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System interruptsProcessWidely reported

System interrupts: what it means and how to fix it

Updated Oct 5, 2026 · Checked against Microsoft documentation · How this page is made

Quick answer

System interrupts is not a standard program but a placeholder for hardware communication tasks. High usage usually indicates a malfunctioning driver or faulty hardware component. Start by disconnecting external devices to see if the usage drops.

What it means

Understanding System Interrupts

When you see System interrupts in your Task Manager, you are looking at a system-level process that manages communication between your hardware and your processor. It acts as a traffic controller, signaling the processor to pause its current work to handle a hardware request, such as a mouse click, a keystroke, or data arriving from a network card. Under normal conditions, this process should use very little of your processor's capacity.

Why Usage Spikes

High usage occurs when a piece of hardware or its associated driver is misbehaving. If a device constantly sends requests that the processor cannot complete efficiently, the system gets stuck in a loop of handling these interrupts. This effectively steals processing power from your applications, leading to sluggish performance or system freezes. Because this process is a core part of Windows, it cannot be disabled or ended like a standard application. The goal is to identify which hardware component is triggering the excessive activity and resolve the underlying communication issue.

Common causes

  • A faulty or outdated hardware driver is failing to communicate correctly with the processor.
  • A malfunctioning external device, such as a USB drive or printer, is sending constant error signals.
  • Hardware components like the motherboard or network adapter are experiencing physical failures.
  • BIOS or UEFI settings related to hardware virtualization or interrupt handling are misconfigured.

How to fix it

Safest and most likely fixes first. Readers' answers to "Did this fix it?" reorder this list over time.

  1. Disconnect external hardware

    Use this first to rule out a faulty peripheral device causing communication errors.

    1. Shut down your computer completely.
    2. Unplug all non-essential USB devices, including printers, webcams, and external drives.
    3. Turn the computer back on and check the CPU usage in Task Manager.
    4. If the usage returns to normal, reconnect your devices one by one to identify which specific device is causing the issue.
    Did this fix it?

  2. Update hardware drivers

    Use this if the issue persists after disconnecting external devices, as outdated drivers are a common cause of communication conflicts.

    1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
    2. Expand the categories for your hardware, such as Network adapters or Sound, video and game controllers.
    3. Right-click each device and select Update driver.
    4. Choose Search automatically for drivers to let Windows find the latest version.
    Did this fix it?

  3. Check system hardware requirements

    Use this to verify if your system firmware is correctly configured for modern hardware features.

    1. Open the Command Prompt by typing cmd in the search bar.
    2. Type systeminfo.exe and press Enter.
    3. Review the Hyper-V Requirements section in the output.
    4. If any item shows No, check your BIOS or UEFI settings to ensure virtualization features are enabled as required by your hardware manufacturer.
    Did this fix it?

Is it just you?

25+ Microsoft Q&A threads discuss this. Most recent activity:

Checked Oct 2, 2026. Refreshed automatically every few days.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Can I end the System interrupts process?

No, you cannot end this process because it is a vital part of the Windows operating system that manages hardware communication.

Is System interrupts a virus?

No, it is a legitimate Windows process. If you are concerned about security, run a scan with Windows Security to ensure your system is free of malware.

Why is my CPU usage at 100% due to System interrupts?

This usually means a hardware driver is stuck in a loop trying to communicate with your processor, causing the system to prioritize these requests over everything else.

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