How To Fix WaasMedic.exe High CPU Issue on Windows 11
Windows 11 has been released with a lot of great features for people to take advantage of. However, some users have noticed a decrease in performance due to an issue with WaasMedic.exe taking up a lot of CPU usage. This could cause the system’s performance to be worse than expected.
In this article, we’ll provide guidance on how to resolve this issue on Windows 11. Continue reading to learn more.
What is WaasMedic.exe?
WaasMedic.exe is a tool that helps to manage and maintain Windows Updates on your computer. It works by checking for new updates from Microsoft and then downloading and installing them on your system so that you stay up to date with the latest security patches, bug fixes and feature updates. It also helps to troubleshoot any issues that might arise while installing the updates.
Fortunately, WaasMedic.exe is not a malicious program. It is a crucial Windows service present in both Windows 10 and 11, responsible for managing significant update processes. It is not a good idea to delete the original file, as doing so can disrupt crucial system operations and cause more difficulty.
In some instances, the process WaasMedic.exe causing unusually high utilization of CPU can be malicious software camouflaged as a genuine Windows service process. To ensure this is not the case, you can confirm that the file location is not the same as the one provided by Microsoft. In order to do this, you can either delete the suspicious file or utilize reliable antivirus software to isolate it automatically.
Solutions for WaasMedic.exe high CPU and Disk usage on Windows 11:

Here is a list of solutions to this vexing issue that affects your computer’s speed. The steps given here are based on the most recent Windows 10 version, but they are very similar on the Windows 11 platform.
What you need: Wait for the process to finish running
You can just wait for WaasMedic.exe to complete its tasks and then shut down. This might take a while in certain situations, based on the type of update and setup process. When everything has completed running effectively (according to your download speed), it is likely that WaasMedic will immediately stop consuming a lot of CPU or disk usage.
If you’ve been stuck with a process that is hogging your device’s resources for at least two hours, it’s time to take a look at the troubleshooting methods available. With our help, you’ll be able to identify the problem and get your device back to working order.
Solution 1: Scan your computer for malware
To help with WaasMedic.exe taking up too much of your computer’s resources, we suggest scanning for viruses first. This will allow you to identify and remove any malicious programs or scripts that are running on your device, which could be causing the issue.
To protect your computer from malware, you can employ the Windows Defender application. To get a more thorough scan, we advise getting a reliable antivirus program.
How to scan your computer using Windows Defender on Windows 11
Windows Defender is an antivirus program built into Windows 11 that provides real-time protection against malware and other threats. Scanning your computer with Windows Defender is an important part of protecting your PC.
- First, open the Windows Security app. You can find it in the Start menu or on the taskbar.
- Click the “Virus & threat protection” button in the left-hand pane. This will open the Windows Defender security center.
- Next, click the “Scan now” button at the top of the window. This will open the Scan options window. Here, you can choose the type of scan you want to perform.
- You can choose between a “Quick Scan”, a “Full Scan”, and a “Custom Scan”. We recommend running a full scan to make sure your computer is completely secure.
- Once you’ve chosen the type of scan you want to run, click the “Scan now” button to begin. Depending on the size of your hard drive and the type of scan you’ve chosen, the scan may take several minutes or hours to complete. You can monitor the progress of the scan from the Windows Security app.
When the scan is complete, you’ll be presented with a list of any threats detected on your computer. You can click the “Resolve” button to remove any threats detected by Windows Defender.
That’s it! Now you know how to scan your computer using Windows Defender on Windows 11!
Solution 2: Temporarily disable your antivirus app
High CPU or disk usage of WaasMedic.exe may be caused by a misconfiguration or a conflict with a third-party antivirus program that is installed on your device. To determine if this is the case, consider disabling the antivirus temporarily to see if the issue resolves itself.
Solution 3: Pause Windows updates
Pausing updates on Windows can potentially fix this problem, as it doesn’t need to run WaasMedic.exe and use high CPU and disk resources.
Pausing Windows updates can help to reduce the amount of resources (CPU and disk) being used by WaasMedic.exe, which may help to resolve the problem.
