Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry High CPU [Solved]

Is your PC suddenly acting up by slowing down your work to your utmost frustration? The problem may be with Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry and its high CPU usage.

While there is significant controversy over how much data collection violates user privacy, users have a more substantial problem with the telemetry feature. The telemetry process can consume an increasing amount of disk space and slows down other applications that run on your system.

Many users have reported that they develop storage issues after a Windows 10 update. So, here is a guide for dealing with this Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry issue.

• See Also: How to Rectify a Driver Power State Failure On Windows 10

What is Telemetry Data?

The Compatibility Telemetry feature from Microsoft is a Windows 10 service feature. It contains technical information on how all devices work under Windows and the related software application.

The information collected includes data related to the frequency an application is used and which features are used, as well as system diagnostics, system files, and other related metrics.

The service sends all the data it collects to Microsoft periodically. The purpose of collecting this data is to boost user experience. With the data, Microsoft strives to fix any potential issues.

Benefits of the Compatibility Telemetry

• Microsoft can update all the features of Windows 10
• It helps allow the operating system to be reliable, safe, and high performing even under challenging circumstances
• Customizes all the operating system’s engagement surfaces
• Uses aggregate analysis to boost performance

Examples of Telemetry Data

• Text is typed on your keyboard, which is relayed every 30 minutes.
• The recorded audio transcripts include your conversations with Cortana and all media file indices.
• The first time you enable your web camera for the first time, 35MB of information is sent.

How to Fix Telemetry Issues

The telemetry service is optional and was also a part of Windows 8 and 7 after certain upgrades. The telemetry service is provided via a diagnostic tracking service.

Occasionally, your system activates the telemetry by default, taking up a significant part of your CPU and ultimately slowing down the system.

Thankfully, this guide will help you disable the feature so it won’t consume all your processing power. Here are four ways in which you can get rid of it.

Fix #1: Update Device Drivers

Updating the device drivers is an effective way to deal with the Microsoft Windows compatibility telemetry issue. 

You can update the drivers manually by visiting the manufacturer’s website and following the directions or using the driver update application on your computer.

To do the latter, follow these steps:

Step 1:

Type ‘Device Manager‘ into the Search box.

Step 2:

In the device manager window, right-click on the driver device you want to update and select the ‘Properties‘ option from the window.

Step 3:

Click on the ‘Driver‘ tab and choose ‘Update Driver.’

Step 4:

After updating the drivers, you need to reboot the system. The driver will be installed automatically as the system restarts.

Fix #2: Use the Services Manager

Here are the steps for this method:

Step 1:

Click on [R] and the [Windows] button simultaneously. The Run command window will appear on the screen. Enter ‘services.msc‘ in the command box, and click on ‘OK.’

Step 2:

Doing so takes you to the ‘Services Manager‘ window. Look for ‘Connected User Experiences and Telemetry‘ and right-click on it. Choose ‘Properties‘ from the dropdown list.

Step 3:

Now click ‘Stop‘ to stop the ‘Connected User Experiences and Telemetry‘ and choose ‘Disabled‘ from the dropdown menu.

 Step #4

Click ‘Apply‘ and then ‘OK.’ This will disable Microsoft compatibility telemetry.

Once you have completed the above steps, visit the Task Manager window to check whether it was successful. If the problem persists, go to the next step.

Fix #3: Clean up Running Memory

Attempt this method if the above ways do not work. If the PC is still running slow, you can clean up the running memory to speed up the computer. Cleaning up your running memory will reduce the disk usage space, and your PC will run faster.

Step 1:

Type ‘Disk Cleanup‘ into the search bar and choose that app.

Step 2:

Choose the drive where Windows is installed, usually C:, and then choose ‘OK.’

Step 3:

Ensure ‘Temporary Internet Files‘ is marked and click ‘OK.’

Step 4:

After completing the above steps, restart the Windows 10 operating system. Then you can open ‘Task Manager‘ and check if the disk usage is expected.

Fix #4: Use Registry Editor

Editing the Registry should only be done by advanced users, and it should be done with extreme care.

Step 1:

Press the [R] and [Windows] keys to open the Run window. Enter ‘regedit‘ in the command box and click ‘OK.’

Step 2:

Click ‘Yes‘ when it asks for confirmation to make changes to the computer.

In the Registry Editor, choose HKEY_ LOCAL_ MACHINE and click on the ‘Software‘ file under it. Now, open the ‘Policies‘ folder under that.

Step 3:

After opening the Policies folder, find ‘Microsoft‘ and select the ‘Windows‘ folder.

Step 4:

Use the right-click option on ‘Data Collection.’ Select ‘New,’ and in the dropdown menu that appears, choose ‘DWORD (32-bit) Value.’

Step 5:

Now name this new value ‘AllowTelemetry.’ Double-click on the ‘AllowTelemetry‘ you just created. Enter ‘0‘ under the value data and click on ‘OK.’

Frequently Asked Questions