Having a slow PC can be immensely frustrating and even dangerous at times. It would be best if you ever were careful of your CPU usage: running at high %s can eventually lead to damage to your processor.
Many applications and methods can eat up your CPU usage; Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation is one. You can find out if this method is causing you issues by checking the Task Manager and identifying the process.
Are you sure that the usage of your CPU is extraordinarily high because of this Windows process? Continue reading our article to find out what the method is, whether or not it’s dangerous and how you can stop the high usage issue.
What is Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation?
The Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation (also shown as AudioDG.exe) is a component of Windows’ audio engine. It works as the audio engine in your operating system allowing third-party apps to run sound on your computer. This is also called digital signal processing.
Windows users can apply special effects to audio. They are adding reverb, boosting the bass, or simulating echo all fall into this category.
It’s also beneficial for third parties, allowing them to add their special effects for audio without altering Windows Audio itself. Because of this feature, sound-card vendors can offer more and better outcomes for customers.
Assure that Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation is Harmless
You can decide if you’re dealing with a virus by checking the process’s location. This can be done direct from your Task Manager whenever Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation is running.
Open your Task Manager. You can do this by right-clicking on space in your taskbar and choosing Task Manager.
Locate and right-hit on Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation, then select Open File Location.
Check the location of the file. By default, this file is ever located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder. If your file isn’t there, you most probably have a virus.
Confirming that you’re dealing with malware is essential to troubleshoot the issue properly. Do you require help removing malicious tools from your computer? Continue reading our article for a guide on how you can ensure that your system is safe.
Windows 10: Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation’s high CPU usage
By now, you should be capable to tell whether or not you’re dealing with a virus or if your process is simply not running as intended. Follow our methods to repair your PC.
Disable all Sound Effects
Since Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation is heavily involved in handling unique sound effects, you might be able to fix its high CPU usage by disabling these effects.
Of course, this technique only works for people who have little to no desire to utilize these in the first place. If these sound effects are something you need to keep, we recommend trying a different method first.
Instead of going straight into the new Settings app, we need to use the classic Control Panel. Search for Control Panel in your search bar and launch it from the effects.
- Change your view mode to large icons.
- Click on Sound. This will make up a new window containing all of your playback devices.
- Right-click on your speakers, then choose Properties from the menu.
- Another window will open. Here, switch to the Enhancements tab.
- Hit the box next to disable all sound effects to place a checkmark. When you’re done, press the Apply button.
- Repeat moves 4 to 6 on every other playback device you have. When you’re done, restart your computer.
Fix your Audio Drivers
Constantly updating your drivers is something you should do all the time. Outdated audio drivers can cause more trouble than you’d guess.
There are many ways in which you can update your drivers. Follow one of the guides which suit your method.
Update your driver from Windows itself
We will be using the integrated Device Manager to find a new, updated driver in this way.
Hit and hold the Windows key, then press R. This will launch the Run application.
Enter in devmgmt.msc and click OK to open the Device Manager.
Expand the Sound, video, and game controllers segment by clicking on the arrow icon.
Right-hit on your audio driver and select Update Driver.
Click on Search automatically for updated driver software.
If Windows can find an updated driver, it will automatically download and update your computer.
Restart your system and test if the issue is solved.
Update your drivers with a third-party app
You can also see and download third-party updater tools such as Driver Booster, DriverHub, or DriverPack Solution. These three tools are all free and simple to use, but you can always look around the web for more advanced apps.
Scan your computer for a virus
Even after performing the techniques above, it’s recommended to run a full system scan on your computer, especially if the file location of Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation doesn’t seem to match our records. To do this, you can get a variety of antivirus software online. However, not all of them are of excellent quality. This is very true if you’re looking for something free.
An application that got good reviews from users is Malwarebytes. Even its free version can detect malicious files on your computer and provide a relatively high level of security. Some other resolutions are Emsisoft, Norton AntiVirus, Avast, Bitdefender, or AVG. A few of these applications offer paid services, which is great for users who require advanced features. You can follow these marks to download and run any of the antivirus applications mentioned above:
- Open the official website of the application. In this guide, we will be downloading Malwarebytes from malwarebytes.com.
- Get the download link for the edition you wish to have and download the installer.
- Open the file you downloaded and follow the on-screen directions to install Malwarebytes.
- Launch Malwarebytes.
- Switch to the Scan tab on the left.
- Select Threat Scan. If you purchase Premium or gained a free trial period, you can do a Hyper Scan.
- Click on Start Scan.
- Wait for Malwarebytes to finish scanning your computer. This might take a long time, but after it’s done, your computer should be free of any malicious apps and viruses.
We hope that by following our guide, you could reduce the CPU usage of Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation.