What is wsappx? How can you fix the “wsappx high disk” or the “wsappx high CPU” problem? The truth is we’ve come across these questions a couple of times from people that seem to be experiencing errors with the wsappx process. In this article, we will discuss what wsappx is and how you can fix the high disk and CPU usage errors that come with it. Read on to find out more!
What Is wsappx and Why Is It Running on My PC?
Basically, wsappx is a Windows process associated with the Microsoft Store (formerly known as the Windows Store) and the Universal Windows Platform (UWP). For those unfamiliar with the Microsoft Store, it’s simply a digital distribution platform created by Microsoft to enable end-users to purchase and download applications. If you have ever owned a Microsoft phone, you may be familiar with the Microsoft Store as the app that lets you download all kinds of paid and free applications.
Wsappx is needed to install, remove, and update Windows Store apps. If you encounter the “wsappx high disk” or “wsappx high CPU” issue, it most likely refers to an error in the process where it constantly runs in the background even if you’re not installing or updating apps from the Windows Store.
Is wsappx a virus?
The simple answer is no. The wsappx process is part of the Windows system and, while it can encounter performance issues from time to time, it is not known to be related to any type of malware or virus.
What causes wsappx to use high disk or high CPU resources on Windows 10?
If you’re experiencing any type of slowdown on your computer, the first course of action to take is to check what’s taking up your CPU usage. To do this, you would have to use Task Manager. Here’s how you can access Task Manager:
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard.
- Type “Task Manager” on the search box and click the app.
- Once Task Manager opens, you can scroll to see how much CPU resources are being allocated by your system across various applications.
While wsappx is widely regarded as a legitimate Windows process, it is also known to cause both high disk and high CPU usage. Like other Windows tasks and processes, wsappx is also susceptible to errors and issues when trying to manage, install, remove, or update a particular application. As a result, wsappx may take a longer time to complete and may result in higher than normal CPU usage.
Proven methods to fix the “wsappx high disk” or “wsappx high CPU” error
If you expand the wsappx process list on Task Manager, you’ll see sub-processes that are also running in the background:
- AppX Deployment Service (AppXSVC) – Responsible for the deployment of Windows Microsoft Store applications. There will also be times that you’d notice AppXSVC running while the system tries to update your apps in the background.
- Client License Service (ClipSVC) – In essence, ClipSVC is a sub-process that provides infrastructure support for the Microsoft Store and ensures that apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store function properly.
Understanding wsappx sub-processes will enable you to determine which type of fix to apply in order to correctly address the issue. If you’re wondering how to fix the wsappx high disk and CPU usage issues, then check out some of the methods we have compiled below.
Method #1: Disable Automatic Updates on the Microsoft Store
To fix the wsappx high CPU issue, the first thing to check is if you have the setting “Update apps automatically” turned on for the Microsoft Store. As mentioned above, the wsappx function generally uses a noticeable amount of CPU usage when your computer is managing apps from the Microsoft Store. If you think this is the main reason why your computer is performing sluggishly, you can opt to disable the automatic updates setting. Here’s how:
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard.
- Type “Microsoft Store” on the search box and click the app.
- Once Microsoft Store opens, go on the upper right side of the window and click See more.
- Expect a new window to open that would allow you to toggle the Update apps automatically setting on and off.
Method #2: Disable the Microsoft Store Completely
If disabling automatic updates on the Microsoft Store didn’t work, you can choose to disable the Microsoft Store completely. Note, however, that you won’t be able to use the Microsoft Store until you undo this action.
If you’re wondering how to disable the Microsoft store to fix the “wsappx high CPU” usage issue, check out our step-by-step guide below:
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard.
- Type “regedit “ into the search box and click the Registry Editor app.
- From there, navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore
- From here, you would have to create a new file and choose DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Rename the new file as RemoveWindowsStore and set the value to 1.
- After that, click OK to apply the changes.
Method #3: Update Your Device Drivers
While the “wsappx high disk” issue is not directly related to your computer’s drivers, outdated or corrupted drivers can still cause incompatibility issues especially if your computer keeps trying to update these drivers automatically. Here’s how you can update your drivers:
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard.
- Type “Device Manager” on the search box and click the app.
- Choose a category from the long list of different devices.
- Right-click on the device that you want to update and click Update Driver.
- Expect a new window to open and choose Search automatically for drivers.
- You may have to restart your device for the changes to take effect.
Method #4: Allocate More Virtual Memory
Another fix that you can apply is to allocate more system virtual memory. Properly configuring your virtual memory may help reduce high CPU usage whenever the wsappx function is active.
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard.
- Type ‘performance’ into the search box and click Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows
- Once the Performance Options window opens, click the Advanced tab and click Change.
- Uncheck the option Automatically manage paging file size for all drives and then click Custom size to input your preferred initial size and maximum size.
- After you have made your changes, click OK.
Method #5: Remove Bloatware
Removing bloatware is a great way to allocate more CPU usage to other more important Windows processes. This also ensures that unnecessary apps or programs won’t keep updating in the background. Here’s how to remove bloatware:
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard and click Settings.
- From there, choose Apps.
- Once a new window opens, click Apps & Features on the left side of the window.
- You will now see a list of all the apps installed on your computer. Make sure to thoroughly research the apps that you’re planning to uninstall to avoid deleting important ones.
Method #6: Check if You Have a Virus
If you have applied all the previously mentioned fixes and still feel that your computer is running slowly, it might be wise to scan your computer for a virus.
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard and click Settings.
- Locate Update & Security and click it.
- On the left side of the new window, choose Windows Security and select Virus & threat protection.
- A new pop-up will emerge and, in this window, select Scan option.
- Tick Full scan and hit Scan now.
Method #7: Run CHKDSK
Another alternative fix that you can try if you have tried all the fixes we mentioned above is to perform a disk check. CHKDSK, or check disk, is designed to verify the proper configuration of your hard drive and fix errors if there are any. If you’re unsure where to start, let us guide you through the process.
- Press the Windows button or click Start.
- Type “Run” on the search box and click the application.
- Once the Run window opens, type “cmd” and click Enter.
- The Command Prompt window will open. Once there, type “chkdsk c: /f /r” and press Enter.
- Once the process finishes, you may have to restart your computer to see if the issue has been resolved.
Wrapping Up
One thing to keep in mind is that wsappx is part of the Windows operating system. While it may bring high CPU or disk usage from time to time, you can use the above-mentioned methods to fix the issue easily. We hope that we were able to assist you in troubleshooting the “wsappx high CPU” or “wsappx high disk” error. If you have any other methods on how to fix this issue, let us know in the comments below.
