Kernel_task High CPU Usage on Mac

Experienced Mac users know that the first place to take a look at when they experience performance issues is the Activity Monitor. Often referred to as the Mac Task Manager, the Activity Monitor gives valuable insight about the way your hardware resources are being utilized. Users often wonder about the names of the processes they see there – we have already explained some of them such as the What is the 'dbfseventsd' Process on Mac, or What is the 'mdworker' Process on Mac. Today's subject is the kernel_task process and what its purpose is.

What is the Kernel_task Service?

Unlike the two examples above, kernel_task serves much more important purposes. It is responsible for managing your CPU temperature. It does so by using a method known as 'throttling.' Typically, this is done via hardware. For example, if your CPU temperature gets too high, the CPU might automatically reduce its voltage and clock speed, therefore producing less heat. The ­­kernel_task process serves a similar purpose. It tracks Mac's processes and monitors the amount of CPU cycles they use. If a specific program takes too much resources, causes performance issues or overheating problems, then kernel_task might forcibly claim some of the CPU resources for itself. This might leave users under the impression that kernel_task is causing problems by consuming too much CPU resources. In reality, this is normal behavior, and you can rest assured that ­­kernel_task is not the cause of the problem.

What to do if Kernel_task is Taking Resources?

However, seeing high CPU usage by kernel_task is not an issue you should ignore. This is a symptom that there is an unknown application that is consuming too much CPU cycles. You should look into the issue and try to fix it – use the Activity Monitor to see if there's any suspicious processes using too much resources. Furthermore, you can check your running apps to see if any of them are unresponsive – this might be a reason for them to hog CPU resources.

Do not worry if you have tried shutting down kernel_task manually. Your Mac will not allow you to do so, and the process will restart automatically. If you have been unable to find the process causing the problem, then you might want to consider rebooting your system – this might be enough to fix the issue.

By Naria
July 5, 2021
July 5, 2021
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