Windows Defender, while effective, can sometimes consume significant CPU resources. This article details methods to adjust its CPU load.
Using PowerShell, you can check and modify the CPU usage percentage. The command Get-MpPreference shows the current ScanAvgCPULoadFactor (default 50%). To change it (e.g., to 30%), use Set-MpPreference —ScanAvgCPULoadFactor 30. However, this is affected by DisableCpuThrottleOnIdleScans (disabling throttling during idle scans) and ScanOnlyIfIdleEnabled (scanning only when idle). It's recommended to set Set-MpPreference —DisableCpuThrottleOnIdleScans $False to ensure the ScanAvgCPULoadFactor setting takes effect.
For a more user-friendly approach, use tools like DefenderUI or ConfigureDefender. DefenderUI (downloadable from https://www.defenderui.com/) provides a graphical interface to adjust the "Average CPU utilization while scanning". ConfigureDefender (https://github.com/AndyFul/ConfigureDefender) offers a similar functionality without installation.
Both tools allow for easier configuration of CPU usage limits and other Defender settings.