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5 Ways to Fix Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry High CPU and Disk Usage

How to Fix Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry (CompatTelRunner.exe) High CPU and Disk Usage

Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry is a Windows system service responsible for collecting and sending usage and performance data to Microsoft. The problem is that some Windows 10 users have noticed that CompatTelRunner.exe causes high CPU and Disk usage. This article is dedicated to helping you fix this issue.

How to Fix Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry High CPU and Disk Usage

Even today, CompatTelRunner.exe is found in Windows 7 (with the latest updates), Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. It’s been known to cause high resource consumption in all three operating systems.

CompatTelRunner.exe is generally not CPU resource-intensive, but it may spike CPU and/or Disk usage to 100% for up to 20 minutes at startup. Also, some users have even reported encountering performance issues and application crashes.

The good news is that you can stop and disable Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry’s process at any time. You can disable the service from Scheduled Tasks, which is responsible for launching CompatTelRunner.exe on system startup.

Alternatively, you can disable the process using the Group Policy Editor or the Windows Registry Editor. All three methods achieve the same result.

Video Guide on How to Fix Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry High CPU and Disk Usage

Table of Contents:

Solution 1. Switch Feedback and Diagnostics to Basic

Right-click Start and click Settings

1. Right-click the Start Menu button and click Settings.

Select Privacy

2. then, select Privacy.

Select Diagnostics & feedback

3. In the left pane, select Diagnostics & feedback.

Select Required diagnostic data

4. If the Optional diagnostic data is selected, select Required diagnostic data.

5. Close the Settings window.

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Solution 2. Disable Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry Using Task Scheduler

Instead of removing CompatTelTunner.exe, the easier thing to do is disable it from the Task Scheduler responsible for launching CompatTelTunner.exe on system startup.

1. Hold down Windows+R keys to open Run.

Type in taskschd.msc in Run and click OK

2. In the Run dialog box, type in taskschd.msc and click OK.

Select Application Experience in the Task Scheduler

3. Then, navigate to Library/Microsoft/Windows/Application Experience.

Right-click Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser and select Disable

4. In the right pane, find a task called Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser.

5. Right-click Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser and select Disable.

6. Close the Task Scheduler and restart your PC.

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Solution 3. Disable Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry Using Group Policy Editor

1. Hold down Windows+R keys to open Run.

Type in gpedit.msc in Run and click OK

2. In the Run dialog box, type in gpedit.msc and click OK.

Navigate to Data Collection and preview Builds in Local Group Policy Editor

3. Then, navigate to Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Data Collection and Preview Builds.

Right-click Allow Telemetry and click Edit

4. Right-click Allow Telemetry and select Edit.

 Select Disabled and then click Apply and click OK

5. Select Disabled. Then, click Apply and click OK.

6. Close the Group Policy Editor and restart your PC.

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Solution 4. Disable Telemetry Using Windows Registry Editor

1. Hold down Windows+R keys to open Run.

Type in regedit in Run and click OK

2. In the Run dialog box, type in regedit and click OK.

Navigate to DataCollection in the Registry Editor

3. Then, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Policies/Microsoft/Windows/DataCollection.

Right-click DataCollection and select New and then click DWORD (32-bit) Value

4. Right-click DataCollection and select New, and then select DWORD (32-bit value).

Name the new DWORD Value AllowTelemetry

5. Name the new value AllowTelemetry.

Right-click AllowTelemetry and click Modify

6. Then, right-click AllowTelemetry and click Modify.

Set the Value data to zero and click OK

7. Change the Value data from 1 to 0 and click OK.

8. Close the Windows Registry Editor and restart your PC.

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Solution 5. Disable Connected User Experiences and Telemetry Service

Connected User Experiences and Telemetry is a background Windows service that automatically sends data to Microsoft. Specifically, this service sends diagnostic and usage information to Microsoft servers. Therefore, disabling it may fix high CPU or Disk usage by CompatTelRunner.exe.

1. Hold down Windows+R keys to open Run.

Type in services.msc in Run and click OK

2. In the Run dialog box, type in services.msc and click OK.

Right-click Connected User Experience and Telemetry and click Properties

3. Scroll through the services list and locate the Connected User Experiences and Telemetry service.

4. Right-click Connected User Experiences and Telemetry and click Properties.

Stop the Connected User Experience and Telemetry service

5. Under the Service status section, click the Stop button.

Disable Connected User Experience and Telemetry service

6. Then, Under Startup type, open the drop-down menu and select Disabled.

Click Apply and click OK

7. Click Apply and click OK.

8. Close the Services window.

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About the author:

Rimvydas Iliavicius

Rimvydas is a researcher with over four years of experience in the cybersecurity industry. He attended Kaunas University of Technology and graduated with a Master's degree in Translation and Localization of Technical texts. His interests in computers and technology led him to become a versatile author in the IT industry. At PCrisk, he's responsible for writing in-depth how-to articles for Microsoft Windows. Contact Rimvydas Iliavicius.

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