[8 Valid Fixes] Client Server Runtime Process High GPU Issue on Windows 10

Windows users have been suffering from resource hunger of the OS already. On top of that, higher usage caused by Client Server Runtime Process (csrss.exe) GPU adds more misery.

You’ll feel the vicious performance licking if such problems arise in your tad-old system. This csrss.exe can eat up to 40-60% of a modern CPU, shrinking GPU performance as well.

Let me drive you through some appropriate fixes which worked on my troubleshooting experience.

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What is the Client Server Runtime Process?

The entire graphical subsystem once depended on this Client Server Runtime Process long ago. But Windows 10, or the latter, has the Windows Kernel to handle such work.

Does it indicate 一You just terminate this service and rely on Windows Kernel?

No! You can’t terminate this service, as it is responsible for Win32 console handling and GUI shutdown. Meaning csrss.exe is substantial to run the core system, stopping this will cause a system failure.

Therefore, you must keep it running on your system at least with the lowest priority, if it’s causing high usage. But what if this Client Server Runtime Process (csrss.exe) uses around 40% of CPU or GPU either way?

You should consider some fixes as the Client Server Runtime Process approx uses less than 10%.

Go through our epic guide on how long do GPUs last?

How to Fix Client Server Runtime Process High GPU?

Most graphics-based issues are repairable with a Key-bind Win + Ctrl + Shift + B. If not solved, you must repair the GPU driver & tweak the system. For example, you can turn off the Transparency Effect & HDR or check if the csrss.exe service is trojan malware.

Here are some possible fixes for Client Server Runtime Process High GPU usage:

1. Turn off Windows Transparency Effect & HDR

Windows visual ornament functionalities like Transparency Effect & HDR are resource hungry, which can trigger Client Server Runtime Process to cause high GPU usage. Since Windows HDR absence is noticeable, toggle it to break glitches, and turn off Transparency Effect.

Here are the step-by-step processes to turn off HDR and the Transparency Effect:

Transparency Effect:

Press Windows + I to launch the Settings menu.
Click on the Personalization menu.
Select Colors from the list left.
Turn Off the Transparency Effect using the toggle Switch.

HDR Mode:

Launch Settings by Windows + I Key combo.
Click on the System.
Select Display from the left section.
Click on Windows HD Color Settings under the Windows HD Color section.
Turn off the toggle button named Use HDR.

After turning those features off in your system, you need to monitor your system behavior. If it is still causing high usage, update the windows and drivers following the steps below.

Follow our guide to know about why is my GPU usage so low?

2. Update Windows and Drivers

Almost every system needs updates to function appropriately. Therefore, Microsoft regularly brings new changes and upgrades to Windows OS. But not all the updates or versions they release are perfect & stable, which is a common fact. Developers often fix those bugs & issues within the next update ASAP.

So, updating your system and drivers can resolve the problems of the Client Server Runtime Process.

Here are the simple steps of the system and driver update process:

Go to settings by pressing Windows + I.
Click on the last option, Update & Security.
Select Windows Update from the list left.
Hit the Check for Update button.
Update your system to the latest version & drivers as well.

This way, your system might fix glitches and bugs with updates simply. If updates didn’t resolve the Client Server Runtime issue, you must tweak your graphics driver manually.

You can read the easiest way to monitor and lower CPU GPU temp.

3. Rollback / Reinstall / Update Graphics Driver

The high GPU usage by the Csrss.exe service can appear because of the faulty driver software in your system. Since the graphics driver updates itself automatically, it might bring bugs that can cause problems.

In such cases, you can Rollback to the previous stable version or reinstall the latest version manually, to avoid glitches.

Here are the simple steps to Rollback / Reinstall / Update the graphics driver manually:

Rollback to the previous version:

Right-Click on This PC icon from the Desktop.
Click on Manage.
Select Device Manager from the left section of Computer Management.
Right-Click on your Graphics Driver from the drop-down menu of Display Adapter.
Select Properties.
Click on the Driver tab.
Click on Roll Back Driver.
Select whatever reason & hit Yes.

Reinstall Graphics Driver with .exe file:

Download the graphics driver software from the official site of your GPU.
Right-Click and install the downloaded file as administrator.
Finish installation by accepting conditions and the Next button.
Restart Your system.