Solution 4: Use the Disk Cleanup utility
The Disk Cleanup tool in Windows 10 is a handy feature that helps you get rid of unnecessary material from your computer. It eliminates temporary files, outdated drivers, and other unwanted items, allowing you to free up space and optimize system performance. This can be really helpful if you’re dealing with a large number of unnecessary files that can be slowing down the speed of your programs or even stopping them from running altogether.
Solution 5: Fix corrupted system files
Corrupt system files are a typical source of this error. Fortunately, Windows has a built-in utility, namely the System File Checker (or SFC scan) that can be utilized to restore all damaged files. This tool detects any missing or corrupted files and replaces them with the original versions.
You can use the SFC scan to bring back all possibly corrupt or missing system files on your device, which may help to repair the high CPU and disk usage caused by WaasMedic.exe.
How to use the System File Checker (SFC scan) to bring back corrupt or missing system files in Windows 11
If you’re ever having trouble with your Windows 11 computer and you’re not sure what to do, you can try using the Windows File Checker (SFC) scan. This scan will try to find all the possible corrupt or missing system files on your computer, and if it finds any, it will help you fix them.
To use the SFC scan, first open the Windows File Checker by clicking the ‘Start‘ button, typing ‘filechecker.exe‘ in the search box, and pressing enter.
In the window that opens, click the ‘Scan‘ tab, and then click the ‘Start Scan‘ button.
Once the scan is started, the computer will start scanning your hard drive for any possible corrupt or missing system files. This process can take a while, so be patient. If the scan finds any corrupt or missing system files, it will display them in the window that opens.
If you want to fix any of the problems that the SFC scan has found, you can do so by clicking on the ‘Fix’ button. This will try to fix the corruption or missing system files, and if it succeeds, the computer will restart automatically.
If you need help with any of the steps in this guide, be sure to consult the help files that are included with the Windows File Checker. These files can be found in the ‘Support’ folder on your computer, and they will provide you with more information about using the SFC scan.
Solution 6: Update Windows to the latest version
Upgrading your operating system could help address any underlying issues, like the WaasMedic.exe process using up a lot of your resources and your computer running slowly. Get the most current version of Windows to see if that solves the issue.
Solution 7: Disable the WaasMedic service (Last Resort)
If the methods mentioned above do not work, you can try to manually turn off WaasMedic.exe by making some changes to the settings in your computer’s registry. This may stop Windows Update from working, so be cautious when making these changes.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WaaSMedicSvc
Once you have successfully blocked the WaasMedic.exe process from initiating, restart your device to make sure the service isn’t initiated. When your computer restarts, you can keep an eye on your CPU and hard drive utilization to decide if this approach worked.
Solution 8: Check For Windows Update
Keeping your Windows computer up-to-date is an important part of maintaining its security. Windows Update makes it easy to keep your system secure by providing the latest security and bug fixes. To check for updates, go to the Start menu and click on Check for Updates. If there are any available, Windows will show you a list of the updates and ask if you would like to install them. Alternatively, you can also choose to have updates installed automatically at a designated time.
Solution 9: Boot Windows in Safe Mode
To fix the WaasMedic.exe high CPU problem with your Windows 11 system, you can start your computer in Safe Mode, which will enable you to diagnose and resolve the issue.
How to boot in Safe Mode on Windows 11
Windows 11 safe mode can be accessed in a few different ways. One way is to press and hold the Shift key while you click the Restart option in the Start menu.
Another way is to use the Advanced Startup Options menu.
To do this, you need to open the Settings app and go to Update & Security > Recovery. Under the Advanced startup section, click the Restart now button.
Once your PC restarts, you’ll see the Choose an option screen. Click the Troubleshoot option, and then click the Advanced options link.
On the next screen, click the Startup Settings option.
On the Startup Settings screen, you’ll see a list of options that you can enable or disable. To boot into safe mode, you need to press the F4 key or the 4 key.
Once you’ve done that, your PC will restart and boot into safe mode.
Solution 10: Disable WaaSMedic Agent Exe Via Registry
If you are having difficulties with the WaaSMedic Agent Exe on your Windows 11 system, you may be able to resolve the issue by turning it off through the Windows Registry.
