note high CPU temperatures as a result.

Should I disable Superfetch?

You should disable Superfetch if you notice that it’s increasing CPU usage, eating up RAM, or throwing your hard disk into overdrive. With Superfetch overusing disk resources, it could cause a noticeable drop in your computer’s speed and performance. This can happen even if you’re using an SSD instead of an older HDD.

Slowdowns caused by Superfetch typically result from Superfetch preloading too many apps, or guessing wrong and loading apps that you aren’t going to use. When you choose to open a different program, your RAM isn’t ready for it. Turn off Superfetch and see if your SSD or HDD works any faster. Learn more about how to check your RAM.

Why do we need Superfetch in Windows 10?

Most of the time, Superfetch improves the performance of Windows PCs. The more Superfetch learns about your habits, the more accurately it can predict when you’ll use a certain app and preload it.

When you install new apps, the Superfetch queue is cleared to ensure there’s enough RAM. As you use these new apps, Superfetch analyzes when and how often. Microsoft’s Michael Fortin has spoken at length about the Superfetch design process and how it can improve your PC’s performance.

But sometimes, Superfetch can actually cause more problems than it fixes, and turning off Superfetch may help.

Is Service Host Superfetch necessary for gaming?

By preloading your game when you’re about to play, Superfetch should help optimize your PC for gaming. But some gamers report Superfetch taking up disk resources — even after a gaming session is over.

Game files can be very large, sometimes exceeding 100 GB. If Superfetch detects that you regularly play a game, it may get a bit too excited and attempt to preload the game’s files into your RAM — this is where things can go wrong. Superfetch will struggle to deal with these massive file sizes, and you may want to disable Superfetch to see if performance improves.

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