'Steam Client Bootstrapper' High CPU Usage
Steam is one of the most popular platforms for gamers – it provides tens of millions of users with access to a rich collection of games, as well as with a way to connect with their gaming peers. However, users of low-end computers often complain about the amount of resources that Steam takes. One process, in particular, is the Steam Client Bootstrapper. There are countless topics and comments from disgruntled users who report that this process is taking abnormally high amounts of CPU resources. Needless to say, this can be very annoying, especially if it impacts the computer's performance.
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What is the Steam Client Bootstrapper?
Simply put, this process is responsible for preparing Steam to run other components. It is there to monitor the performance of particular Steam components, as well as any dependencies they require. The same also process is also used to make sure that Steam games run fine – the Steam Client Bootstrapper always gets to work when you try to run a new game. This is why it is normal for this process to load your CPU every now and then – however, it is not normal for this behavior to go on for more than 20-30 seconds.
Disable the Steam Setting for GPU Accelerated Rendering in Web Views
Open your Steam and head to Steam -> Settings. You will need to select the Interface tab and then make sure that the setting Enable GPU Accelerated Rendering in Web views is disabled. Keep in mind that you will need to close any games you are playing through Steam and then restart the Steam client to confirm the change.
Make the Steam Library the Default Steam Window
A weird fix that seems to work for some users is configuring Steam to use the Library section as the default window it shows. You can do this by going to Steam -> Settings -> Interface and then selecting Library from the second drop-down menu.
Disable Steam Client Skins
Steam is customizable, and its users can use different skins to modify its appearance. However, using extra Steam skins may take its toll on Steam's performance. If you are encountering the 'Steam Client Bootstrapper' High CPU Usage, then you should try temporarily disabling Steam skins. Go to Steam -> Settings -> Interface and the set the skin to < default skin >.
Disable the Steam Overlay
The Steam overlay is one of the most resource-heavy features of Steam. Disabling it might help a lot with performance issue and the 'Steam Client Bootstrapper' High CPU Usage problem. However, keep in mind that by disabling the Steam overlay, you will lose access to Steam's features while in-game. You can disable it by:
- Open Steam and go to Steam -> Settings -> In-Game.
- Deselect the option Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.
- Confirm the changes and restart any games currently open.
Repair the Steam Service
The final fix to try is repairing the Steam service on your computer. To do it, press Windows + R to open the Run prompt. Then, type cmd and press OK. In the newly opened window, enter the command:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin\SteamService.exe”/repair
Keep in mind that you may need to replace the first part with the Steam path you are using.
