Decoding and Deescalating High CPU Use in Modern Hosts

Many things can negatively impact your computer’s performance, and this warrants an investigation to get to the bottom of it. Many Windows users usually open Task Manager to see if there’s something consuming system resources and causing performance dips. And, if through your investigation, you find that the problem is Modern Setup Host causing high CPU usage, we’re going to show you how to fix this.

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links

If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

What Is Modern Setup Host on Windows?

Modern Setup Host is a Windows component that runs in the background during a Windows update to ensure that the installation process goes smoothly. After Windows installs the update, Modern Setup Host also aids in making sure that everything is configured correctly to work well with the system, especially if it is a Feature Update. Another thing it does is ensure that Windows is running smoothly in terms of stability and that there aren’t any security vulnerabilities.

As you can see, it is an extremely important process.

Why Is Modern Setup Host Causing High CPU Usage?

Many things can alert you that something on your computer is being wasteful with system resources. In the best-case scenario, your computer can become sluggish, and, in the worst-case scenario, it might outright crash. If Modern Setup Host is the culprit behind this, causing high CPU usage, the following could be the reasons why:

• There are corrupt or missing system files on your computer.
• Something is wrong with the Windows Update process.
• There are corrupt or conflicting update files on your computer.
• There’s a conflict with a third-party program or application.

Let’s look at how to fix all of these things that can affect Modern Setup Host.

How to Fix it Modern Setup Host Causing High CPU Usage

There are several things you can do to stop Modern Setup Host from causing high CPU usage, and we’re going to cover several of them in this section. And if none of them work and the situation gets so bad that you can’t operate your PC efficiently, you can consider resetting your Windows Computer .

1. Run an SFC or DISM Scan

When your computer has corrupted, damaged, or missing system files, it can affect system components, including Modern Setup Host. This can cause these components to not function properly, leading to high CPU usage. To fix this, you can repair or replace the affected Windows system files using built-in tools like the SFC and DISM scan.

Once you run the scans, restart your computer and check if Modern Setup Host is still causing high CPU usage.

2. Use the Update Troubleshooter

The Update Troubleshooter is a tool on Windows that can help diagnose and fix common issues related to Windows Updates. And since Modern Setup Host is integral to the Windows Update process, running the troubleshooter can also help fix issues that affect it, including what’s making it cause high CPU usage.

To do that, you can learn how to run any troubleshooter on Windows , including the Update Troubleshooter.

3. Delete the Contents of the SoftwareDistribution Folder

Before Windows installs an update, it will store it in the SoftwareDistribution distribution folder temporarily. So, if one of the update files there is corrupt, it can cause Modern Setup Host to use more resources than it needs to. If you clear this folder, you can potentially solve the issue.

First, you need to stop the Windows Update service in case it is using the files in the SoftwareDistribution folder. To do that, press Win + R to open Windows Run. Type services.msc in the text box and then press the Enter key to open the Services window.

Find Windows Update in the list of services, right-click it, and select Stop.

Once the service stops, go to the SoftwareDistribution folder by opening the Windows File Explorer and heading to C: > Windows > SoftwareDistribution.

Now, press Ctrl + A to select everything inside the folder and press Shift + Delete. In the prompt, confirm that you want to clear the folder by clicking on Yes.

4. Try a Clean Boot

A clean boot can help you rule out third-party programs and services that could conflict with Modern Setup Host. In this mode, Windows will launch with only the essential programs and services it needs to run, allowing you to rule out the culprit. Luckily, launching Windows in a clean boot state is easy, and the instructions are the same for both Windows 10 and 11.

Stop the Modern Setup Host From Negatively Impacting Your Computer

Many things can cause high CPU usage on a Windows computer, and one of them is the Modern Setup Host. This process should be able to do its thing rather quickly when everything is in order during a Windows Update. But if there’s something affecting the update process, it can stall and cause high CPU usage.

So, try fixing corrupted or damaged system files, using the Update Troubleshooter, clearing the SoftwareDistrubiton folder, or performing a clean boot. Hopefully, the problem will go away before you have to reset your computer.

Also read: