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If you experience the high Windows Shell Experience Host CPU usag e occasionally, it’s usually not a big deal if it resolves quickly. However, if it starts affecting your system’s performance, triggers crashes, or makes Windows nearly unusable, you need to fix it right away.  Of course, regardless of the severity, you need to get to the bottom of it before it gets worse. If your memory usage is high because of the W indows Shell Experience Ho st, I have the right solution for you.   Let’s begin.

What Is the Windows Shell Experience Host?

The Windows Shell Experience Host, also known as ShellExperienceHost.exe, is the Windows component responsible for the window display feature of universal Windows applications.

It is the component of the Windows shell (basically, the graphical user interface on Windows) that specifically handles universal apps.

The Windows Shell Experience Host process handles universal app interface behavior concerning elements like the taskbar, Start menu transparency, calendar, clock, background behavior, etc.

Important
Normally, you won’t even notice that the Windows Shell Experience Host exists.

This is because it is not designed to be noticed. It typically consumes little to no CPU resources. In fact, it usually doesn’t use anywhere near the amount of processor resources reported by annoyed users.

How to Fix the Windows Shell Experience Host High CPU Usage

If you are having a “Windows Shell Experience Host suspended” issue, use the methods discussed below to resolve the problem:

Method 1: Update your operating system

Being on the latest version of Windows can help solve many bugs and glitches in earlier versions.

So, make sure that you have installed all available OS updates. Some minor updates contain bug fixes and patches for system errors.

Here’s how to check for updates for your OS:

Windows 10

  • Right-click the Start menu icon and select Settings to launch the Settings app.
  • On the main Settings screen, select Update & Security .
Select Update & Security
  • Switch to the Windows Update tab on the Update & Security screen and click the Check for updates button.
  • The OS will check the Windows Update servers and download any available updates.
  • After downloading the updates, you can reboot your system to start installing them or schedule the reboot for later.

With the latest OS installed, ShellExperienceHost.ex e and other system processes should no longer use more than the expected CPU percentage.  Windows 11 

  • Open the Settings window and select Windows Update.  
Select Windows Update
  • Click on Check for updates to install any available updates. 
Select Check for updates

Related: Timeline of All Windows OS Versions: From Start to Now

Method 2: Turn off automated accent colors

The Shell Experience Host process makes visual changes to your desktop and its background. The more changes are made on the desktop, like creating custom themes , the more work the process has to do and the more CPU it uses. This may be the cause of the S hell Experience Host’s high CPU usa ge on PCs whose desktop background is a slideshow.

In addition, your PC picks a new accent color by default to match the new background image. And that makes the process even more complicated.

Try turning off automatic accent colors to lessen the CPU consumption. Here’s how to do it:

  • Press Windows + I to open the Settings window. 
  • On the main Settings screen, select Personalization .
  • Then, switch to the Colors tab.
Switch to the Colors tab
  • Scroll down the Colors tab to the Choose your accent color section.
  • Untick the Automatically pick an accent color from my background checkbox.
Untick the Automatically pick an accent color from my background option
  • Exit the Settings app and check the CPU usage of ShellExperienceHost.exe in Task Manager after a few minutes. 
  • Your issue has been fixed if the Shell Experience Host process now uses a moderate to low CPU percentage.

However, if the CPU usage by S hellExperienceHost.exe keeps jumping, try the next solution.

Method 3: Disable slideshow background

If turning off automatic accent colors doesn’t help, changing your background style altogether may yield a better result.

You can switch the slideshow style to a solid color or choose a static picture instead. Since either alternative is fixed, the W indows Shell Experience Hos t will have less work to do, and this can stop the 100% CPU usage . 

Follow the steps below for Windows 11: 

Note
Windows 10 also has a similar process to turn off your slideshow background. 
  • Launch your Settings app by pressing Windows + I.
  • On the main Settings screen, select Personalization , and click on Background . 
Select <i>Personalization </i>, and click on <i>Background </i>
  • Click on Picture or downward arrow to expand the options and select Solid color or Picture . 
Click on <i>Picture </i> or downward arrow to expand the options and select <i>Solid color </i> or <i>Picture </i>

Check the process in Task Manager after a few minutes. If the Shell Experience Hos t process now uses a moderate to low CPU percentage, the problem has been fixed.

PRO TIP

Other factors can also boot your CPU resources to overdrive. One of them is the State Repository Service. 

