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High CPU Usage When Using Chat GPT on Desktop ! How to Fix?
If you’ve recently noticed high CPU usage while using the ChatGPT website, you’re not alone. Many users have reported that their CPUs spike immediately after sending a prompt to ChatGPT — sometimes reaching 100% on a single core.
What’s Happening
Users have observed that as soon as ChatGPT begins generating a response, the CPU usage jumps sharply, and then returns to normal once the response is finished.
“When in ChatGPT’s site and after giving a prompt, the CPU spikes. My Ryzen 5 5600G uses 100% of one core — around 15–20% total usage. After it’s done writing, usage drops back to idle.”
This issue seems to happen across browsers, including Chrome and Firefox, and is likely tied to how ChatGPT’s front-end animations and text rendering are processed in real-time.
Likely Cause: Animation and Rendering Load
Initially, users believed the small “thinking dot animation” during ChatGPT’s typing sequence was the cause. Disabling JavaScript or CSS animations removed the dot but did not stop the high CPU usage.
This suggests the real cause is how ChatGPT continuously updates the text output on the screen while generating.
Each character and animation frame triggers a DOM re-render, which can consume significant CPU resources, especially on mid-range CPUs or laptops.
Common User Experiences
“It’s not the circle animation — the CPU usage stays high while it’s thinking or writing.”
“After a minute of my PC being frozen, ChatGPT stops responding. I’m a Plus subscriber, and this is unacceptable.”
“I’ve tried both Chrome and Firefox, same results. It spikes when generating text, then normal after.”
How to fix Chat GPT High CPU Usage
1. Use the ChatGPT Mobile App
The mobile app handles generation differently. It offloads most of the processing to the server rather than your local device, reducing CPU load significantly.
- Type your prompt in the mobile app instead of the browser.
- Let the response finish generating.
- Then reload your ChatGPT tab on your desktop to view the full answer.
This is the simplest way to bypass the browser rendering issue.
2. Perform a Hard Refresh
If the desktop site slows down or lags:
- Windows: Press
Ctrl + F5orCtrl + Shift + R - Mac: Press
Command + Shift + R
This forces your browser to reload all scripts and clear any cached rendering issues.
3. Switch or Update Your Browser
If you notice consistent lag, try:
- Microsoft Edge or Brave (lighter on memory).
- Updating Chrome or Firefox to the latest version.
Older versions sometimes handle dynamic JavaScript rendering less efficiently.
4. Disable Hardware Acceleration
Some users report smoother performance when disabling hardware acceleration:
- In Chrome: Go to
Settings → System → Use hardware acceleration when available → Turn off. - Restart your browser afterward.
5. Duplicate the Tab Trick
A simple but clever fix reported by users:
“When my tab freezes, I duplicate it. The new tab instantly loads the response while the original one is still stuck.”
Open ChatGPT in a new tab or refresh the old one once the response is generated — it will appear without re-rendering lag.
Why It Spiked After GPT-5 Update
Many users noted that the problem started after GPT-5’s release, which introduced enhanced live rendering, richer animations, and multimedia handling. While these features improve interaction, they also increase browser-side processing — explaining the CPU spikes.
Final Thoughts
High CPU usage on ChatGPT’s site is not an isolated issue — it’s tied to how the web version renders responses dynamically. Until OpenAI optimizes the web app, the mobile app or browser refresh workaround remains the best solution.
If the issue persists, consider reporting it via the ChatGPT feedback option or at help.openai.com. The more reports submitted, the sooner it may be patched.