Update Graphics:

Press Windows + X.
Select Device Manager from the Popped up list.
Double-Click on Display Adapter to unfold the drop-down list of your Graphics Driver.
Right-Click on your graphics driver.
Select Update Driver.
Choose Search Automatically for Updates.
Restart your PC.

This way, you can easily update, reinstall, or roll back your graphics driver. But performing these operations didn’t make a difference yet?

Set Csrss.exe service’s priority, to keep it low profile, by following the steps below.

**4. Set csrss.exe to Low Priority**

Essential services like csrss.exe must be running to keep the entire system functioning correctly, meaning you can’t terminate or end it. But setting the priority to low might help you to reduce its impact on the OS.

Here are the steps to set Client Server Runtime Process priority to low:

Use Combo Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager.
Click on the Details tab.
Find csrss.exe from the list.
Right-click on Csrss.exe & select Set Priority.
Select priority to Low.
Restart the PC.

It should release your system burden caused by the csrss.exe service. For more improvement, you can tweak the visual effects.

5. Tweak Visual Effects

Windows has an interactive GUI (Graphical User Interface), making it heavy. The smooth transition and attractive design help the user to navigate with ease. Regular users with lower-end devices can reduce the load to achieve better performance.

Here is the step-by-step process for tweaking Windows Visual Effects to optimum settings:

Launch Settings with Win + I.
Click on System.
Scroll down & click About on the last menu from the left section.
Click on Advanced System Settings from the rightmost list.
Select the Advanced tab.
Click on Settings in the performance section.
Select Adjust for best performance.
Check the boxes of the list below if any features are required.

If all those tweaks above didn’t make your way out from the Client Server Runtime Process high GPU issue, there is a high chance of infecting with malware.

6. Scan & Remove Malware or Corrupted Files

Malware can affect your system in many different ways. So, a program or service named csrss.exe may be a disguised malware running in the background.

However, you can spot the malware if your system has more than two programs named csrss.exe.

Run anti-malware or antivirus software at once to eliminate such trojan malware.

You can try Windows Security primarily, but if it isn’t sufficient, you can use third-party anti-malware software like Norton, Kaspersky, Malwarebytes, Eset, etc.

In case, you don’t wish to buy any subscription to anti-malware, you can restore your system to start from new.

7. Restore the System

Restoring the System can save your system from certain damages. But in this case, you may have to restore your system by erasing everything.

So, be cautious before performing this fix.

Here is the process to restore your total system with the steps:

Go to Settings using the Win + I key combo.
Click on Update & Security.
Select Recovery from the left list.
Click on Get Started.
Choose the Option Erase everything, as malware may have infected the files also.
Follow the commands along and remember 一 it will take a long.

Alternatively, you can perform clean windows installation to be more time efficient and organized.

8. Perform a Windows Clean Install.

Clean windows installation is the better option if your system is acting up. You can install windows and get rid of almost every possible issue.

Here are the steps to Windows Clean Installation:

Download the Windows 10 installation media file from the Microsoft website.
Run Windows 10 installation media and download the .iso file.
Find and Download Rufus from an authentic site only.
Plug in a USB drive 一 8 Gb or higher. (It shouldn’t have your important files)
Run Rufus and Choose your Pendrive.
Click on Select and navigate to the downloaded .iso
Hit Start and wait until the boot process is finished.
Restart your PC and Boot from the Pendrive.
While installing Windows select Custom: Instal Windows only (advanced)
Format your Windows Drive, then install it accordingly.

This way, you’ll surely get rid of the problem caused by Client Server Runtime Process high GPU usage.

FAQs

Why is my GPU running at 100%?

Running GPU at 100% is usual if you are running a graphics-heavy program or high-end games.

Will resetting the PC fix GPU issues?

Yes, resetting your PC will set everything to the default state. Meaning, your messed-up settings or drivers can’t cause issues.

Can a faulty GPU damage my PC?

Mostly Yes, if your GPU is damaged at the hardware level, it can damage the system, or else software malfunction can’t damage the PC directly.

Conclusion

Although your system needs to use some percentage of the hardware resources, it doesn’t need more than half in idle mode.

So, if you’re noticing somewhat extra utilization of CPU or GPU, you might have to consider checking if any issues arise.

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