WARNING! PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE BACKED UP YOUR COMPUTER BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THIS METHOD.
Here’s how to Disable WaaSMedic Agent Exe via the Registry:
1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialogue box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter.
3. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsAppCompat
4. On the right-hand side, look for an entry called DisableWaaSMedic.
5. If the entry exists, double-click on it and change the value from 0 to 1.
6. If the entry doesn’t exist, right-click on the AppCompat key and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
7. Name the new value DisableWaaSMedic and press Enter.
8. Double-click on the new value and change the value from 0 to 1.
9. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
The WaaSMedic Agent Exe process should now be disabled. If you’re still having problems, you can try booting into Safe Mode and repeating the steps above.
Solution 11: Clear Software Distribution Folder
Safe mode is a feature of Windows that allows you to start your computer with minimal drivers and services, which can be useful for troubleshooting and fixing system errors. When you enable safe mode, you will need to clear the software distribution folder in order to delete any update files that were downloaded by Windows. This folder is located in the Windows directory and contains the files that Windows needs while updating. Removing these files can help prevent corruption and other issues, so it’s important to clear them out when safe mode is enabled.
Below are the steps you can follow to clear the Software Distribution Folder in Windows 11.
How to Clear Software Distribution Folder in Windows
Windows 11 uses a folder called the ‘Software Distribution’ folder to temporarily store files related to updates. Over time, this folder can become quite large and can cause issues with your computer’s performance. If you find that your computer is running slower than usual, it may be time to clear out the Software Distribution folder.
To do this, open the Start menu and type ‘Command Prompt’. Right-click on the ‘Command Prompt‘ entry and select ‘Run as Administrator‘.
At the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter:
net stop wuauserv
This will stop the Windows Update service.
Next, you will need to delete the contents of the Software Distribution folder. To do this, type the following command and press Enter:
del /f /s /q %windir%SoftwareDistribution*
This will delete all of the files in the Software Distribution folder.
Finally, you will need to start the Windows Update service back up. To do this, type the following command and press Enter:
net start wuauserv
Your computer should now be running more smoothly.
Solution 12: Run DISM / SFC Commands
DISM is a built-in tool in Windows that allows users to repair, scan, and restore system files. This is different from SFC (System File Checker) which is only used to fix system files such as DLLs and executables.
How to run DISM on Windows 11
If you want to use DISM to manage Windows 10 updates and installation, here is how to do it:
1. Open the Start menu and search for ‘Dism‘.
2. When the Dism shortcut appears, right-click on it and select ‘Run as Administrator‘.
3. When the DISM window opens, click on the ‘Action‘ menu and select ‘Install Windows 11‘.
4. On the ‘Select Installation Type‘ screen, select ‘Custom: Install Windows 11 (Recommended)‘.
5. On the ‘Select destination’ screen, select ‘USB Drive (if applicable)’.
6. On the ‘Configure Media’ screen, select the USB drive from which you want to install Windows 10.
7. On the ‘Select Disk’ screen, select the Windows 10 ISO file that you downloaded from Microsoft.
8. On the ‘Confirm Installation’ screen, click on the ‘Yes’ button.
9. When the installation is complete, click on the ‘Close’ button.
10. On the ‘Dism Done’ screen, click on the ‘Close’ button.
Solutions 13: Try Installing Windows Update Manually
Below, we’ll show you how to manually install Windows updates via the Microsoft Catalog.
How to Install Windows update Manually via the Microsoft Catalog
The Microsoft Catalog is a website that offers a variety of Microsoft-related products, including updates for Windows. To manually install a Windows update from the Catalog, you’ll need to first download the update itself.
Once you’ve downloaded the update, you can install it by double-clicking the file and following the on-screen prompts. Keep in mind that some updates may require a restart of your computer in order to take effect.
Installing Windows updates manually via the Microsoft Catalog is a relatively simple process. However, if you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, you can always contact Microsoft support for assistance.
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To wrap up:
We covered many ways to fix WaasMedic.exe High CPU Issue on Windows 11. We are sure one of the solutions above will work for you. If not, don’t hesitate to contact Microsoft support for additional help.