Thankfully, we have a guide on how to fix the high CPU usage by the State Repository Service . 

Check it out after fixing the current issue!

Method 4: Disable transparency effects

Another reason you could be experiencing too much CPU usage on the Windows Input Experience is the transparency effects. Try turning it off to see if that fixes the problem:

Windows 10 

  • Open the Settings window and head to System .
  • Select Ease of Access and select Display . 
  • There, you should see a Show transparency in Windows toggle.
  • Turn it off if it’s on. 
You will see the Show transparency in Windows toggle

Windows 11

  • Press Windows + I on your keyboard to open the Settings app.
  • Scroll down and select Accessibility .  
  • Then, choose Visual effects .
Select Visual effects
  • Toggle the On/Off button beside Transparency effects to disable it. 
Toggle the <i>On/Off </i> button beside <i>Transparency effects </i> to disable it

Method 5: Check if the Shell Experience Host is malware

When you see that the process is acting up, it could be the workings of malware . The first step is to check if the Shell Experience Host is legit.  Follow the short steps below to check:

  • Right-click the process in Task Manager and select Open file location .
  • If Windows Explorer opens to this location path, it’s not malware: 
C:\Windows\SystemApps\ShellExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy
Enter the following command: C:WindowsSystemAppsShellExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy

However, other types of malware are more sneaky. You can use your Windows Defender or antivirus to check your PC. Here’s how: 

  • Open your Windows Security. Just type the name in your search bar to open it. 
  • Click on Virus & threat protection . 
Click on Virus & threat protection
  • Select Scan options , click on Full scan , and hit the Scan now button. 
Select <i>Scan options </i>, click on <i>Full scan </i>, and hit the <i>Scan now </i> button

Wait for the process to complete and check if the issues have been resolved.

PRO TIP
Even though Windows Defender has improved over the years, reputable third-party software, such as Auslogics Anti-Malware , performs a deeper scan.

It’s excellent at catching malicious items your antivirus may miss, from spyware and viruses to suspicious files. And it complements any app on your system.

Download for Free Learn More

Method 6: Run an SFC scan

If the methods above haven’t helped, you can run a System File Checker scan in Command Prompt or PowerShell to resolve the problem.

Note
The SFC utility is built into Windows and can repair system files. Since the W indows Input Experience is a system component, the usage jumps could result from problems with related system files.

Hence, you can use the SFC tool to find and fix system file errors. Follow the steps below to do so.

  • Right-click the Start menu and select Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin) . Any one will do. 
  • In the command-line window, type “sfc /scannow” and hit Enter to begin the scan.
Type in sfc /scannow

When the scan is done, reboot the computer. The SFC tool is good at finding and fixing corrupted system files .

However, if this solution doesn’t fix the S hellExperienceHost.exe’s high CPU usag e, you can still try a few possible fixes.

Method 7: Set a CPU usage limit for ShellExperienceHost.exe

Task Manager is much more than a simple process overview table. You can use it to perform specialized tweaks, such as setting a limit on how a process should use the CPU resource. When you limit the process’s CPU usage, it cannot use more than the percentage of processor power you have stipulated. This will free up processor power for other programs that need it. Here’s how you can limit the W indows Input Experience for Windows 11, but the same steps apply to Windows 10.

  • Right-click the Start menu and select Task Manager .
  • Click the Details tab.
  • Scroll down the list to the ShellExperienceHost.exe process. If you’re using Windows 11, you can use the search bar. Just enter the name, and it’ll pop up. 
  • Right-click the process and select Set affinity .
Select Set affinity
  • Under Which processors are allowed to run “ShellExperienceHost.exe”? set your processor affinity to one or two processor cores.
Under <i>Which processors are allowed to run “ShellExperienceHost.exe”? </i> set your processor affinity to one or two processor cores
The Shell Experience Host process doesn’t really perform any intensive tasks, and the CPU power it needs is modest at best. So, you can set affinity to one or two processor cores without any issues.

Method 8: Delete recently installed applications

Windows is a collection of programs and processes that run in the background. It is no big surprise that some of these programs occasionally conflict.

Unfortunately, some processes are critical to Windows’s operation. If a third-party program conflicts with a system component like the Windows Shell Experience Host, the PC can experience various issues.

If you started experiencing the issue after recently installing an application, delete it to see if that fixes the problem.

PRO TIP
However, the best method is to use a PC optimizer like Auslogics BoostSpeed . It can help you monitor the resource usage and system logs to pinpoint what’s causing the conflict.

