Thursday, October 2, 2025

How to Fix 100% Disk Usage in Windows 11 (Complete Step-by-Step Guide)

 









How to Fix 100% Disk Usage in Windows 11 (Complete Step-by-Step Guide)

If your Windows 11 laptop or PC feels slow and Task Manager shows Disk usage stuck at 100%, you’re not alone.
This issue is caused by background services, antivirus scanning, or Windows Search indexing overuse.

Follow this step-by-step guide to fix it completely.

Step 1: Check Disk Usage in Task Manager

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.

  2. Click on the Processes tab.

  3. Sort by Disk column to see which app is using the most disk resources.

👉 Note which processes are consuming high disk usage (like SysMain, SearchIndexer, or antivirus).

Step 2: Disable Windows Search (Temporary Test)

  1. Press Windows + R, type:

    services.msc

  2. Find Windows Search → Right-click → Stop.

  3. Check if disk usage drops immediately.

If yes, then disable it permanently (see Step 7).

Step 3: Disable SysMain (Superfetch)

  1. In the same services.msc window, find SysMain.

  2. Right-click → Stop.

  3. Then right-click again → Properties → Startup type → Disabled.

✅ This service preloads apps in memory but often causes 100% disk usage.

Step 4: Disable Connected User Experiences and Telemetry

  1. In services.msc, locate Connected User Experiences and Telemetry.

  2. Right-click → Stop and Disable it.

This service collects data for Microsoft — safe to turn off.

Step 5: Check Windows Update Service

  1. Open services.msc again.

  2. Find Windows Update.

  3. If it’s stuck on “Checking for updates,” stop the service temporarily.

  4. Restart your computer, then try updating manually later.

Step 6: Change Virtual Memory Settings

  1. Press Windows + R → type:

    sysdm.cpl

  2. Go to Advanced → Performance → Settings → Advanced → Virtual memory.

  3. Uncheck Automatically manage paging file size.

  4. Choose Custom size and set:

    • Initial size = RAM size (MB)

    • Maximum size = 2× RAM size (MB)
      Example: If 8 GB RAM → 8192MB initial, 16384MB max.

Click Set → OK → Restart PC.

Step 7: Disable Windows Search Permanently (If Needed)

  1. Press Windows + R → type:

    services.msc

  2. Find Windows Search → Right-click → Properties.

  3. Set Startup type → Disabled → Apply → OK.

Step 8: Turn Off Tips and Suggestions

  1. Open Settings → System → Notifications.

  2. Turn off Get tips and suggestions when I use Windows.

Step 9: Update Drivers (Especially Storage Drivers)

  1. Press Windows + X → Device Manager.

  2. Expand Disk drives and IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers.

  3. Right-click → Update driver → Search automatically for drivers.

If possible, install storage controller drivers from your PC manufacturer’s website.

Step 10: Disable Antivirus Temporarily (Check for Cause)

Some antivirus programs (like Avast, AVG) cause high disk usage.

  • Disable antivirus temporarily → Check Task Manager.

  • If the issue resolves → uninstall it and use Windows Defender instead.

Step 11: Check for Malware

  1. Open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection.

  2. Run a Full Scan.

  3. Optionally, use Malwarebytes for deep cleaning.

Step 12: Check Disk Health

  1. Open Command Prompt (Admin) and type:

    chkdsk C: /f /r

  2. Press Y to schedule at next restart.

  3. Restart your computer — it will scan and fix disk errors.

Step 13: Turn Off Background Apps

  1. Go to Settings → Apps → Installed Apps.

  2. Select any app → Advanced Options → Set Background app permissions to Never.

Step 14: Change Power Plan

  1. Go to Control Panel → Hardware and Sound → Power Options.

  2. Choose High Performance.

Step 15: Replace HDD with SSD (If Using Old Disk)

If your PC still runs on an HDD, consider upgrading to an SSD —
✅ It completely eliminates the 100% disk usage issue in most cases.

Final Recommendations

  • Keep your Windows updated.

  • Avoid installing too many startup apps.

  • Schedule regular disk cleanup and defragmentation.

  • Always check for malware and driver issues.