Of course, it also helps to fix system issues, boost PC performance, tweak memory allocation, and make many other computer-enhancing changes.

Download for Free Learn More

Method 9: Boot Windows in a clean environment

To manually determine whether any programs conflict with the Shell Experience Host process, perform a clean boot and check whether the CPU usage of the Shell Experience Host is now stable.

Note
A clean boot disables third-party drivers and startup items and boots Windows, mostly exclusively with essential Microsoft services. 

This helps you to safely troubleshoot your issues without the risk that a third-party app will interfere.

To clean boot Windows, follow these steps:

  • Press the Win key + R to open the Run box.
  • Type “msconfig” and click OK .
Type in msconfig
  • Select the General tab and choose Selective startup under Startup selection.
  • Make sure the boxes next to Load system services and Use original boot configuration are ticked.
  • Untick the Load startup items checkbox.
Untick the <i>Load startup items </i> checkbox
  • Switch to the Services tab and tick the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.
Hide all Microsoft services
  • Click the Disable all button near the bottom right to disable all third-party services.
  • Click the Apply button, then the OK button to save the changes.

Restart the computer to boot into a clean environment. Now, check how the Windows Shell Experience Host behaves during a clean boot.  If the CPU usage is minimal, one of the disabled services, drivers, or startup items might conflict with the S hell Experience Hos t process. You can narrow down the conflicting third-party items by returning to System Configuration, enabling half of the disabled services, and rebooting the machine.  Keep doing this until you’ve found the driver, startup item, or service causing the spike in the CPU usage by ShellExperienceHost.exe .

Also read:How to Reduce High CPU Usage by RAVBg64.exe

PRO TIP
If a corrupted driver is the cause of the issue, we recommend using Auslogics Driver Updater . This software checks your system for driver issues, gives you a detailed report on missing or outdated drivers, and lets you quickly update them to the latest manufacturer-recommended version.
Download for Free Learn More

Causes of the High Windows Shell Experience Host CPU Usage

Here are the reasons why you could be experiencing high memory utilization in your Shell Experience Host:

  • Potential malicious activity.

It is possible to mistake a rogue executable for the real ShellExperienceHost.exe. For example, cybercriminals have been known to use the Trojan miners ShellExperienceHost.exe and MicrosoftShellHost.exe to mine for the Monero cryptocurrency using victims’ CPUs.

  • Problems with the graphics driver.

Issues with the W indows Shell Experience Host high CPU usag e may also come from corrupted or outdated drivers . 

  • Updates for the operating system.

Although generally helpful, there are occasions when an update could bring about a bug that causes the W indows Shell Experience Ho st to use a lot of CPU power.

  • Software in conflict.

Software conflicts are usually caused by third-party tools that might not be compatible with your system or some programs on your computer.

The Windows Shell Experience Host High CPU Usage: Fixed

The Windows Shell Experience Host process is an essential system component. So, it’s not advisable to delete or disable it. However, you can disable it to prevent memory usage spikes.

That said, the solutions discussed in this guide should help you fix any Windows Input Experience issue you may be experiencing.

Would you be kind enough to let us know which solution worked for you? And share with your friends who might be having similar issues.

FAQ

Should I disable the Windows Shell Experience Host?
It’s generally not a good idea to disable this process because it’s a crucial part of the Windows OS. It can cause system instability, and you may not be able to use your desktop environment. If the Shell Experience Host is causing your CPU resource to rise, implement the solutions discussed on this page to fix the problem.
Is it safe to restart Windows Explorer to fix the Shell Experience Host high CPU usage?
Yes. Windows Explorer is tasked with managing graphical user interface and file systems. So, you can refresh it to fix the problem without causing any issues. To do that, go to Task Manager and search for the process. Then, right-click on it and select Restart.
Should I consider resetting Windows if the Shell Experience Host continues to use high CPU?

Resetting your Windows is a viable option, but it is a drastic measure, which may not be necessary. You should be able to fix the problem by going through the steps we’ve outlined. 

However, if, for some reason, you’re still getting the high CPU usage, you can proceed with the rest. But you should back up your important data to be on the safer side.

Is the Windows Shell Experience Host a virus?
No. The process itself is an official Windows component. However, some viruses and malware could infect your computer and pose as the S hellExperienceHost.ex e process. You can scan your system for malware just to be sure.